Mt. Pleasant, Fairfield compete for mural in #IowansUnite contest

Time remains for residents in Mt. Pleasant and Fairfield to vote for their town in an online video contest where the winning city receives a mural.

The two towns are among 40 in the state participating in the #IowansUnite Community Pride video contest being put on by the Iowa Economic Development Authority.

Voting ends at 5 p.m. Wednesday, and can be done by visiting woobox.com/hhacqg. The winning town will receive a mural designed and installed by Iowa artist Ben Schuh that welcomes visitors to its shopping district or downtown.

As of 1 p.m. Monday, Mt. Pleasant had 2,732 votes on the website, putting it in second place and 586 votes away from the lead, held by Knoxville with 3,318 votes.

Fairfield’s video had received 124 votes by that time, putting it in 23rd place, and on the second of three pages where the videos are listed, according to the number of votes they have received.

With Mt. Pleasant so close to the top, the Mt. Pleasant Area Chamber of Commerce and Main Street Mt. Pleasant are getting anxious for community members to get out and vote.

Main Street Mt. Pleasant Director Lisa Oetken said that Mt. Pleasant is so close to coming in first, and they just need a few hundred votes to get into the lead as votes plateau for both candidates.

“Murals have such a great economic impact on communities, creating a vibrant art and tourist attraction,” Oetken said.

Mt. Pleasant is planning for the mural to go on the side of Guns LTD. on the side of Washington St. to make a nice entrance to downtown.

Fairfield in need of votes

Visit Fairfield Iowa Executive Director Terry Baker said it’s important for people to know that they may have to click on the arrow at the bottom of the first page to get to the second page before they can see Fairfield’s video.

“We need people to get in there, locate that video and vote,” Baker said.

Fairfield’s entry, compiled by its tourism office, shows people visiting shops such as Adela’s and Thymely Solutions, eating at Lunchbox, Revelations and Taco Dreams, and partaking in Fairfield First Friday events. Baker included drone footage of cyclists riding through the downtown and of people gathering for outdoor dining at Fishback & Stephenson Cider House.