City hopes to keep community interest with event loss

The City of North Liberty is hoping to still give local families an events to come celebrate after the recent cancellation of the North Liberty Fun Days.

North Liberty Fun Days announced on their Facebook page on May 24 that the 36 year tradition would be canceled due to a 'variety of factors.” The summer event was scheduled for June 12 through June 15 before the announcement.

The City of North Liberty has come up with several activities to take place after the parade, which will still be held and is being organized by the city, including games and public safety events.

'This is so folks still have something to do,” said Nick Bergus, communications director for the City of North Liberty, who explained that the events were created after the cancellation announcement. The added events are set to begin following the parade around 8:30 p.m. and will be at Penn Meadows Park.

Another event, which was planned before the cancellation of North Liberty Fun Days, also will be organized by the city and move forward as planned. The North Liberty Bicycle Rodeo, hosted by the North Liberty Police Department and Iowa Bicycle Coalition, will offer free bike inspections, activities for children and free bike helmets while supplies last from 2 to 4 p.m. at Penn Landing on Pacha Parkway.

The Friday parade will honor the late Mayor Tom Salm. Bergus said that no registration is needed and there will be no fees to be in the parade. Participants can begin to line up for the parade at 6 p.m. at the North Liberty Community Center and is set to begin at 7 p.m.

The City Wide Garage Sales is the only regularly scheduled North Liberty Fun Days activity outside of the parade that will continue on as planned. Norma Drexler, who can be reached at 319-686-6803, will compile the list of garage sales.

The summer tradition was created as a way for local civic organizations the chance to fundraise, as well as for any profit from the event to be donated to community service organizations. The event has seen many changes over its long history, but its current history remains unclear.

Bergus said that the city has not had time to discuss if they will take over or continue North Liberty Fun Days in future years, but that that will be figured out at a later time.

Randy Mosier, North Liberty Fun Days event committee chair, could not be reached for comment.