The 30th Annual Heritage Days Festival, Mount Vernon’s biggest summer festival, will take place Thursday, Friday and Saturday, July 6, 7 and 8, in and around Uptown Mount Vernon.

With a parade theme of “Star Wars,” this year’s festivities will include fireworks, old-fashioned carnival games, as well as live performances, bingo, a beer tent and a “mini-Olympics for kids.”

New this year will be:

• The return of Art in the Park, an art show that includes kid’s activities in Memorial Park on Saturday, July 8, from 11AM to 3PM
• A car show on the street in front of Memorial Park, on Saturday, July 8, from 10:30AM to 3PM
• A three-day softball tournament in the Elliott Athletic Complex

This event will features a parade, fireworks, live music, kolache tent, and a talent show.  Expect a bags tournament, beer tent, bingo, carnival games, and a car show. It will also feature the return of Art in the Park.  The band Crazy Delicious will be performing on Saturday night.

Heritage Days Weekend begins on Thursday, July 6, at 6PM, at the Kernoustie Country Club with a “mini-Olympics for kids” (registration begins at 5:30PM). It will be followed by food and family activities at Kernoustie, with the annual Fireworks Display at dark.

Food vendors will be set up on First Street West, and will open Friday, July 7, from noon to midnight, and Saturday, July 8, from noon to midnight. A beer tent will be open from 4PM to midnight on Friday, July 7, and from noon to midnight on Saturday, July 8.

The Mount Vernon/Lisbon Young Adult Theatre will be presenting Godspell in the District Auditorium. Shows will be at 7PM on Friday and Saturday, and at 2PM on Sunday.

On Saturday, July 8, The Heritage Days 5K Walk/Run will take place starting at the Mount Vernon High School.

The Main Street Stage on Mount Vernon’s First Street West will feature live entertainment from 6:30PM to midnight on Friday, July 7 and from 12:30PM to midnight on Saturday, July 8. Mainstage performers include Funk Daddies on Friday, July 7, beginning at 9PM and Crazy Delicious on Saturday, July 8, beginning at 9PM.

The Heritage Days Parade will start at 11AM on Saturday, July 8. With a theme of “Star Wars,” the parade’s lineup will be at the Small Multi-Sport Center parking lot. The parade will start on First Street West, and then wind down 5th Avenue North and will end at 7th Street. Line up begins at 10AM.

There will be a series of Old-Fashioned Carnival Games set up on 1st Street, each managed by a different community group that offer family fun at an affordable price. Community partner groups include 4H Club, Student Trip to Ecuador, Mount Vernon High School Boys and Girls Soccer, Mount Vernon High School Cheerleaders, Mount Vernon High School Band, Mount Vernon High School Robotics Club, Mount Vernon-Lisbon Rotary Club and WETAP.

Also returning this year will be a live community talent show, “Mount Vernon’s Got Talent,” Friday, July 7, 6:30-7:45PM at the Main Stage. Early sign-up online is encouraged.

“Join us as we honor 30 years of Heritage Days and 40 years of Star Wars this year,” says Jenny Hampton, Chair of the Heritage Days Committee. “This year we are bringing back popular events such as Art in the Park and the Car Show, and invite everyone in the area to find their inner Luke Skywalker or Princess Leia on Saturday at the 30th annual Mount Vernon Heritage Days parade.”

Schedule of Events:

Thursday, July 6th – Kernoustie Golf Cub

• 5:30 -6:00 Mini Olympics registration Kernoustie Golf Club 6:00 Mini Olympics Kernoustie Golf Club
• 6:00pm-9:00pm Activities and Family Night at Kernoustie Golf Club Food, drink, music, children’s entertainment
• 5:30-8:00 pm Softball Tournament Elliott Athletic Complex
• Dark Fireworks Display by Heritage Days

Friday, July 7th – Uptown Mt. Vernon

• 8:00 AM 3-person Best shot, Kernoustie Golf Club
• 1:00 PM 3-person Best shot, Kernoustie Golf Club
• Noon-12:00am Food Vendors, First Street West: Street vendors with both local and regional favorites.
• 4:00pm-Midnight Beverage Tent
• 4:00-9:00pm Alumni Reception, Now located in the old Fire Station on Main street next to City Hall. Hang out with your classmates uptown and meet fellow alums from many classes. Friends, family, and Community welcome.
• 5:30- 8:00 pm Games and Activities
• 5:30- 8:00 pm Softball Tournament Elliott Athletic Complex
• 5:45-6:30pm registration
• 6:30pm race time Kids Fun Run, Cornell Football Field; several classes of races for kids 10 & under
• 6:30-Midnight Main Street Stage, First Street West
  • 6:30- 7:45 pm Mount Vernon’s Got Talent
  • 7:45- 8:30 pm Martin Benesh
  • 9:00-12:00 pm Funk Daddies
• 7:00pm Mt. Vernon/Lisbon Young Adult Theatre Company, Godspell at District Auditorium
• 9:00- 11:00 pm Movie Night at the Pool- Star Wars

Saturday, July 8th – Uptown Mt. Vernon

• 8:00am 5K Run/Walk, 10K Run and Kids Mile Mount Vernon High School Starting at 8am at MV High School (Palisades Road) and winding through scenic Mt. Vernon. Register in advance or on site from 6:30 am – 7:30 am.
• 8:00am to ?? Final day of Softball Tournament Elliott Athletic Complex
• 8:00-10:00am Alumni and Community Breakfast Serving from 8-10am in the High School Commons. All alumni, families, friends, and community welcome. Cost : donation at the door.
• 10:00-12:00am Food Vendors, First Street West Different street vendors with both local and regional favorites
• Noon to Midnight Beverage Tent
• 10:00- 4:00 pm Makers’ Market Front Lawn of First Street Community Center
• 10:30am – 3:00 Car Show, First street in-front of Memorial Park
  • 10:30 to 11:00 Registration
  • 3:15 Award for People’s Choice
• 11:00- 3:00 Art in the Park- Memorial Park (10:30 set-up)
• 11:00 AM Heritage Days Parade, First Street West – Theme is Star Wars Parade starts on First Street West, winds down 5th Avenue North and ends at 7th Street. Line up begins at 10:00 am at Cornell College
• 11:30am-9:00 pm Alumni Reception Old Fire Station on Main Street. Hang out with your classmates uptown and meet fellow alums from many classes. Friends, family, and Community welcome. Music Intermission with Alumni movie/slideshow
• Noon-midnight Main Street Stage, First Street West
  • 12:30-1:00 pm Mt. Vernon/Lisbon Young Adults Theater/ Mt. Vernon/Lisbon Community Theatre GodSpell
  • 1:00-1:30 Dance Arts Iowa
  • 1:30-2:00 PTO (Praise Team Outreach)
  • 2:00-6:00 pm MV Wrestling Team – bean bag toss tournament fund raiser
  • 6:30 -8:30 pm Simpleton and City Folk
  • 8:30 -9:00 pm DJ Music
  • 9:00-12:00 pm Crazy Delicious
• Noon-1:00pm Reading of the Declaration of Independence By the American Legion at the Gazebo in Memorial Park
• 1:15- 1:45 pm Martial Arts Demonstrations By Taegeuk Martial Arts at the Gazebo in Memorial Park
• 2:00- 3:00 pm Community Band at Gazebo in Memorial Park
• Noon-8:00pm Carnival games, Main Street in front of the old fire station
• 5:30- 7:30 pm Pool Theme Night @ the Mt. Vernon Pool
• 7:00pm Mt. Vernon/Lisbon Young Adult Theatre Company, Godspell at District Auditorium

About Mount Vernon

Historic Mount Vernon, Iowa, is the home to 4500 residents, including 1200 college students enrolled at Cornell College. Located in Eastern Iowa at the intersection of Highways 30 and 1, 20 miles north of Iowa City and 15 miles east of Cedar Rapids, it boasts a vibrant uptown business community with numerous antique and specialty stores, restaurants, coffee houses, art galleries, and three National Historic Districts. Mount Vernon was named one of America’s “10 Coolest Small Towns” by Budget Travel magazine in October of 2009. More information is available at visitmvl.com.

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