Gowrie got its festivities started on June 26 with the Firecracker 40 Bike Race.

On Friday, the fun continued with a pork loin dinner hosted by American Legion Peterson Post No. 431, BINGO and a carnival in City Park.

The annual Gowrie Fourth of July street dance brought huge crowds to Market Street in front of Ole Town Road Pub and Eatery on Saturday night.

Sunday’s crown jewel of the celebration was the Bill Riley Talent Search at the Betty Nyght Hamilton Bandshell at City Park.

-Messenger photo by Kelby Wingert
Hannah Wisniewski, 17, and Kanyon Huntington, 18, both of Afton, perform a clogging dance during the Bill Riley Talent Show at Gowrie's Fourth of July celebration on Sunday afternoon. The duo won first place in the senior division and will compete at the Iowa State Fair.

Mia Olson, 9, of West Des Moines, blew away the crowd with her ventriloquist act. It was her first time performing in front of an audience after she taught herself how to do the act last summer.

“My grandma had this really creepy clown doll, so I brought it home,” Olson said. “And one day I was just bored in the summer, so I decided to sit in the garage and look at it and then I decided, ‘Why don’t I try doing ventriloquism?'”

Olson and her two ventriloquist dolls even performed a song on stage.

“I like entertaining people with it because not very many people can do it and I like tricking minds,” she said.

Olson won first place in the sprouts division for younger kids, which means she will be competing in the Bill Riley Talent Search at the Iowa State Fair later this summer.

-Messenger photo by Kelby Wingert
Araya Heilman, 14, of Rockwell City, performs a lyrical dance solo to the song “Middle of it All,” at the Bill Riley Talent Search at the Gowrie Fourth of July celebration on Sunday afternoon.

Showcasing young talent like this is a tradition for the Gowrie Fourth of July Celebration, said Kendra Breitsprecher, of Dayton. Breitsprecher is a member of the Gowrie Area Arts Council and organized the talent show event.

“This is our first big thing (since COVID) and I think it’s going so well,” she said.

Breitsprecher said everyone seemed to be having a great time watching the talent show.

“It’s a very happy time, a happy Fourth,” she said. “When they say ‘Happy Fourth,’ they mean it this year.”

This was Bill Riley Jr.’s last time hosting Gowrie’s Independence Day talent show as he has announced he is retiring later this year.

-Messenger photo by Kelby Wingert
Hannah Wisniewski, 17, and Kanyon Huntington, 18, both of Afton, perform a clogging dance during the Bill Riley Talent Show at Gowrie's Fourth of July celebration on Sunday afternoon. The duo won first place in the senior division and will compete at the Iowa State Fair.

The festivities celebrating the nation’s 245th birthday will continue in Gowrie through today with the Gowrie Volunteer Fire Department pancake breakfast at the fire station from 7 a.m. to 9:30 a.m.

Other events include:

-Freedom 5K Run/Walk at the football field at 7:30 a.m.

-Craft Fair in City Park from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

-Independence Day Parade at 10 a.m.

-Freedom Cruise Car Show in Laurel Park starting at 11 a.m.

-Cow Pie BINGO next to Roper Repair Shop on Pleasant Street at 1 p.m.

-Carnival in City Park all day.