Fourth of July fireworks displays are a big deal in the United States! According to Wallet Hub over 44% of Americans will attend a July 4th fireworks display in 2024. There are over 14,000 fireworks displays held each Fourth of July and the cost of hosting a municipal fireworks display ranges from $10,000 to $50,000.
Hailed as the best firework displays in the Driftless Region of Northeast Iowa, Southeast Minnesota, Southwest Wisconsin, and Northwest Illinois include:
Brownsville, MN
Brownsville, MN, will celebrate the 4th of July with fireworks during the town’s annual Brownsville Days on Saturday, June 29. The fireworks are set to begin at dusk, at approximately 9:28 p.m. The fireworks are set to go off in the hi field behind the ballpark.
Onalaska, WI
Head to Onalaska on Saturday, June 29 to enjoy a full day of live music, the popular family fun zone for kids, a cornhole tournament, and the fireworks show at dusk.
Hesper Nite Lite Fireworks
Hesper, IA
This year’s event, Hesper Nite Lite Fireworks, is scheduled to take place on Wednesday, July 3, in the quaint village of Hesper, IA. The town folk welcome visitors to enjoy the spectacular display of bright lights with them starting at dusk, at 9:27 p.m.
Eitzen, MN
The town’s popular Fourth of July celebration, July 2-4, culminates on Thursday evening with fireworks at dusk, scheduled for 9:26 p.m. The display, valued at over $10,000 will illuminate the sky from 307 Iowa Ave. The three-day celebration is hosted by the Eitzen Lion’s Club.
Festina, IA
Start your day off at Festina’s 4th of July parade on July 4. The parade starts promptly at 10:30 a.m. followed by a drive-thru chicken dinner at the town’s community center. The town’s fireworks show starts at dusk/dark.
Galena, IL
The red, white, and blue comes alive on July 4 on the plaza and in the town’s park with food, live entertainment, and games. The annual Fourth of July parade steps off at 5:30 p.m. The fireworks show will light up the sky at dusk creating a rounding chorus of oohs, ahhs, and wows.
Harmony, MN
Harmony, MN
On Thursday, July 4, Harmony hosts its annual fireworks display at North Park, starting at dusk (9:26 p.m.) Presented by the Harmony Volunteer Fire Department and sponsored by The City of Harmony, First Southeast Bank of Harmony and Canton, Harmony Fireman’s Relief Association, and Harmony Conservation Club. Check out the town’s chamber of commerce Facebook page for a complete list of activities during the city’s four-day event.
Harper’s Ferry, IA
Join the residents of Harper’s Ferry on the fourth for a “rip roaring’ good time. Fireworks will go off at dusk (9:26 p.m.)
Ooh!Wow!Ahh!Beautiful!
La Crosse, WI:
On Thursday, July 4, La Crosse will shoot off fireworks during the town’s annual Riverfest celebration, 100 State Street, in downtown La Crosse. The fireworks will simultaneously light up the sky and the Mighty Mississippi River at dusk (9:26 p.m.).
Lansing, IA
The sky over Lansing lights up on July 4th at dusk (9:26 p.m.)
Monona, IA
Head to Monona on the 4th of July for their annual Family Fun Fest. Fireworks take place at dusk.
Cresco, IA
Cresco, IA: Don’t miss out on the fireworks display in Cresco on Friday, July 5 at the Prairie’s Edge Nature Center from 4:00–8:00 p.m. Plan on attending the Family Fun Night from 4:00–8:00 p.m.
Spillville, IA
On Saturday, July 6, the small Czech town of Spillville in northeast Iowa will hold its annual Fourth of July celebration at Riverside Park, 116 Bridge St. The festivities feature traditional 4th of July activities including a barbecue dinner, Little League tournament, 5K, bingo, kids’ games, and live entertainment. The day ends with the fireworks display at 9:30 p.m.
Oneota Film Festival, locally known as OFF, is unofficially recognized by the residents of Decorah, Iowa, as the first sign of spring.
It is time to make plans to attend the 2025 film festival. OFF will be held March 6 through March 9 in the picturesque town of Decorah.
If you are anxiously waiting for spring, plan to attend the documentaries offered by OFF throughout the winter months in the surrounding communities of Spring Grove, Lansing, Cresco, Waukon, and Calmar. Visit oneotafilmfestival.org for up-to-date information on the films that will be shown, when they will be shown, what time they will be shown, and where they will be shown. Pre-festival screenings are open to the public and are free to attend, so there is no excuse not to attend.
The 2025 festival will introduce film enthusiasts to 60 documentaries that will be shown in seven unique venues throughout Decorah.
What Is A Documentary?
Wikipedia defines a documentary film as “a non-fictional motion picture intended to “document reality, primarily for the purposes of instruction, education or maintaining a historical record”.
Documentaries are thought-provoking long and short films that force viewers to think outside the box. Documentaries may be about subject matters that you are familiar with or new topics you have never thought about.
They generate a range of emotions – sadness, laughter, surprise, excitement, relief, panic, anger, grief, shock, and others that leave viewers in a world of awe.
Documentaries force you to ask questions and encourage you to learn more.
Free Admission
Thanks to generous sponsors and donors, OFF has been a free event since its inception 15 years ago and continues to be a free event, making the event available to everyone.
There are costs to putting on a four-day event, so please consider becoming a member to support the festival. A bonus of becoming a member is that members are invited to VIP events throughout the year, plus members get to vote on their favorite film in the People’s Choice category.
Leadership
The year 2025 is the fifteenth year of the Oneota Film Festival. President Nancy Sojka leads a board of directors comprised of nine hard-working volunteers. The directors work year-round planning the next year’s festival.
The festival employs a part-time creative director, Elise Skelenger, the organization’s only paid employee.
You will see the directors and Elise throughout the film festival. Stop and thank them for all their hard work.
Volunteers
OFF also recruits an army of volunteers who help throughout the event. One of the many benefits of volunteering is you get to see the films in addition to helping your community. If you are interested in volunteering, visit oneotafilmfestival.org/volunteer to sign up. Volunteer positions needed are room managers, room hosts, doorkeepers, people movers for set-up and take-down, and greeters at the festival headquarters.
OFF volunteer, Deborah Bishop, introduces a film..
The Judges
The wide section of films will not disappoint as there is something for everyone, thanks to knowledgeable judges. The selection of films shown each year at film festivals demonstrates the quality of festival’s judges. They know their audience, and they understand what makes a good documentary. Imagine watching 100 or more films from September to December and having to select the films that will be shown. Judges are an important component of a successful film festival.
Reading the descriptions of the films will help attendees decide which films they want to watch. The films are normally shown more than once, so attendees have a chance to watch all the films. If you want to watch all the films you must have a schedule.
Venues
The films are shown at seven of Decorah’s popular historic venues that have all been given a new lease on life. Every location is unique and offers a different flavor, which adds to the enjoyment of the film festival.
Attendees may have a favorite venue and only attend the films at that venue, or they might want to watch a film at each venue to watch their favorite documentaries. What a great opportunity to get to experience Decorah, NE Iowa’s gem.
Make sure to arrive early if you want to get a front-row seat. A film festival is not like attending church where everyone wants to sit in the back.
ArtHaus
T-Bock’s Upstairs
Drift: Strength and Yoga CenterAll Vet’s Club, Post 1977Hotel Winneshiek
Headquarters
If you have any questions, make sure to stop at the festival’s headquarters, located in the lobby of Hotel Winneshiek, 104 E. Water Street. There will be eager volunteers ready to answer your questions arnd direct you to your favorite film.
Hotel Winneshiek
Friends and Family
OFF is the perfect time to hang out with old friends, meet new friends, or spend time with family.
New FriendsOld FriendsOld FriendsOld Friends
Snacks and Drinks
If popcorn is served at a film festival, that is a plus. Over the years, OFF has served flavored popcorn from Decorah’s own Pinter’s Gardens and Pumpkins. Some venues sell food and drinks for your enjoyment, thus, saving precious time while introducing you to the variety of tastes that are found in Winneshiek County. At Hotel Winneshiek, festival attendees can purchase adult beverages and take them upstairs to the Steyer Opera House. Tip: The margaritas are made just the way a margarita should be with orange juice and a salted rim.
Orange juice is key to any good margarita.
Meet the Film Director(s)
Make sure to hang around after the films to talk with the film director(s), whether they are onsite or attending the festival virtually. OFF offers time where attendees can chat one-on-one with the directors, providing opportunities to ask questions, get the film’s backstory, and sometimes there will even be members of the cast available to talk to.
2024 Director
Student film director, Noah Potvin. He was an 8th grade student in Decorah, Iowa when he created the short, Star Trek: Frontier in Diversity, that was shown at the 2024 festival.
Drake student and film director, Michael Veninga.
Directors at the 2024 OFF.
Create Your Own Itinerary
It is recommended that you plan your itinerary before the start of the festival. In 2025, there are over 60 films being shown over four days. It is a sure bet that if you do not lay out your schedule you will be disappointed. Some of them are shown more than once and in different locations, so plan out your schedule and carry your itinerary with you.
Not sure which documentaries to watch? Keep an eye out for the judges’ awards. Awards are generally announced a week or two before the festival.
Presenting this year’s 2025 Walter Ordway Best of the Fest OFF award winners are:
Best of the Fest – Animation: Brambletown, directed by Eric Power.
Best of the Fest – Honorable Mention – Animation: Swimming with Wings, directed by Daphna Awadish Golan.
Best of the Fest – Narrative Short: Statistical Probabilities, directed by Ryan O’Leary.
Best of the Fest – Narrative Feature: Loren and Rose, directed by Russell Brown.
Best of the Fest – Narrative Feature: No Way Home, directed by Yousaf Ali Khan.
Best of the Fest – Honorable Mention – Narrative Feature: Home Free, directed by Avi Ronn Federgreen.
Best of the Fest – Honorable Mention – Narrative Short: Dignity directed by Pat Battistini
Best of the Fest – Honorable Mention – Narrative Short: What We Don’t Say (Lo Que No Nos Decimos, directed by Josep M. Perez Ballano.
Best of the Fest – Documentary Feature: Climbing Into Life: The Dierdre Wolownick Story, directed by Melissa J. Davey.
Best of the Fest – Honorable Mention – Documentary Feature: Pink Belt, directed by John McCrite.
Best of the Fest – Documentary Short: Moved by Waters, directed by Kelly Rundle.
Best of the Fest – Documentary Short: Light Painter, directed by Eric Schmidt.
Best of the Fest – Honorable Mention – Documentary Short: The Dolphin Dilemma, directed by Olivia Andrus-Drennan.
Best of the Fest – Experimental: Odyssea, directed by Mariah Steele.
Best of the Fest – Honorable Mention – Student Film: Spectrum of Consumption: A Conservation Story, directed by Colleen Kelley.
Best of the Fest Student Film: Black Balloons, directed Gal Attia.
Best of the Fest – Honorable Mention Student Film: Where the Heart Lies, directed by Brianna Chapman.
Up-To-Date Information
Facebook is the perfect resource for keeping up-to-date on all things related to the OFF film festival. Follow along on the OFF festival’s Facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/oneotafilmfest.
Future Dates of the Oneota Film Festival
OFF makes it easy to plan for future festivals by posting the dates in advance.
March 5-8, 2026
March 4-7, 2027
March 2-5, 2028
March 1-4, 2029
Midwest Film Festivals
Now that you are hooked on film festivals, below is a list of film festivals that are recommended by myself and fellow travel bloggers. Follow the suggestions described in this article for any festival you attend, and you are guaranteed to enjoy your experience.
Experience the real Iowa with lifelong Iowa resident and travel writer Sara Broers. Broers shares 100 authentic Iowa adventures with residents and visitors in her recently released book, 100 Things To Do In Iowa Before You Die.
Broers is also the CEO of TravelWithSara.com, self-described as a website for folks that enjoy travel. The book features well-known attractions, restaurants, mom-and-pop stores, wineries, breweries, and festivals, and some not as well-known that Broers has visited. After reading just one of Broers suggestions, readers will be eager to get out and explore the culturally and historically rich and scenic Iowa that Broers lives and breathes.
Broers makes road-tripping fun, and she shares plenty of insider information that is sure to get readers revved up and ready to start exploring. In the back of the book, Broers offers suggested itineraries to help plan day and multi-day trips. There are also travel tips scattered throughout the book.
There is no one-way readers can tackle the book. Readers can start at the front of the book, they can begin at the back, or can flip through the book after reviewing the table of content or the index. No matter what approach to reading the book is selected, it will take reading just one adventure to be hooked and ready to head out on their first trip.
Did you know that pearls were found in the Mississippi River or that billions of pearl buttons were manufactured in Muscatine, the Pearl Button Capital of the World? To find out more about this industry, plan a visit to the National Pearl Button Museum in Muscatine.
Des Moines is home is a world-class skate park. 88,000 square feet of concrete to enjoy on four wheels and a board. Broers mentions that roller skates are allowed in the park.
Relive the fifties at the legendary Surf Ballroom the first weekend in February. The town of Clear Lake recreates the last concert of Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, and The Big Bopper at the annual Winter Dance Party.
Visit Fort Dodge’sGaga & Hoo Korean restaurant serves world-class authentic Korean food. Broers adds, “If you’re lucky, your server will pick up a guitar and serenade you while you dine on this delicious Korean food.”
Travel to the northeast quadrant of the state and ‘Meet the Man Who Fed the World’ Nobel Peace Prize winner, Norman Borlaug. Borlaug is recognized for his work developing a strain of wheat that can be cultivated throughout various regions of the world. Visit his birthplace and childhood home outside Cresco.
100 Things to Do in Iowa Before You Die is part of the 100 Things to Do Before You Die series, written by travel experts and published by Reedy Press. The softcover is 5.5” x 8.5” is 192 pages, and costs $19.95. The ISBN is 9781681063508.
Broers enjoys talking with fellow travelers, so if she sees you carrying a yellow 100 Things To Do travel book, don’t be surprised if she stops to talk and asks to take a selfie with you.
Deprived of a consistent intake of fresh cheese curds over the last 30 years, it became apparent that a Sunday drive through the Driftless Region of Iowa, Minnesota, and Wisconsin was in store.
“A cheese curd is a small chunk of cheese often identified as the freshest form of cheddar,” explains Golden Age Cheese.
Sunday Drives
Baby Boomers can attest to the fact that Sunday drives are a Midwest family tradition. Having something to devour, while driving through the rich agricultural landscape is a necessity. It was not uncommon in the Corson family to enjoy a bag or two of cheese curds on their Sunday drives.
Finally, I have a free Sunday for a drive. I headed out on the first of many drives in search of the perfect cheese curds. Heading north from Decorah, Iowa to Mabel, Minnesota, I stopped at the local convenience store to purchase a bag of cheese curds. Half expecting to see an array of tempting flavors – (Dill, Ranch, Parmesan, or even Sour Cream and Onion), I was relieved to see a bag of traditional plain white cheddar cheese curds. The white curds are what I remember nibbling on as a little girl. Opening the bag, I grabbed the first peanut-shaped curd that my fingers touched. Closing my eyes, I slowly took that long-awaited bite, eagerly expecting to hear that familiar squeak between my teeth; I heard– nothing.
La Crosse, Wisconsin
Disappointed, I drove headed toward La Crosse, Wisconsin, snacking in silence toward Wisconsin touted as the United States’ cheese capital. According to Quora.com, Wisconsin is a cheese curd lovers’ paradise. Wisconsin is where I remember my parents going to buy cheese curds. Not able to find any curds that caused me to cringe from that signature squeak when I bit into them,
Not willing to give up, I decided to find a restaurant offering homemade fried cheese curds. They were as good as I remembered enjoying with my former mother-in-law. Still, there was only a squeak now and then. Maybe I was dreaming? Did cheese curds not squeak as I remembered?
It was time to compare Minnesota and Wisconsin curds with those made in Iowa. I anxiously awaited my first bite of Iowa cheddar cheese curds.
Throughout my month-long journey, I became intrigued with finding out what made cheese curds squeak. After a quick internet search and chatting with cheesemakers, it became clear that an understanding of the process of making cheese curds is essential to understanding what makes curds squeak.
According to Livestrong.com, “As whey is drained from the vat during the creation of cheddar, cheese curds remain as an end product. Most cheese curds are best within a few days of production.”
WW Homestead Dairy
Just down the road from Decorah in Waukon is WW Homestead Dairy, self-proclaimed the cheese capital of Iowa. After a tour and lots of questions, I got my answer and much more. As it turns out, eating fresh warm curds is the key to the squeakiest cheese curds that you can imagine. Cheese curds that can cause one to cringe as if you’d just heard fingernails run down the face of a chalkboard.
Caring friends and colleagues suggest briefly warming up cheese curds in the microwave to force them to squeak as if fresh, but that didn’t work for me. No matter. My search is over. I have found the secret to tasty cheese curds.
Stop in at Homestead Dairy on Tuesday and Thursday mornings at 10:30 a.m. The time when you can purchase curds straight out of the vat– large, warm, tasty, and squeaky.
Where to Find Fried Cheese Curds
In my quest to find the best cheese curds, step two was to find area restaurants that serve fried cheese curds made from Homestead Dairy cheese. I checked out T-Bocks, Good Times, and Luther College in Decorah. The fried cheese curds were all made from cheddar from the WW Homestead Dairy and were delicious at all three places.
Fried Cheese Curds Recipe
Having now experienced deliciously fried local cheese curds, I thought it would be fun to learn how to make them.
After only five minutes of research on the internet, I came across the following recipe on AllRecipes.com.
Ingredients
2 quarts of corn oil for frying
¼ cup milk
1 cup all-purpose flour
¾ cup beer
½ teaspoon salt
Two eggs
2 lbs. Cheese curds, broken apart
15-minute prep 15-minute cook | Ready in 30 minutes
Directions
1. Heat corn oil in a deep-fryer or large saucepan to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C)
2. Whisk together milk, flour, beer, salt, and eggs to form a smooth, relatively thin batter.
3. Place cheese curds, about six to eight at a time, into the batter, stir to coat, and remove with wire strainer.
4. Shake curds to remove excess batter.
5. Deep fry until golden brown, 1 to 2 minutes.
6. Drain on paper towels.
7. Serve hot with Ranch dressing.
Researching information for this article produced unexpected results. When I set out on this adventure initially, it was to find the best-tasting cheese curds in the Driftless region of Iowa, Minnesota, and Wisconsin. The journey turned out to be much more informative than imagined. CheeseUndergroundBlogspot.com offers the following advice and facts:
“Only buy cheese curds if they are fresh – anything over a day old isn’t the same.”
“High in fat but also high in taste.”
“Squeaky fresh and fun to eat.”
“Traditionally, cheese curds were the leftover bonus from a batch of cheddar, but cheesemakers brought it home for their children to eat.”
Calories
110 calories in 1 serving | 1 serving are equal to a half a cup or 1 ounce
Knowing the number of calories in a serving and how many servings a person can eat in one sitting,
I realized that physical exertion is a requirement after enjoying cheese curds. According to CalorieKing.com, it takes 31 minutes of walking or 30 minutes of jogging or 9 minutes of swimming, or 17 minutes of cycling to burn 110 calories.
