Scenic Drive Festival

Oct. 11-13, 2019

Villages of Van Buren County, Iowa will host the countywide Scenic Drive Festival which is always held the second full weekend in October. Visitors are encouraged to follow the marked “Scenic Drive” signs through Van Buren County in Southeast Iowa and along the Historic Hills Scenic Byway to experience each of the historic Villages. There will be Fine Arts, Crafts, Flea Markets, Car & Tractor Shows, Parade, Quilt Shows, Tours of Historic Barns and several other activities. Visit historic sites like Richardson’s Point, an 1846 Mormon Encampment site near Milton, Pearson House Museum Complex, part of the Underground Railroad located in Keosauqua and the Pioneer Historical Museum in Farmington to learn more about the Honey War.  Van Buren County Fairgrounds in Keosauqua will have vendors, a Chili Cook-off and Ranch Rodeo. Bloom and Bark Farm will have artisan demonstrations on Saturday. Start the day with breakfast prepared by the Lions Club at the Keosauqua City Park both days or the Amish School Breakfast on Saturday only near Lebanon. The extremely popular home-cooked meals will be held at the Sunrise Bakery, North of Bonaparte & Milton Christian Church.  More historic barns have been added to the tour this year including the two rustic civil war era Barker Barns, one which has an interior silo.  The Miller Barn was newly constructed this year using old-style techniques and will have buggy and pony rides.  And of course, all of the Specialty Shops & Antique Stores will be open as well! The festival is held rain or shine. There is no admission fee. For more details and a free brochure with map visit villagesofvanburen.com or call 319-293-7111 / 800-868-7822.

Bentonsport

• 44^th Annual Fine Art & Fine Craft Festival featuring vendors, artisan demonstrations, food, baked goods, raffles. There will be Live Music at the gazebo. Hours: Saturday 10am-5pm, Sunday 10am-4pm.
• Bentonsport Riverfest with antiques, craft, flea market & food vendors in the Riverfront Park. Mums, Amish baked goods, leather goods and artisan demonstrations. Specialty shops will be open. Pottery, Rug-weaving and blacksmith demonstrations. Hours: Saturday & Sunday 10am-5pm.
• Indian Artifact Museum, 21929 Des Moines St. Thousands of artifacts impressively displayed. No admission fee. Hours: 10am-5pm
• Nauvoo on the Road featuring Pioneer Pastimes from the 1800s including Candle/Rope Making & Games. Saturday Only 10am-4pm in the Riverfront Park.

 

 

 

Keosauqua

• NEW! Chili Cook-off and Ranch Rodeo at the Van Buren County Fairgrounds. Cook-off is Friday at 5:30pm, $20 entry fee. Taste testing ($2) begins at 6pm. Ranch Rodeo begins on Saturday at 6:30pm. Admission to rodeo is $5. Live music by The Boot Jack Band begins at 7pm (freewill offering).
• Fall Festival. Hours: Saturday 9am-5pm, Sunday 10am-4pm. Arts, craft, flea market, food vendors and live music. Vendors set-up at the Keosauqua Senior Center, downtown along the river, Roberts Memorial Building, Van Buren County Fairgrounds and at the new Keosauqua Fire Dept. all on Hwy. 1 North.
• Keosauqua Lions will host an All-You-Can-Eat Pancake & Sausage breakfast from 7am-10am in downtown Keosauqua on both mornings.
• Keosauqua Library Book Sale, free will donation on all books. Held inside the Library at 608 1^st on Friday 1pm-5pm, Saturday 9am-5pm, Sunday 11am-2pm.
• Keosauqua Rotary Grand Parade on Saturday at 10am. “Celebrate, Connect, Inspire State Parks” is this year’s theme honoring the upcoming Iowa State Parks Centennial. Line up begins at 8am at the Van Buren County High School, 503 Henry St.
• Pearson House Museum Complex, 718 Dodge St. was a “safe house” on the Underground Railroad for escaping slaves during the Civil War era. The secret hiding place under the floorboards can still be seen today. Also at the complex, is a one-room Schoolhouse and authentic Log Cabin that will be open for tours with guides in period dress depicting the pioneer lifestyle. There will be demonstrations of fiber arts and crafts. On Saturday children can “make & take”. Saturday 2pm: Live music by the Galvinators. Sunday 1pm: Circuit riding preacher church service. Tours available until 4pm. No admission fee but donations for future preservation efforts are appreciated.
• Fall Festival Car, Truck & Motorcycle Show will be on Sunday. Registration from 10am- 12pm. Show from 12pm-3pm. Awards at 3:00pm. Cost is $15. For more information call: 319-293-3752.
• 12th Annual Fall 5K/10K Run or 2 mile Trail Walkat Lacey Keosauqua State Park, begins at the Lodge at 9am on Sunday.  Registration begins at 8:15am, $25/ $75 maximum per household.
• Camping with showers & electric is available at the Van Buren County Fairgrounds. $15/night with electric. Reservations: 641-919-0566.

Bonaparte

• 2^nd Annual BCIA Gun Show, held at Bonaparte School Community Center, 602 8^th Buy – Sell – Trade Modern & antique guns. Gun raffle, shooting tent for children (pellet guns). Food available. Admission: $5, under 10: Free. Hours: Friday 5-9pm, Saturday 9am-5pm, Sunday 9am-2pm.
• Soup Luncheon, Bonaparte School Community Center, 602 8^th   Saturday only 11am-1pm ($7).
• Fall Festival Citywide yard sales and vendors in Riverside Park. All specialty & antique stores will be open. Hours: Friday-Sunday 9am-5pm
• Sunrise Bakery Amish Dinner Buffet, 21913 White Ave. (North of Bonaparte, then East on J40.) 5pm-7:30pm on Friday & Saturday Adults: $11+ tax, Seniors: $9+tax, Children ages 5-12: $5.50+tax, Under age 4: Free. Bakery hours: 9am-6pm.
• Historic Bonaparte PotteryMuseum and Gallery, 411 1st St.  Free tours of Iowa’s only remaining pottery site, demonstrations, gift shop/museum and more. Hours: Saturday & Sunday 10am-5pm.
• Bonaparte Fire Dept. & EMS Luncheon, held at Fire Station, 608 2^nd beginning at 10am. Maid-rites, chips & drink, free will donation.

Stockport

• “Experience the West Adventure” at Morris Park, 10938 Timber Rd. (5.5 miles North & East of Stockport, follow the signs) Fish Fry Friday at 5pm! Saturday Only: Breakfast at 7am, Cowboy Chili at 5pm. Both days: Variety of pioneer exhibits and demonstrations, draft horse pulls, tractor rides, antique farm equipment & artifacts, raffle for authentic Roy Rogers poster. The Pioneer Log Cabin as well as other historic buildings will be open for free tours. Hours: Friday 5pm, Saturday 7am-6pm & Sunday 9am-4pm.
• Stockport Depot / Freedom Rock Open Saturday Only from 10am-4pm. No admission fee.

Farmington

• “Collective Goods” Book Fair at the Bridge Café & Supper Club, 101 Olive St. on Fri 5pm-8pm, Sat 8am-9pm & Sun 9am-2pm. Books for all ages!
• Arts, Crafts, Music & Food Vendors at the Riverfront Shelterhouse. Sat & Sun 8am-4pm.
• Pioneer Historical Museum Open House, 205 S. 4^th (next to Casey’s). Open Saturday 9am-4pm & Sunday 12pm-4pm. No admission fee. Souvenirs and handmade crafts for sale.
• 2^nd Annual Quilt Show at the United Methodist Church, 401 4^th Numerous quilts, crafts and bake sale. Open Saturday 9am-4pm & Sunday 12pm-4pm.

Birmingham

• Trash & Treasure Salewill have a vast amount of garage sale items, flea markets items, antiques and collectibles in the Birmingham City Park, 331 E. Main St. Hours: Saturday 8am-5pm & Sunday 9am-4pm.  Birmingham Lions will serve lunch both days from 11am-1pm.

 

 

Lebanon Area

• Yoder’s Indian Creek Furniture (22769 Rt. V-64, Milton; 3/4 miles S of Lebanon) 13th Anniversary Sale with FREE coffee & donuts all day.  10% off everything purchased or ordered.  10 % off in-stock poly & wood lawn furniture and 15% off Wind Chimes. Door prizes with a Glider Rocker as the Grand Prize. Sat only 8am-5pm.
• Richardson’s Point, an 1846 Mormon Encampment Site, 11251 County Rd J40, Milton. Saturday 10am-5pm. Memorialized marked grave sites of the first deaths of the Mormon Exodus with pioneer camp life exhibits and demonstrations. No admission fee.
• Bloom and Bark Farm Glass Blowing & Local Artisan Market, 18517 Rte. J40 (4 miles W of Keosauqua) Watch artisans at work, glass blowing demonstrations, clay oven bread baking, arts, crafts & more! Saturday Only 9am-5pm.
• Amish School Breakfast & Bake Sale (Jct. of J40 & V64) Saturday Only 7:30am-12pm. Freewill offering serving homemade biscuits & sausage gravy, pancakes, scrambled eggs, sausage & drinks.

Douds

• Lunch Box Café (14191 Hwy 98) “Homemade cooking at its best!” Open Friday & Saturday from 11am-7pm serving big foot tenderloins, Texas tators and ribeye steak sandwiches.

Cantril

• Dutchman’s Store is an Ol’Fashion General Store with bulk food, fresh produce, deli counter, fall flowers, pumpkins, gourds, hard-to-find goods, and a quilter’s paradise! Hours: Mon-Fri 8am-6pm and Saturday 8am-5pm. On Saturday there will be a Mennonite Bake Sale on the porch starting at 8am.

Milton

• Milton Creamery (202 E Hwy 2) Open 8am-5pm. Free samples of over 20 flavors of locally made cheeses and fresh curds.
• “Grandma’s Homemade Dinner” at Milton Christian Church (301 E Oak St.) Saturday 11:30am-1:30pm. Enjoy homemade Chicken & Noodles or Beef & Noodles, real mashed potatoes, home-grown sweet corn, green beans, homemade rolls and a variety of salads and desserts. Adults: $10; Children ages 12 and under: $5.
• Tractor, Truck, Motorcycle & Car Show 9am-5pm on Saturday at the Milton Christian Church (301 E Oak St.)  Restored and unrestored tractors, trucks, motorcycles, cars and small fly wheel engines.  The Sonshine Band plays at 1pm. Free admission.

 

                                                Fall Harvest Historical Barn Tours

Several historical barns will be open for free tours on Saturday from 10am-4pm.

• Clark Barn, 27882 107^th, Stockport. 1916 Old English Bank Barn.  Foundation features small windows.
• Morris Park Barn, 10938 Timber Rd., Stockport. Replica barn filled with antique farm machinery with attached museum. See Stockport listing for special activities.
• NEW! Barker Barn, Corner of Peach Avenue & 170^th, Keosauqua. Two Civil War era barns. Bank Barn has an interior silo. The large barn was used as a multi-purpose barn.
• Finney Barn, 17248 Hwy 1, Keosauqua. English Bank Barn built c. 1898. Louvered windows on all elevations. Recently moved onto a new foundation.
• Paulek Barn, 17727 Rt. J40, Keosauqua. Built in 1924 and renovated in 2018. Originally built with a poured foundation and a Dutch gambrel roof line.
• NEW! Miller Barn, 21803 Clover Rd., Keosauqua. New Amish barn constructed this year using old-style techniques. Open barn tours, buggy rides, pony rides and refreshments.
• Wickfield Farm Sales Pavilion, 17451 260^th, Cantril. 1918 4-story round Sales Pavilion and rooming house. Guides will share the fascinating history.

The Scenic Drive Festival is made possible by generous contributions from First Iowa State Bank, Van Buren Telephone, Keosauqua Lions Club, City of Keosauqua, Dutchman’s Store in Cantril and several Van Buren County businesses and organizations.