Thursday, November 4, 6pm at Motor Mill Historic Site in Elkader Put on your favorite flannel and come experience a romantic fall evening at Motor Mill. Indulge in delicious grilled pizza and cozy up next to the campfire. Tickets are $100/couple. Proceeds support the renovation of the Motor Mill Inn. For more information on tickets and menu, visit www.ClaytonCountyConservation.org or call 563-245-1516.  

Oct. 9-10: Arts and Crafts, McGregor Triangle Park Oct. 9-10: Make your own caramel apple at By the Spoonful Oct. 9-10: McGregor Library Book Sale Oct. 15-17: Great River Road Shop Hop Oct. 30: Halloween Parade and Festival, McGregor

Pony Hollow 15K Run Saturday, November 6, 2021 7:30-8:45 AM packet pickup/registration 9 AM race start South Pony Hollow Trailhead Clayton County Conservation invites all runners to the 3rd Annual Pony Hollow Trail 15K on November 6th. This race will take you out and back on the scenic, flat, lime-chipped Pony Hollow Trail and the Elkader Exercise Trail. You will appreciate the beauty of this trail as it meanders in the trees along the Turkey River and Robert’s Creek. Packet pick up and race day registration will be from 7:30-8:45am at the Elkader City Park shelter house. The race will begin promptly at 9am near the south trailhead. Register online by visiting www.mycountyparks.com and going to the Clayton County Events page. You can also pick up a paper form from Osborne or request one to be emailed to you. The funds raised from this race will be used for the future trail expansion joining the two Pony Hollow trail heads into a continuous loop. Multiple grants have been secured to partially fund this project. Continuous fundraising will continue until project is complete. Not a runner but still want to support this project? Donations can be accepted at Clayton County Conservation. We are also looking for volunteers to help on race day. For more information, please call 563-245-1516. PHT15K Poster 2021

More prize packs for August, September, October! There’s still time to win awesome Prize Packs with your Iowa State Park Passport check in’s! Here’s what you can win: August – Hammock and picnic accessories September – Yeti Cooler set October – $500 Bass Pro Shops gift card If you check into qualifying Iowa state parks, you will automatically be entered into a drawing for that month’s prizes. Every check-in will count as an entry into the drawing. And the first 1,000 passport users to visit 10 parks will get a free t-shirt! It’s free to sign up and the more parks you visit, the more chances for prizes you earn! Sign up for the 2021 Iowa State Park Passport, your ticket to earning prizes and exploring the outdoors. Make it a family-friendly challenge to visit parks across the state and track your progress with this personalized passport. The Iowa State Park Passport is offered to you by Travel Iowa and the Iowa DNR. Prizes are sponsored by AARP Iowa.

Contact: Jessica O’Riley, Iowa Tourism Office, Jessica.oriley@iowaeda.com Des Moines, Iowa – The Iowa Tourism Office and the Iowa Department of Natural Resources today announced updates to the popular Iowa State Park Passport to give consumers a fun and engaging way to track their visits to state parks. The launch follows 2020’s successful centennial anniversary, with nearly 30,000 check-ins at parks across the state. Consumers who are looking to explore the state’s beautiful landscapes can sign up for he free passport at https://www.traveliowa.com/passport/ with their email address or by texting PARKS to 515.531.5995. Starting Friday, May 28, travelers are eligible for prizes simply by visiting and checking in to one or more of Iowa’s 62 participating state parks. “2021 has been declared the Year of the Road Trip, and Iowa is ready to be at the center of it all,” said Amy Zeigler, state tourism manager for the Iowa Tourism Office. “Our state parks provide the perfect opportunity to hop in the car or on the bike and embark on the road to adventure.” The more parks visited, the more available prizes. Giveaways sponsored by Iowa AARP include: First 1,000 people with 10 check-ins earn a 2021 Iowa State Park Passport t-shirt. Check in to 30 parks for a chance to win one of four Fitbit activity trackers. Every check-in is an entry into monthly Endless Adventures Prize Packs: June – Paddleboard and water sport accessories July – Camping tent and accessories August – Hammock and picnic accessories September – Yeti cooler set October – $500 Bass Pro Shops gift card Visitors are encouraged to abide by public health guidelines and visit the Iowa Department of Natural Resources website and its alerts and closures page for information related to health and safety guidelines and seasonal construction that may impact accessibility. Tourism in Iowa generates nearly $9 billion in expenditures and $517.5 million in state taxes, while employing 70,200 people statewide. The Iowa Tourism Office is part of the Iowa Economic Development Authority. For more information, visit traveliowa.com.

Visit Clayton County’s farmers markets this summer for fresh produce, plants, homemade jam, baked goods, crafts, and more! https://www.claytoncountyiowa.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/2021_Clayton_County_Farmers_Market__327030298_480x480_F24.mp4

Check out “25 Incredible Experiences in Iowa: A Statewide Guide,” by Jacqueline Kehoe to learn about some of Iowa’s best kept secrets and must-do activities.