Our annual citywide celebration began in 1981 as a two-day event. Activities in Island Park included horseshoe pitching, canoe races, and a flea market.
Today, the events include a taco supper, pie auction, waffle breakfast, parade, burn out contest & many other activities Downtown. Additional events throughout the weekend include a road race, all-school reunion, show & shine, live entertainment, inflatable’s, various kid’s activities & a street dance. The festivities wrap up on Sunday with an outdoor community wide church service & a soap box derby.
Save the date for Heritage Days: June 13-16, 2024.
Schedule of Events:
Thursday, June 13
- Medallion Hunt
- 7:00 pm River Valley Players Moana Jr.- Forster Auditorium
Friday, June 14
- Medallion Hunt
- All Day-Open Golf-Rock River Country Club (Green fees apply to all Rock Rapids Non-Members, Everyone Welcome)
- 7:00-9:00 am Dad’s Belgian Waffle Breakfast-Forster Community Center
- 10:00 am-6:00 pm Business BINGO Bash – Pick up a free BINGO card at participating businesses for in-store specials & register to win prizes
11:00 am-1:00 pm The Rock Community Church Salad Luncheon & Craft Sale-Forster Community Center - 2:00–5:00 pm Open House/Tour of “Rosie’s” Loft (home of Dell & Renae Grooters)
- 5:30 pm Registration, 6:00 pm Burn Out Contest-South 2nd Ave.
- 7:00 pm River Valley Players Moana Jr.- Forster Auditorium
- 7:30 pm Races-Rapid Speedway
- Cruise Night-Downtown
Saturday, June 15
- Medallion Hunt
- All Day-Open Golf-Rock River Country Club (Green fees apply to all Rock Rapids Non-Members, Everyone Welcome)
- 8:00 am Road Race 5K, 1 Mile & Kids Fun Run-Island Park
- 9:00 am-1:00 pm Popcorn @ Rapids Theatre
- 10:30 am Parade-Downtown
- 12:00 pm Food Vendors-Downtown
- 12:00 pm Brat Feed-VFW
- 12:00-3:00 pm Show & Shine Sponsored by Papik Motors-Downtown
- 12:15-12:45 pm Registration, 1:00 pm Bean Bag Tournament-Downtown
- 12:30-4:00 pm Face Painting by Fabled Faces-Courthouse Lawn
- 12:00-4:00 pm Kids Inflatables & Touch a Truck -Downtown
- 12:00-4:00 pm Live Entertainment BOON & LAMBERT-Downtown
- 12:30-4:00 pm Face Painting by Fabled Faces-Courthouse Lawn
- 1:00-5:00 pm Depot Museum Open
- 1:00 pm Rock Rapids Fire Dept. Water Wars -South Story St.
- 5:00-7:00 pm All School Reunion-Forster Community Center Sponsored by Central Lyon Foundation
7:00 pm Figure 8 Races-Rapid Speedway - 9:00 pm Vande’s Bar & Grill Street Dance-Downtown (21 & over) Band: Rock & Roll Damnation
Sunday June 16
- All Day-Open Golf-Rock River Country Club (Green fees apply to all Rock Rapids Non-Members, Everyone Welcome)
- 10:30 am Community Church Service-Island Park
- 1:00 pm Soap Box Derby – Swimming pool Parking Lot
- 1:00-5:00 pm Depot Museum Open
