Community News & Announcements

Join the Story City GCC for the 5th annual STORY! Celebrating the Art of Storytelling, September 16-19. The weekend features four great professional tellers including Pippa White, Tim Tingle, Charlotte Blake Alston, and Antonio Sacre.

The weekend begins with a Dinner and STORY! at The Cottage on Broad on Thursday. Throughout the weekend there will be free STORY! Stops in the Shops, Olios (storytelling concerts), workshops, a campfire, and sacred telling. Special discounts and packages are available. For full weekend details, visit the STORY! website

Congratulations to Helen Shubert who was our $1,000 grand prize winner! Her duck out-swam them all! Click here for a full list of prize winners.

On Saturday, August 28th at 7:00 pm the adopted ducks will be released off the South Park Swinging Bridge for the annual Skunk River Duck Race. Adopt a duck for only $5 or a six-quack for $25. You could win the $1,000 first prize. Or your duck could with one of the many other available prizes. So get your ducks and come cheer them on. Ducks are available at Norsemen Realty, Ltd, NuCara Pharmacy, ACT Insurance Agency, Town and Country Insurance, and the GCC office. A full list of prizes is available here
. Proceeds benefit GCC events in the community. Call the GCC office at 733-4214 for more information.

Cruise on to the Antique Carousel in North Park on Saturday August 28th starting at 4:00 pm for the 2nd annual Cruisin' to the Carousel Car Show. This event benefits the upkeep of our 97 year old carousel, with an entry fee of $5 per classic car for a show n' shine. Each driver will receive 2 free carousel rides. Volunteers will host a turkey and hot dog grill and rootbeer floats. There will be face painting and crafts for the children and lots of carousel rides for only $1. At 7:00 pm, the ducks will be tossed into the river for the annual Skunk River Duck Race. First duck down the river wins $1000! Join us for a wonderful day at the park and come take a whirl.<\p>

The Story City Kiwanis Night Family Night at the Carousel on August 16 has been cancelled due to the flooding in the park. This event may be rescheduled. Watch for updates.<\p>

On Wednesday, August 4th, the public is invited to Fairview Lodge in North Park to listen to a presentation of findings for the Iowa DOT Living Roadways Community Visioning Project. The information will be presented twice, at 6:30 pm and 7:30 pm, with attendees being asked to give feedback and vote on the projects they believe would be the most beneficial to Story City.

For the past several months, Iowa State Students, Consultants, and Trees Forever members have met with a local steering committee and the public to gather information to design improvements for Story City. These improvements may include bicycle and walking paths, beautification initiatives, and traffic issues.

Stop in and let your opinions be heard. We think there may even be some ice cream!

On July 26th, from 7:00 - 9:00 pm Story City will celebrate Harry Potter’s birthday at the Carousel. Last year's Harry Potter Parties were a huge hit! The night will begin at 7:00 pm and as our partiers arrive they will be sorted into houses. We will again play Quidditch from the carousel, make wands and colored ties in house colors, as well as enjoy rides on the carousel. Tickets are only $5 per participant.All proceeds benefit the Antique Carousel.

If you are a muggle and don’t understand a word I’ve just said, Quidditch is a game played in the wizarding world on flying broomsticks. A little like basketball, baseball and hide and go seek all rolled into one. Since we don’t have any flying broomsticks, we are playing with our jumping horses!

Last year was a fun night which ended with the first ever “Glow in the Dark” ride that had all the kids screaming with delight. It was certainly a night they will never forget! If you missed that party, don’t despair. We are doing it all again! We have more fun in store as well as more Quidditch and of course another “Glow in the Dark” ride.

The carousel staff and GCC really enjoy having these fun parties after hours at the Carousel. We have even more activities planned in the future so be sure to pick up a Carousel calendar to see all the fun events or to learn how you can volunteer and get three hours of free rides and popcorn for your family. You can always call our office to volunteer or ask questions, 515-733-4214. Come out and enjoy the Carousel this summer, even if you are a muggle!

Tickets for all times are still available and can be purchased at the Cemetery for the Historical Society’s Cemetery Walk on Saturday and Sunday July 24th and 25th at the Story City Fairview Cemetery at 900 North Hillcrest (east entrance across from the parking lot at the Elementary School). Guided tours run every 15 minutes from 4:30 – 7:30 p.m. each day.

Eleven former residents will be portrayed at their resting place by costumed speakers. They include a milliner, farmer, rural mail carrier, depot agent’s wife, postmaster, and several other business people. Three of the speakers are descendants of their subject.

Mayor Mike Jensen will portray his grandpa, Martin, a stonemason who was responsible for building numerous structures in Story City and Ames, many of which remain standing today. Senator Rich Olive will tell about his ancestor, Nels Torreson, who delivered mail on horseback. Nels made the first free delivery stop in Iowa. Walt Hermanson will tell about P.A. Hermanson, whose farmland and dairy business were passed on to the current generation of owners.

Tickets are $10 and for those who need help getting around, a limited number of golf carts may be reserved at time of ticket purchase.Refreshments will also be served at the old jail in the Brick Museum on Hillcrest. Rain date performances will be held on Sunday, July 25 at 1:00 and 3:00 p.m. at the Roland-Story High School Auditorium.

The Antique Carousel will be celebrating the 4th with half-price rides and popcorn during regular open hours from noon until 9:00 pm. The day will begin with a special flag-raising ceremony at noon by our local Scouts. Stop out to enjoy a ride and some yummy popcorn. The carousel is open throughout the summer everyday until Labor Day, Monday-Tuesday, noon until 6:00 pm and Wednesday-Sunday, noon until 9:00 pm. We are always looking for volunteers to run a shift!

Over 25 superheroes joined the carousel animals on June 28th for rides, games, and crafts. A special glow-in-the-dark ride was the highlight of the evening! Next event will be the Harry Potter Birthday Party on July 26th from 7:00-9:00 pm. Come celebrate the birthday of everyone's favorite wizard.

Call the GCC office for information about the carousel, to book a tour, or schedule a volunteer shift. 515-733-4214 or email chamber@storycity.net. The GCC is Making It All Happen.

On Thursday June 17th, the Story City GCC Ambassadors held a ribbon cutting to celebrate the new area food pantry facility. Friends of the food pantry, including Ivan Moore of Custom Products Manufacturing who is donating the space, gathered to celebrate the renovation and move, made possible through the donated hours of many volunteers. The pantry is located on the north side of 510 Pennsylvania and is open Saturdays from 10 am to noon.