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Attractions & Events

Each new day offers a full slate of entertainment choices, from golf courses to motor races. Come see what the area has to offer, and we promise you won’t be disappointed.

Special events are always on the calendar at the North Iowa Fair Facility. The venue is also home to the North Iowa Ice Arena and I-35 Speedway. Modified stock cars, street stock, cruisers and modified cars at the speedway race around north-central Iowa’s fastest half-mile track. Enthusiasts can enjoy delicious food from comfortable spectator seating while reveling in the roar of the engines.

Another must-see attraction is the Surf Ballroom and Convention Center in Clear Lake. The Surf Ballroom is best remembered as the site for Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and The Big Bopper’s final performance in 1959, but the ballroom continues to host a variety of musical talent.

It has been restored to its original splendor and boasts a 6,300-square-foot dance floor. The Surf Ballroom’s walls bear the autographs and photographs of past performers, and it is the perfect place for a great concert or for a free self-guided tour.

With dancing and music on the enclosed lower level and great views from the open upper level, summer and fall are the ideal time for a cruise aboard the Lady of the Lake paddlewheel boat.

Put your navigational skills to the test as you wind through two miles of paths at the Fort Custer Wooden Maze in Clear Lake. At the Cerro Gordo Wind Farm, located five miles south of Ventura, winds generate 750 kilowatts of power via each of the 55 turbines at the environmentally friendly, 2,110-acre electrical power site. The silence of the machines is music to the ears of the wildlife that inhabits the area marshes and grasslands.North Iowa’s signature celebration is the annual Band Festival, held Memorial Day weekend in Mason City. Fantastic fireworks burst in the skies over Clear Lake on the Fourth of July amidst a huge community-wide event.Other special annual events include the following:

• Farmers Markets are held in Mason City and Clear Lake and are stocked with tasty homegrown produce, baked goods, fresh-cut flowers, and crafts.
• The Greek Festival (sponsored by the Greek Orthodox Church each June) offers a glimpse into Greek culture and features delicious Greek dishes.
• The “Up In Smoke” Barbecue Bash features championship BBQ vendors serving tasty delights and a world-class BBQ and chili competition.
• Get in the holiday spirit right after Thanksgiving with the “Home for the Holidays” celebration in downtown Mason City and “Christmas By The Lake” activities in Clear Lake.
• Civil War enthusiasts re-enact a historic battle and encampment each August in East Park to the delight of thousands of spectators.