Kalona Days returns Saturday

The annual Kalona Days celebration makes its return on Saturday.

The event was canceled last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“It’s a breath of fresh air to be able to go out with the entire community and get a breath of fresh air,” Kalona Days co-Chair Olivia Kahler said.

She said that the biggest changes for this year’s celebration have to do with the parade.

“This year, the parade starts at 4 p.m.,” Kahler said. “In previous years, it started at 10 a.m.”

The parade route will be different from previous years.

“This year’s parade route is on C Avenue not B Avenue,” she said. “It will run from Highway 1 all the way to the Sale Barn.”

The festivities kick off at 7 a.m., when registration begins for the 5K run and the 1-mile fun run, which both begin on C Avenue outside the Kalona Area Chamber of Commerce office.

“We’re excited to be able to have an in-person fun run,” Kahler said. “We’ve got lots of kids signed up to do the 1-mile run.”

The Kalona Farmers Market takes over downtown from 9-noon, with live music by bluegrass favorites, Banjoy.

At 1 p.m., Riverside author Larry TeBockhorst will be reading and signing his book, Undermined in Laredo.”

The parade begins at 4 p.m., and at 5 p.m., the open lot to the east of KCTC comes to life with kids’ activities and food vendors.

This year’s Grand Marshal, representatives from Civco, will speak at 5 p.m. from the stage, followed by presentations of this year’s Kalona Community Awards.

The Kalona Optimist Club will then draw winners of its bicycle giveaway.

Beginning at 6:15 p.m., Aces and Eights, a country rock cover band, will perform on the stage.

“They will go on at 6:15 and stay until the party’s over,” Kahler said.

Kahler thanked all the local businesses who helped sponsor this year’s Kalona Days.

“Without the sponsorship of all of these local businesses, we wouldn’t have Kalona Days,” she said.