Madison County Fair
The ‘main attraction’ this weekend is the Madison County Fair. This once-per-year event offers our community the chance to celebrate our agricultural roots and celebrate the hard work of those in our community (both youth and adults) who come to share their talents through their fair entries.
County fairs have deep roots in Iowa’s agricultural heritage, dating back to the mid-1800s. Originally created to showcase livestock, crops, and homemaking skills, these fairs became vital gathering places for rural communities. Today, they remain a beloved tradition—celebrating 4-H and FFA achievements, offering local food and entertainment, and preserving Iowa’s farming legacy. More than just events, county fairs foster community pride and connect generations through shared experiences.
The fair started yesterday, but there are still four glorious fair days left! You can find the full schedule if you CLICK HERE but I’ve pulled out a list of what I consider to be ‘fan favorite’ events if you want to take my word for it!
Thursday, July 17
Day Care Day at the Fair
10 AM – 2 PM | Ag Mystery Walk for Youth, Grades K-6
2 PM | Open Bottle/Bucket Lamb Show, Sheep Show (South Show Ring)
5 PM | Dancing Horses (Rodeo Arena)
5 – 7:30 PM | Joe Demerath (Free Stage-Main Concourse)
5:30 PM | Bill Riley Talent Show (North Show Ring)
7:15 PM | Mutton Bustin Event (Rodeo Arena)
8 PM | Rodeo
Friday, July 18
2 – 4 PM | Midwest Heritage Watermelon Feed (North Show Ring)
5 PM | Dancing Horses (Rodeo Arena)
5 – 7 PM | Liv McNair, followed by Rural Route Band (Free Stage-Main Concourse)
5:30 PM | 4-H/FFA Dog Project Awards Ceremony and Trick Dog Competition (North Show Ring)
7:15 PM | Mutton Bustin Event (Rodeo Arena)
8 PM | Full Rodeo-Duckworth Rodeo Productions
Saturday, July 19
10 AM | Horse Project Fun Show (Horse Arena)
10 AM | Archery Tournament Start
2 PM | Monster Arm Wrestling (South Show Ring)
5 PM | Kiddie Pedal Tractor Pull (North Show Ring)
5 – 7:30 PM | Corey Jamison Live Music (Free Stage-Main Concourse)
7 PM | Circle Track Mud Races (Motor Arena)
8 PM | Family Movie Night (East of North Show Ring)
Sunday, July 20
9 AM | Supreme Showmanship Competition (North Show Ring, then South Show Ring)
10 AM | MCF Horseshoes
10:30 AM | Cowboy Church (Horse Arena)
12 PM | Friends of the Fair Presentation (North Show Ring)
12 PM | Livestock Auction Event – Premium Sale (North Show Ring)
1 PM | Madison County Farm Bureau Cook-Out contest
7 PM | Down and Back Mud Races
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Today
Cooking Demonstration
Thursday • July 17 • 6:00pm
Winterset Public Library
Registration is required for this cooking demonstration at the library, but it’s still free. And, there will be samples!
Grease
Thursday • July 17 • 7:00pm
Throwback Thursday at The Iowa Theater
From Swayze & Gray to Travolta & Newton-John…the dance party continues at Throwback Thursday!
Experience the friendships, romances and adventures of a group of high school kids in the 1950s. Welcome to the singing and dancing world of “Grease,” the most successful movie musical of all time. A wholesome exchange student (Olivia Newton-John) and a leather-clad Danny (John Travolta) have a summer romance, but will it cross clique lines? 1978, Rated PG, 1 hr 50 min
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This Weekend!
Superman
June 18 & 19 • 7:00pm & July 20 • 2:00pm
The Iowa Theater
The man of steel is back on the silver screen…Superman embarks on a journey to reconcile his Kryptonian heritage with his human upbringing as Clark Kent. Rated PG-13, 2 hr 9 min
Madison County Farmer’s Market
Saturday • July 19 • 8:00 – Noon
Courthouse Square
B. John Burns will be cranking out some music from 9:30 – 11:30am at this weekend’s Farmer’s Market.
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It’s a GREAT day to be a Winterset Citizen—
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Jane Austen Wrecked My Life
Sunday • July 20 • 5:30pm
Sunday Movie Club at the Iowa Theater
This month’s Sunday Movie Club screening is a lively French romantic comedy all audiences will enjoy. “Jane Austen Wrecked My Life” premiered last year at the Toronto Film Festival and has received many glowing reviews.
The film’s protagonist, Agathe, works at a bookstore Paris and lives with her sister and her sister’s young son. Fearful of automobiles because her parents were killed in a car crash, Agathe cycles everywhere. Her friend and coworker Felix secretly sends the novel she is writing in English to the Jane Austen Residency, a two-week writing retreat in England, where she wins a spot. At the retreat, she meets an eligible man, a distant relative of Jane Austen, but in true rom-com tradition, Agathe at first dislikes him intensely. When Felix shows up, things become more complicated. Total running time is 1:34. The movie is in both French and English, with English subtitles when characters speak French.
One reviewer called the movie, “a modern, literate, and sweet riff on finding the kind of happiness that can’t be found in a book.” Another said, “At a time when practically the entire rom-com genre has gravitated to streaming, this bilingual theatrical offering from Sony feels like the best kind of throwback.” RogerEbert.com called the movie, “a romantic comedy for the quiet, thoughtful lovers who yearn for the sincerity of the past.”
“Jane Austen Wrecked My Life” is the July installment for the Iowa Theater’s Sunday Movie Club. Admission for club members is free; nonmembers are welcome to purchase an $8 ticket. For information about the Sunday Movie Club, a once-a-month screening on the third Sunday that offers slightly off-the-beaten-path, critically acclaimed, thought provoking films, visit www.the-iowa.com/club. Movie club screenings include an optional, brief discussion with the audience following the film.
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Coming Soon
Cardboard Boat Race
Wednesday • August 6 • 6:00pm
Winterset Aquatic Center
It’s time to start planning your entry for this year’s cardboard boat race which will take place at the Winterset Aquatic Center on August 6th. Participants can pick up cardboard for boats at Adel & Winterset TV & Appliance, the sponsors of this event.
This is a free event, but participants will need to register online here: tinyurl.com/WPRD-Programs
For the parents who plan WAY Ahead!
It’s a GREAT day to be a Winterset Citizen—
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American State Bank
Farmers & Merchants State Bank
Graham’s Game Café
Homefront Real Estate
The Iowa Theater
John Wayne Birthplace Museum
Madison County Health Care System
Madison County Historical Society
Madison County Music Co.
McGowen Hurst Clark Smith
Midwest Heritage Bank
Montross Pharmacy
State Farm, Charlotte Speer
Union State Bank
The Warehouse on 2nd
Winterset Ballet & Dance Studio
Winterset Optimist Club
Winterset Parks & Recreation Department