Morning Sun

Activity Details
 
NEW: Train rides will be available! The train previously belonged to Hotel Wapello and is now sponsored by Hotel Wapello, Evolve Contracting and Evolve Properties, and Ship’s Place Bar and Grille. 
 
Not sure where the train set up yet but rides will be free. We will run from 1-3!
 
Morning Sun Native Jeanne Dill Svobodny wrote this beautiful book about a girl, Annie, celebrating the 4th of July. There is a certain page that features one of our favorite Morning Sun events. Jeanne will be at Mellinger Library on July 3rd at 1 pm to read the book and there will be an Independence Day craft following. 
Jeanne will also be selling copies of the book during the 4th of July celebration! Stop and get ours. If you ask, I am sure she will sign it for you!
 
The Money Hunt will take place behind city hall at about 12:30 PM This year we will be dividing the kid’s into 3 groups by age. (Toddlers – Pre-school), (Kdg. – 4th grade), (5th grade – 8th grade). These are the grades they will be in during the 24-25 school year! There will be some tokens hidden in the hay that will be worth higher values!
 
 Baby Crawl / Toddler Trot will start about 12PM (noon) behind the Presbyterian Church.
 
The baby crawl will be for non-walkers. Each crawler will leave a person and crawl to a person, the baby knows, who is behind the finish line! We will be timing their crawl for a winner! (The number of babies crawling at the same time will be determined by the number of participants! )
 
The toddler trot will be for kids no older than 3 years old. Each toddler will leave a person and trot / run to a person, the toddler knows, who is behind the finish line! We will be timing their run for a winner! We might be dividing these kids by size and age. (The number of toddlers running at the same time will be determined by the number of participants!) See you behind the church!
 
Friends of Mellinger Library are excited to bring back the Water Balloon Toss and Scavenger Hunt! Both will begin at 11:30 am on July 4th. Prizes will be awarded for both. The scavenger hunt will have a MLB theme to match the celebration's theme. Answers will need to be turned into Amie at the park at 6 pm. Please join the fun!
 
We are excited to welcome Face Art by Brandi back to our celebration. Kids absolutely enjoy getting their faces painted. There is a fee for this activity. Face painting will begin at 10 am. Please visit http://www.faceartbybrandi.com/home.html to see more details.
 
A favorite of many Morning Sun families, the American Legion will be serving a Pancake Breakfast on July 4th beginning at 6:30 am. Items available will be pancakes, sausage, or biscuits and sausage gravy with a drink. Food will be available until it runs out. Food will be served inside the American Legion building. Free will donation!
 
Hometown Pride will be serving lunch on Sunday, June 30 beginning at 11 am followed by Bingo at 1 pm. HTP will be serving Sonny Dean's delicious pulled pork! Yummy! Meal will be free will donation! Stay and enjoy bingo. $10 for a half sheet (3 cards) of 20 games and $20 for a whole sheet (6 cards) of 20 games.
 
Keith McElhinney shares his small engines for viewing on July 4th beginning at 10 am on the First United Presbyterian Church lawn! Stop up and check out the engines. They are fun to see!
 
Do you have a beautiful quilt you would like to display on our Independence Day celebration? The United Methodist women host a quilt show each 4th of July from 10 am to 2 pm. If you would like your quilt displayed, set up will be on Tuesday, July 2nd from 12 to 4 pm. If you would like to see the beautiful quilts please visit on July 4! For more information, contact Sue Nichols.
 
Hey kids ages 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6! Grab your big wheel and join the race! Don't have a big wheel? No problem! We have some for people to borrow. Early registration can be done using link of 4th Happenings Facebook page or you can register on July 4. We will be there around 10 to start registration. Races begin at 10:30 am in front of the library.
 
 
Community Church will be on Sunday, June 30. Services will be at the United Methodist Church beginning at 10:30 am. Pastor John Evans will be delivering the sermon. Citizen of the Year recognition will be immediately following the service.
 
Classes for the flower show are following. There will be giving five special ribbons: the best of show, three judges choice awards, and a people's choice award. Flowers may be brought to the library from 8 to 10 am on Thursday, July 4. Judging will be from10 to 11 am. Flowers should be picked up after the parade.
Class 1: Mixed Bouquet
Class 2: Single Rose (no filler, just rose)
Class 3: Pose Bouquet
Class 4: Potted Petunia
Class 5: All one color including vase
Class 6: Cup and Saucer
Class 7: Petite miniature (3 inch and under)
Class 8: Red, White, and Blue arrangement
Class 9: Roadside
Class 10: Floral Tribute to loved one
Class 11: Single Lily (no foliage, name if lily if known, clear container)
Class 12: Odd Plant (Must have name)
Class 13: Dried Arrangement
Class 14: Potted Flowering Plant
Class 15: Children Under 12
Class 16: Unique container
Class 17: Open Class
Class 18: Garden of Fairy Garden
Class 19: Lily Bouquet
Class 20: Hanging Basket
 
The 2024 Morning Sun High School Alumni Banquet will be Wednesday, July
3 (doors open at 4:30 PM, eat at 6:00 PM) at the Morning Sun Community
Center. Tickets are on sale ($17.00 per person) through Friday, June 28
and will be available in Morning Sun at Bank, 319-868-7525; Mediapolis
Savings Bank, 319-868-3125; Mutual Telephone Company, 319-868-7636; or
Bill Minnis, 319-868-7962. Bill can also be reached by e-mail at
blminnis@louisacomm.net. Due to the cut-off date to allow for food
delivery there will not be any tickets available at the banquet unless
they have been reserved.
 
Honored classes will be: 1964 (60 years), 1974 (50 years) and 1984 (40
years) and should be arranging for their class spokesperson. Please let
Bill know who the class spokesperson is if you haven't already done so.
 
The set-up/decorating will be Tuesday, July 2, at 5:00 PM. All help is
appreciated. Any class wanting to reserve/decorate a table must do it at
this time.
 
The Alumni Committee urges everyone to contact their classmates
informing them of the banquet.
 
New to this year's celebration is the Lighted Recreational Vehicle Parade on Wednesday, July 3! Begins at 8 pm. Line up behind school before. $20 entry fee.
 
Kustom Karaoke and DJ by Jolene Norcross will be providing her excellent DJ services at the park beginning at 7 pm. Please join us in giving Jolene a big welcome on her first year as our evening DJ!
 
Of course, the Frog Jump is returning! We are beyond excited and know you are too! Frog jump will start at 9. A link to register online will be coming soon. Registration will be available on the 4th too!
 
Grab you friend and join the toilet bowl races beginning at 1 pm on the 4th of July in front of the library! If you haven't seen it, you are missing out! Teams of two start with one person sitting on the toilet on a wheeled pallet. The other person pushes that person to down the track. They turn the toilet around and switch spots then push back to the finish line! There are heats and then a feature! Also, different age groups! Come and take part in the fun.
 
Bags with water balloons. 
 
To participate in this you will need to be 14 years old or older and have a team of 3 people. It will be held in front of the Kerr Spot. (This is a new event this year and the details are still being worked out.)
 
For the parade, please stage in the designated areas referenced below, if you have any questions please contact Andrew at 319-931-6814.
 
Honor Guard stage at corner on E Division and S Maple
All floats please park along the west side on S Willmering Street.
All political, business, or advertising vehicles please park in the school entry drive on E Division Street.
All Queen/Princess vehicles park in the gravel out front of the school on E Division Street.
All semis and tractors park on the north side of E division by S Maple street until the parade starts.
All other motorized vehicles park in the school parking lot.
Horses will be the last to go through the parade, unloading will be hear Hoover Trail on East Division St.. There will be a fenced grassy area at Lindholm’s house with water available .
 
The horseshoe tournament will be a double elimination bracket tournament. There will be 4 horseshoe pits with fresh sand in all.
$10/team entry fee, prize distribution depends on number of teams at event.
 
I absolutely love Independence Day and all the events that we have in town. By far my favorite is the skydiver. My family and I love listening and watching for the plane. Then seeing the little dot as he jumps from the plane. Next comes the wonder when the flag opens and we see the stars and stripes. We watch as he successfully lands. Before we get to witness this beautiful moment lots of work is put into it! For the last two years, the sixth graders at Morning Sun Elementary have worked hard and made it there mission to sponsor the flag and skydiver. Their dedication and hard work brings us much joy. As you watch the sky diver with the flag this Independence Day do it with wonder and thanks not only for those that serve this great country but also for a group of special children who made it possible.
 
If this year is like almost every other year, it will be hot on the 4th of July! We suggest you cool off with a lemonade shake up or snowcone! 4H Successful Clovers will be selling lemonade shakeups for $4 and snowcones for $2 from 9:30-1:00 on the 4th in front of city hall.
 
NEW EVENT: The Friends of Mellinger Memorial Library will be having a foam party on July 4th at the park beginning at 6 pm. We recommend bringing swimming suits or a change of clothes and a towel. 
 
NEW THIS YEAR! BENCH PRESS COMPETITION! Sign up will start at noon on the 4th and we will get things start at 1p. We will have 5 age groups starting at 12 going to 30 and up. There is going to be 4 weights to be benched 95lbs, 135lbs, 185lbs, & 225lbs. Pick a weight you want to Bench and get as many reps as you can. There will be a waiver as part of the sign up. And of course, spotters so no one gets hurt. Contact Ryan Adams for more information.
 
The Annual Kerr Spot Street Dance will be Friday, July 5th starting at 6 with Brendon Tapp, then at 8pm Trophy Dads will perform 8-11. Must be 21 to enter the gates, $8 cover charge. 
 
HTP will be serving a pork loin meal and Kerr Spot kitchen will be closed!

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Methodist Ice Cream Social

 

Churning the homemade ice cream has been an activity for many years. And soon the smells of fresh baked pie, brownies, and cupcakes will fill the air near the houses of Morning Sun Methodist Church members. These yummy treats will be available in the park starting at 5 PM on July 4th.

 

SE Iowa’s Best Fireworks. 

 

At dusk on July 4th, the sky above Morning Sun, will be lit up with SE Iowa’s Best Fireworks! People fill the park, line the country roads, and gather at the homes of friends to watch the spectacular display. Purchased from J & M Displays, the brilliant display of color and booms, are made possible through wonderful donations of Morning Sun’s friends and businesses.