Consider yourself lucky
No long rambling intro this week. Writer’s Block is a real thing, and we have it. Believe it or not, writing this intro is probably the most difficult thing about this whole newsletter. So, since we got writer’s block, you get a few seconds back in your day.
Have fun this week.
Giphy
Adventures Ahead📅📅
Check out some below happenings in the CR area!
Have an event suggestion? Just click here and let us know what it is.
Wednesday, 7/8
Bounce Party
Gill Park, 9-11am
There will be rides down the giant slide, climbing through the obstacle course, and jumping in the bouncy house. Yard games will be set up to play and music pumping through the park for extra fun!
Crafts for Kids: Smores Characters Air Dry Clay
Hiawatha Public Library, 10-10:30am
Make it at the library or take it home! Limited to the first 74 kiddos.
Author Kelly Crull: There’s a Dinosaur Loose in the Library
Downtown Library, 10-11am
Marion Library, 1-2pm and 3-4pm
Perfect for ages 4–10 and their families, this program blends story time, science, and plenty of giggles into one unforgettable experience that will get kids excited about books, thinking like a scientist, and leave everyone roaring with delight.
Picnic & Pages @ The Pad
Turtle Creek Park Splashpad, 12-12:30pm
Bring your lunch and your swimsuit — we’ll be right by the splash pad, so get ready to read, play, and make some waves!
Thursday, 7/9
Park Playdates
Hanna Park, 10-11am
In addition to the playground equipment, extra activities such as bubbles, balls, pinwheels, sidewalk chalk, yard games, and sports equipment will be available.
The library's bookmobile will also stop by for patrons to find their next great read.
This program is geared towards babies and elementary-aged children.
Five Seasons Water Ski Show
Ellis Blvd., Ski bleachers, 7 pm
Food truck will be Boulevard Grill.
Friday, 7/10
Fresh Air Friday’s
Pinicon Ridge Park, playground near Riverside shelter, 10-11:30am
Join us for a fun nature-themed story time with a read-aloud at 10:30 a.m. near the activity tent.
Collect stamps on your Fresh Air Friday Passport each week. Attend three or more dates over the summer for a prize.
Pool Noodle Gecko
Make/Believe CR, 5pm
Use GIANT beads made from pool noodles to make a gecko, or other "key-chain" animal!
$10 fee
Ice Cream Social
Greene Square Park, 5-7pm
Whether you're bringing the kids, meeting up with friends after work, or simply looking for a sweet way to spend a summer evening, the Ice Cream Social is the perfect reason to gather downtown and make new memories.
Moonlit Movie Series: How to Train Your Dragon
Klopfenstein Amphitheater at Lowe Park, 7pm
Bring your blanket or lawn chair and enjoy the movie.
Activities begin at 7 p.m., and movies begin at dusk (about 8:30 p.m.)
Mount Vernon Heritage Days (Saturday, too!!)
Uptown Mount Vernon, 5pm-12am
Friday Kickoff: Features bouncy houses, food, drink vendors, a pickleball tournament, and live music by Full Moon Horizon at the Lester Buresh Community Center.
Evening Events: Includes a new Fun Run and Ice Cream Social starting at 8 p.m. at the Martha Parsons Activities Center, followed by a drone show at 9:30 p.m.
Saturday, 7/11
Little Hooves Yoga (6+ with adult)
Old MacDonalds Farm, 9:30-10:30am
Kids and adults enjoy a fun, shared experience built around movement and connection with friendly goats.
Bring a yoga mat or towel and wear comfortable clothing.
Multiple children may register with one adult.
Farm Day at Bever Pool
1-5pm
Visit with your favorite Old MacDonald's Farm animals at the pool.
Monarch Fest
Indian Creek Nature Center, 10am-2pm
At Monarch Fest there is fun for the entire family as you learn about Monarch butterflies and other pollinators, release butterflies, and make milkweed seedballs.
Find more info here
K-Pop Party
Downtown Library, 1-3pm
Fun: Costume photos with Demon Huntress, dancing, and a scavenger hunt.
Crafts: Make fan light sticks, bracelets, and buttons.
Trivia: K-pop trivia and Korean snacks for older fans.
Mount Vernon Heritage Days
Uptown Mount Vernon, 8am-7:30pm
Morning Events: Starts with the Alumni & Community Breakfast and the annual Heritage Days Parade celebrating America’s 250th, followed by volunteer awards and community theater performances.
All-Day & Evening Fun: Features a car show, live music, bingo, a bags tournament, pool night, a free movie, and local food vendors like Bon Appétit and Bass Family Farms.
Find more info here
Sunday, 7/12
Hiawatha Farmers Market
Guthridge Park, 10am-1pm
Whether you’re shopping for the week or simply enjoying the atmosphere, the market is the perfect place to gather, explore, and support local.
Monday, 7/13
Life on a Dairy Farm
Hiawatha Public Library, 10-10:30am
Join us as Elizabeth from Dan and Debbie’s Creamery shares an inside look at daily farm life, how the cows are cared for, and the delicious dairy products they help make!
Meet Reptiles with the Cold-Blooded Redhead
Downtown Library, 10-11am and 1-2pm
Ladd Library, 3:30-4:30pm
Local reptile enthusiast Lindsay McDermott has a passion for sharing reptiles and invertebrates with children and families.
Get up close and personal with her lizards, snakes, arachnids, and more at this interactive presentation!
Ocean Odyssey Touch Tank
Hiawatha Public Library, 1-3pm
Kids, get up close and personal with a live shark from the National Mississippi River Museum and Aquarium.
Food Challenge - Make Butter
Fairfax Library, 2-3:30pm
Join us to learn how to make butter!
Iowa Rapture Project
Fairfax Library, 4pm
Iowa Raptor Project’s mission is to connect students and the people of the state of Iowa to the conservation of birds of prey and their natural habitats through transformative educational experiences and collaborative research projects.
Monday Movies - Finding Nemo
The Yard, 6pm
Bring your family, a blanket, and a lawn chair to the ImOn Stage and enjoy a FREE showing of Finding Nemo, thanks so International Paper.
Tuesday, 7/14
Programming 101 with the Iowa Children’s Museum
Hiawatha Public Library, 10-10:30am
Robots can be playful! Children will program robots to tackle challenges, introducing basic computer programming concepts.
This is designed for kids in K-3rd grade.
Babble and Brew
Marion Public Library, 10:30am-12pm
Babble & Brew is a great way for children under age 4 to explore the five practices of early literacy skills: read, write, sing, talk, and play.
Coffee and coffee alternatives will be provided.
Tween and Teen Movie Day: How to Train Your Dragon
Marion Public Library, 1-3pm
Join us for another Tween & Teen Movie Day!
Snacks will be provided.
Messy Art - Rock Painting
Fairfax Library, 2-4pm
Join us to paint some rocks!
Grown-Up Getaway… 99 problems and a kid ain’t one.
Pop-Up Acts in the Artway
Subject: Code Red: Your Friday night survival guide (No kids allowed... unless you want them there)
Parents of CR and surrounding areas,
Let’s be honest, when was the last time you had a conversation that didn’t involve Bluey, long-division methods you don't understand, or negotiating the exact number of bites of broccoli required to earn a popsicle?
It’s time to call in a favor from the grandparents, bribe the teenager down the street, or finally put that co-op babysitting circle to use. Your Friday nights are about to get a serious upgrade.
The City of Marion is bringing back Pop-Up Acts in the Artway this summer, and it has "perfect date night" written all over it.
Here is the game plan:
The Vibe: Free live music, actual adult conversations, and the distinct lack of someone asking you to open a juice box.
The Time: Fridays in June, July, and August from 6:00 – 8:00 p.m. (The golden window: early enough to enjoy the sunset, late enough to miss the afternoon meltdown hour).
The Spot: Snag a seat in the Uptown Artway (tucked safely between 10th & 11th Streets and 7th & 8th Avenues) or grab a patio table at a nearby business to enjoy the tunes.
The Price: Completely free, thanks to the local heroes at Iowa Appliance Center and Affordable Heating and Cooling. (Which means more budget for a nice dinner or a cold drink).
Mark Your Calendar:
If you need a place to start, penciling in Friday, July 10th is a highly recommended move. Local favorite Tangle Creek will be taking the stage, bringing the perfect soundtrack for a warm summer night.
Note: The organizers technically say "all ages are welcome," so yes, you can bring the kids if you must. But we won't tell anyone if you leave them at home and pretend you forgot they existed for two glorious hours.
Put the chicken nuggets back in the freezer. You've got a date.
Cheers to reclaiming your Friday nights.
Giphy
Knee-Slappers😂🤣
Kid Tested & Approved
Why did the cat sit on the computer? 😸
To keep an eye on the mouse! 🐭
Knock knock…. who’s there?
Shoe…. Shoe who?
Shoe-I’d tell you another joke?? 😁
What do you call a sleeping bull? 🐮
A bull-dozer! 😆
🥁ba-dumm, tsssst…. 🥁
Giphy
A tasty meal, everyone should love.
Creamy Baked Pasta
INGREDIENTS
1 lb Penne, Rotini, or Rigatoni pasta
1 tbsp Olive oil
1 lb Ground meat (Beef, Italian sausage or ground chicken, optional, omit for veggie version)
2 cloves Garlic, minced
1 jar of your favorite marinara or tomato basil sauce
8 oz Cream cheese, softened and cubed
2 cups Shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
¼ cup Grated parmesan cheese
1) Prep and Boil: Preheat your oven to 400°F and grease a large 9x13-inch baking dish. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta according to package instructions, but stop 2 minutes before it hits al dente (it will finish cooking in the oven). Drain and set aside.
2) Brown the Protein: As the pasta is cooking, in a large skillet heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the ground meat (if using) and cook until browned, breaking it apart with a spoon. Drain any excess grease. Add the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant. (CRFW Pro Tip: Don’t forget to season… this should go without saying…)
3) Combine: Turn off the heat. Stir the drained pasta and 1 cup of the mozzarella cheese directly into the baking dish, along with your sauce, cubed cream cheese, and about half your mozzarella until everything is beautifully coated.
4) Bake: Top evenly with the remaining 1 cup of mozzarella and the parmesan cheese. Cover with tinfoil and bake for 15minutes, or until the cheese is melted through. Then remove tin foil and bake additional 5-6 minutes or until cheese golden brown on top. Let it cool for 5 minutes before serving.
Need to know Nuggets
Weather Report ⛅⛈
Wednesday, 7/8 | 89℉/70℉ | 🌦 |
Thursday, 7/9 | 85℉/67℉ | 🌦 |
Friday, 7/10 | 84℉/65℉ | 🌦 |
Saturday, 7/11 | 85℉/67℉ | ⛅ |
Sunday, 7/12 | 89℉/69℉ | ⛅ |
Monday, 7/13 | 91℉/70℉ | ⛅ |
Tuesday, 7/14 | 91℉/70℉ | ⛅ |
Well, nearly carbon copy of last week. Be ready for another bout of spotty storms Wednesday through Friday. As we enter the halfway mark of July, we get hot again! Hydrate! Sunscreen!
Weather courtesy of KCRG.com
News Worthy Nuggets
Some interesting local stories from the past week:
Linn County data center moratorium approved: How the board got to 2-1, and what happens next - Corridor Business Journal
That’s it for this week.
If you are still setting fireworks off, just don’t. THINK OF THE DOGS AND THE CHILDREN. The holiday was days ago. No one thinks you are cool, in fact, you are probably kinda lame if you didn’t blow them all up on the 4th???
See you later! 👋