Summer Events to Enjoy
Summers in Iowa are all about being outdoors.
Enjoy the sun, the green grass, great food and the fun that we have waiting for you in the Colonies. It starts with the Wurst event you’ll ever attend and ends with a fun bike ride around the county.
- Wurst Festival We guarantee that you will have the absolute wurst time of your life at Amana Colonies’ Wurst Festival. This one-day festival is all about sausages. Wurst makers from around eastern Iowa gather in Amana on the day before Father’s Day to celebrate their craft. They bring with them a huge variety of sausages and are they ever tasty. There is classic bratwurst, of course, and then it gets interesting. Almost any flavor you can think of is stuffed into casings for this event. The sausage makers compete for awards and the crowd votes for their favorite Wurst Maker with the “People’s Choice Award”. There is more to this party than just sausage, we’ve brought in local beer and wine, games to play, and music. Want to further your education? Enroll in Wurst University and graduate with a T-shirt and a degree all in one day. It’s the Wurst education in Iowa. Late in the day one of the highlights occurs with the running of the Dachshund Derby. Our furry little wiener dog friends run to see who the fastest Dachshund in Iowa is.
- Colonies in Bloom Held on two different days in the summer to capture the best of early and late summer flowers, Colonies in Bloom provides a chance to tour selected gardens/yard of private residents in the Amana Colonies. Many of these residents are Master Gardeners and have a spectacular array of flowers and plants. You’ll see a variety of yards, some that emphasize color, others vegetables, and some landscaping. Meet the local gardeners and enjoy the variety.
- July 4th Nothing is more American than the Amana Colonies story. Coming to America for religious freedom our ancestors finally settled in Iowa. We celebrate Independence Day with pick-up baseball games in the park and a huge pot luck supper. A spectacular fireworks display is shot off over the Lily Lake after dark. This is Americana at its best. Everyone is invited.
- Kinderfest A German tradition that we have begun in the Colonies, Kinderfest is a day dedicated to the little ones. We have entertainment, games, and fun that the entire family will enjoy. Each year brings different events; some are just for fun and others educational. Do your kids want to be a firefighter? They can meet a real one and get to climb on the truck. Maybe the family is thinking about a dog, at Kinderfest you can “meet the breeds” and talk to members of a dog obedience class to determine which breed is right for your family. Bring the kids and have fun at Kinderfest.
- BRIC (Bike Ride of Iowa County) The Bike Ride of Iowa County is a 28-mile fun ride from Amana through the northern part of Iowa County to Marengo and then back. The fairly flat and easy ride will take you through 6 of our seven villages and there are stops along the way to pick up something cool to drink. Hit all the checkpoints and turn in your passport in at the finish. You could be a lucky winner of some great prizes. After the ride stick around for some fun in Amana.
