This weekend is Rolfe’s (Iowa) sesquicentennial. The dates are Friday through Sunday, July 12-14, 2013.
The pink Clydesdale “world’s largest” rocking horse (in the video below) will be in the 10:30 Saturday parade. Except for during the parade (and if it “travels” anywhere temporarily) its location is just west of the water tower in Rolfe. While it beckons the public to walk over to it and take photos, it is from the heart of Dan Allen whose wife, Mary, was diagnosed — a second time — with breast cancer. Mary is a survivor!
Yesterday, the 10th, Dan and his brother Roger brought the horse from its “secret location” on the farm into town for unveiling. PLEASE watch the video. When I shared it last night there were tears in a few eyes thinking of Dan and Mary and so many others touched by breast cancer.
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There’s more you’ll see this weekend in Rolfe. On Dan and Mary’s property just west of the water tower are four very unique attractions:
1) the Freedom Rock painted in April by Ray “Bubba” Sorensen
2) the 11.5 feet-tall statue of Cy built by my dad in 1975. It stood at the north end of Iowa State University’s football field until the 1990s
3) the Bud Barn. In the Bud Barn are TONS of Budweiser paraphernalia. Even for those who don’t enjoy beer, it’s fun to take in this museum-like barn. It was originally located in Section 24 of Roosevelt Township where my dad was born. In 1982 it was moved into Dan and Mary’s. (If I find a good photo of the Bud Barn, I’ll post it.)
4) THE HORSE! (Click here to see a blog post that includes a photo of the horse, before it was painted pink.)
All four of these attractions are open to the public this weekend. The rock, statue and horse are always available for people to walk over to and take photos. No permission is needed. The barn is not always open.
In addition, this weekend in Rolfe there will be an exhibit of watercolors painted by four women in the 1940s through 1990s. Three of the artists are deceased including my mom. Many of the paintings are of local landmarks and scenes, long gone. The exhibit is at Wild Faces Gallery, one block south of the library. The hours are Friday (3:30-5:30) and Saturday (9-3, except from 10:15 until the 10:30 parade is over).
The full schedule for the sesquicentennial is here, although I’m not sure everything at the link is 100% correct. (I’ll try to scan the newspaper schedule and post it. I think it is more up-to-date.)
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(Click here to go to Louise Gunderson Shimon’s blog’s home page.)
Marion Gunderson Art (and the Farmer's Daughter) 