Celebration time

EVERLY—It's been 125 years.

A celebration must be at hand.

Everly will celebrate its Quasquicentennial July 17-19 with activities to occupy the whole family.

But, the term "celebration" might be an understatement.

Although the itinerary is still being finalized, the event will kick off Friday afternoon with opening ceremonies and a free meal of hot dogs, chips and birthday cake.

A flea market, antique tractor pull, antique machinery show, beard judging contest and performance by Everly's own, Stage Fright, also are slated for the evening.

Saturday's festivities are likely to include a 5-kilometer walk/run, parade, antique machinery show, quilt and craft show, a wool spinning demonstration from Little Sioux Spinners and Weavers, flea market, cemetery walk, chain-saw demonstrations, small rodeo, carnival and local entertainment.

Clay Central-Everly High School and the Everly Public Library will be open for tours throughout the day, and Saturday night, an all-school reunion will be held at the high school, The Rumbles will perform and chain-saw carvings will be auctioned off. The night will conclude with a fireworks display.

Sunday will feature a pancake breakfast, community worship service and closing ceremonies.

While the weekend is bound to be fun for the whole family, it has not gone without hard work.

Although Kathy Behrens, co-chairperson of the Quasquicentennial Celebration, has been donating her time organizing events and planning schedules for the past five years, she said community members have been heading p the 19 communities for the past three to four years.

"I've had some wonderful heads and wonderful help," Behrens said. "I'm really pleased. It's coming along very well."

Behrens, who serves as co-chairperson of the celebration with her husband, Leo, was chosen to head the Quasquicentennial Celebration by Everly mayor Bud Meyer.

"I was the president of the commercial club for a year and a half, so the mayor asked me if I would be willing to take the task on," Behrens said. "I really wanted to do it because I really like doing this type of stuff."

Although Behrens thinks each of the three days of the Quasquicentennial Celebration sound fun-filled, she is especially excited to see The Rumbles, an Omaha, NE-based cover band, perform Saturday night.

"I'm not originally from Everly, so it will also be exciting to see the families that grew up here come back," she said. "I've heard that there are going to be a lot of reunions that weekend. I just can't wait until it happens. If it rains the events will still go on."

This article appeared in the April 18, 2009 edition of The N'West Iowa REVIEW.