Mumford & Sons tour stop off to fun, friendly start in Waverly

WAVERLY - Union Jacks are flying high this weekend as Waverly rolls out a royal welcome for British band Mumford & Son's Gentlemen of the Road Stopover.

The city's population will double as more than 10,000 fans flock to the Bremer County seat to hear nearly a dozen hot bands heat up the main stage on the Wartburg College athletic fields.

Pennants flapped in the wind Friday morning as campers wandered past from the pup-tent city popping up on a clover field by the stage.

Everything was humming along smoothly Friday from the viewpoint of security guards, vendors, emergency responders and ticket holders on-site, as well as the merchants downtown - eager to welcome, feed, photograph and send their guests home with clothing and souvenirs.

The happening stretches more than a mile between the campus main stage and the downtown stage featuring local and regional musicians.

As festivalgoers sauntered between sites, they passed homes sporting 'Believe” signs, in a nod to the band's latest hit. Storefronts were festooned with flags and giant Mumford & Sons photos, banners, cardboard cutouts of London's red phone booths, lamppost flower baskets ablaze in fuchsia and white, homespun calico flags draped along the Cedar River bridge, and Gentlemen of the Road logos painted on the sidewalks. A giant festival mural painted on the side of AJ's Toy Store was drawing a stream of folks posing for photos.

Business was brisk all day Friday inside the East Bremer Diner. The popular eatery is known for its $6.99 Cheese Frenchy, a deep-fried grilled cheese sandwich cut in quarters, presumably so the calories can flow out.

Appropriately, Mumford & Sons' hit, 'I Will Wait,” was playing over the sound system while harmonies wafted through the breeze from an acoustic women's trio performing downtown.

Die-hard Mumford fans Carol Heflin, 55, and Monica Mauzey, 62, came up from Maryville, Mo., for their first festival experience - and first primitive camping experience in years.

'This is my Woodstock,” Heflin said.

'I can't believe that there's a concert going on in Waverly, Iowa,” added Mauzey, who grew up in Mitchell County. 'I've driven past Waverly many times.”

This time, she stopped. The two arrived at noon Thursday and were taking their time to get to know the community. That's one of Mumford & Sons' main goals in choosing four U.S. sites off the beaten path. The concerts span two days, but advance teams and eager fans show up earlier in the week.

Seven organizers from the Aug. 14 and 15 Walla Walla, Wash., stop came to Waverly to learn.

'We're trying to get a sense of what's going to happen in our town,” said Katie Deponty, 32, music venue site liaison at Whitman College, where they're expecting 20,000 concertgoers.

'The people of Waverly have been amazing,” she said. 'They're so welcoming and want to share everything with us and give us insights. I feel like we've joined this little circle of friends.”

'The promoters told us about the crowds that are coming, and how wonderful they are,” added Chris Plucker, 32, Walla Walla's mayor pro tem. 'That's the No. 1 thing - you've got 20,000 people coming into your town, and (citizens are) a little nervous about it. But we just did a walk-through with the campsites and everybody we met was very laid back, very friendly. We went downtown last night and it was a party, but it was orderly.”

Vendor Kayla Stroh, 53, of Clive, was thrilled with her first Waverly experience. Headbands and sunglasses were in demand at her downtown booth.

'We think Waverly should have a music festival every year,” she said. 'It's the perfect town, with a perfect downtown.”