Celebrate Earth Day or take a spring hike this weekend in Dallas County
Swiftie Party
4-5 p.m. Friday, April 19 at Perry Public Library.
What Era are you in? Kids, ages 6 to 11, are invited to our Taylor Swift party, in honor of her new album release. We'll do karaoke, make friendship bracelets and create Era bookmarks. You can even try your hand at making Blackout poetry by using old book pages to black out words and phrases to create your own Swiftie song lyric! This is a free activity and no registration is required. For more information, call 515-465.3569, or visit the library.
Perry Firefighters Association Grab-n-Go Dinner
5-6:30 p.m. Friday, April 19 at 908 Willis Ave., Perry.
The Perry Firefighters Association will serve a Grab-n-Go Dinner on Friday, April 19 in the Perry Fire Department parking lot. The menu includes hot dogs for $5, cheeseburgers or pork loin sandwiches for $8 and steak sandwiches for $12. Each meal comes with chips and a drink.
All About Dahlias
6-7:30 p.m. Friday, April 19 or Friday, April 26 at Dallas County Extension Office, 28061 Fairground Road, Adel.
Dallas County Master Gardeners are excited to announce an upcoming presentation titled "All About Dahlias” presented by Danielle Roberts, Dallas County Master Gardener. The program is offered on two dates for participants to choose from, April 19 or April 26. Come learn all about dahlias. Learn when to plant, how to plant, how to care for them, what insects to look for to keep your dahlias healthy. Learn to propagate dahlias so you can have more for your garden. The cost of this class is $10, and participants will take home their own dahlia to plant. Limited seats are available for this workshop, and early registration is encouraged. To reserve your spot, visit go.iastate.edu/NAAJ3T or go.iastate.edu/ZV5ZPU or contact Megan Will at mwill@iastate.edu
Friends of the Perry Public Library Crafting with Friends FUNdraiser
8 a.m. - 8 p.m. Saturday, April 20 at McCreary Community Building, Perry.
The Friends of the Perry Public Library will be holding their Crafting with Friends Event from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Saturday, April 20 at the McCreary Community Building. This semi-annual Friend’s fundraiser is a fun gathering that offers crafters a 6-foot workspace, meals, snacks, door prizes, and vendors. To register and reserve your spot, visit tinyurl.com/craftingwfriends, mail a registration form to 1101 Willis Ave, Perry, IA 50220, or visit the library. Registration deadline and payment are due by April 13.
Spring Hike
10-11 a.m. Saturday, April 20 at Kuehn Conservation Area.
Come enjoy springtime with a hike around Kuehn to see what nature is up to with the shift in seasons. We’ll trek down the forest trails to the lower prairie. Dress for the weather! Registration is required through the DCCB's Eventbrite page.
Soup Luncheon & Bake Sale
11 a.m. - 2 p.m. Sunday, April 21 at Perry Alano Club, 1211 Lucinda St., Perry.
A soup luncheon and bake sale will be held on Sunday, April 21. For a suggested $5 donation, the menu includes your choice of 12 oz soup (chili, broccoli cheese, veggie, cheesy potato, chicken tortilla), crackers and drink. Some of the baked items for sale: cheesecake, apple crisp, cookies. All of the proceeds go to supporting the Perry AlanoClub. Want to donate, but can't make it? Call +1 (515) 612-8909 for information on how to donate.
Earth Day at Brenton Arboretum
12-3 p.m. Sunday, April 21 at Brenton Arboretum.
The Brenton Arboretum will host a variety of family-friendly Earth Day activities on Sunday, April 21. Activities include a kids planting station, selfie station, found object bug craft and more. A special presentation on How to Plant a Tree will be held at 1:30 p.m. with Director of Horticulture, Andy Schmitz. All booths are open house style from 12-3 p.m. Come and enjoy the arboretum grounds and make an afternoon of exploring and visiting the vendors.
Perry Fine Arts presents Carol Montag
2 p.m. Sunday, April 21 at Perry Performing Arts Center, 1200 18th St, Perry.
The Perry Fine Arts Series will present Carol Montag on Sunday, April 21 in the Perry High School's Performing Arts Center. Carol Montag is returning to Perry to share her unique talent as a singer -songwriter. Carol performs original songs, traditional and contemporary folk. on acoustic guitar and piano. Perry Fine Arts concerts are free (donations are accepted) and open to all. The Performing Arts Center is handicapped accessible.
Earth Day Trash Clean-up
10:30 a.m. - 12 p.m. Monday, April 22 at North Raccoon River Wildlife Area - Snyder Tract, Lexington Lane, Minburn.
Join others for an Earth Day classic: a public lands trash clean-up! Come to learn more about the interesting Snyder Tract property and help make a difference for the land, water and wildlife in Dallas County by removing trash and junk of all sizes. Work gloves, pants and closed-toed shoes are recommended. Registration is not required.
Scottish Afternoon Tea
4:30-5:30 p.m. Monday, April 22 at Carnegie Library Museum, Perry.
Join the Carnegie Library Museum and host Trista as we explore Scotland this April! Our Scottish tea will feature Scottish delights, including traditional Scottish shortbread, scones, Scottish fern cakes, and tea sandwiches. The tea will be held from 4:30-5:30 p.m. on Monday, April 22. Tickets are $15 per person and are available at both the Perry Public Library and Carnegie Library Museum. For questions, call 515-465-7713.
Rain Barrel Workshop
6:30-8:30 p.m. Monday, April 22 at Dallas County Extension Office, 28061 Fairground Road, Adel.
Iowa State University Extension and Outreach in Dallas County will be offering a Rain Barrel Workshop on Monday, April 22. Come learn about water quality in Iowa and build your own rain barrel to do your part to reduce flooding and stormwater pollution on your property! All materials will be provided. Pre-registration is required. Please only register if you will be available to attend, as space is limited and materials will be purchased for you. The cost of the event is $60. This program is led by Dallas County Master Gardeners. To register visit go.iastate.edu/ALXVDE
Community Blood Drives
8 a.m. - 1 p.m. Wednesday, April 24 at 655 N 10th St., Waukee and 11 a.m. - 3 p.m. Monday, April 29 at 306 W 3rd St., Woodward.
LifeServe Blood Center is calling all community members to participate in blood donation drives throughout themonth of April, in your neighborhood. Each donation bolsters the blood supply for local hospitals and LifeServe aims to emphasize the crucial role that each donor plays in supporting healthcare services within their own communities. With spring in full swing, LifeServe understands the many obligations individuals may already have, but by setting aside one hour for blood donation, you can profoundly impact the lives of others in your community. Join LifeServe at the upcoming blood drives in your community, roll up your sleeves and be a part of the mission to save lives locally. Waukee Northwest High School will host a blood drive from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Wednesday, April 24 while Woodward-Granger High School will host a drive from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Monday, April 29. Schedule a blood donation appointment online at lifeservebloodcenter.org or call800.287.4903.
Veterans Benefit and Job Fair
11 a.m. - 2 p.m. Thursday, April 25 at Perry Elks Lodge, 2823 Willis Ave., Perry.
Area veterans are invited to explore their available benefits and research career opportunities with local businesses on Thursday, April 25. Find a list of vendors on the Dallas County Veterans Iowa Veterans Affairs Facebook page.
Pancake Breakfast
7-10 a.m. Saturday, April 27 at Washington Township School, eight miles south of Perry on P58 at the intersection with F31.
A pancake breakfast will be held from 7-10 a.m. on Saturday, April 27 at the Washington Township School. Pancakes, eggs, sausage, biscuits and gravy, hash browns and drink will be served. Proceeds will go to maintain and improve the historic Washington School Building that is used for community events.
RRVT 35th Anniversary Bike Ride
12-4 p.m. Saturday, April 27 along Raccoon River Valley Trail.
Join the Raccoon River Valley Trail Association for the 35th Anniversary Bike Ride on the RRVT on April 27. This event coincides with National Celebrate Trails Day, making it the perfect opportunity to pedal through the serene natural beauty of the RRVT's paved trail. Gather by 11:45 a.m. at the trailhead in Dallas Center, located in Heritage Park. The ride is a round-trip starting in Dallas Center and heading to Perry. Upon reaching Perry, we'll connect to the High Trestle Trail. While the High Trestle connection is still in progress, riders are welcome to enjoy the completed sections. This ride is suitable for all riders. Riders can go at their own pace and choose their preferred distance. Food and drinks are available at businesses along the trail in Dallas Center, Minburn and Perry. Helmets are strongly encouraged for everyone's safety. While participation is free, riders can RSVP through the Raccoon River Valley Trail Association's Facebook page.
Spaghetti Dinner
6-8 p.m. Saturday, April 27 at Veterans Hall 410 6th St., Waukee.
Danny White VFW Post 11517 Auxiliary will host a spaghetti dinner from 6-8 p.m. on Saturday, April 27. The dinner is open to all. A free-will offering will be taken to benefit our veterans and their families.
Dallas County Veterans Memorial Wall Nominations
Tuesday, April 30.
In response to public demand, an additional wing to the beautiful Dallas County Veterans Memorial Wall is being proposed. If you have a family member or other special veteran who is serving or has served in the US Military and has ever resided in Dallas County, you can honor their service with a personalized brick in the wall. The cost is $100 for each brick. and applications are available either online at www.minburn.org (under the Announcements tab), or at the Perry, Adel, or Minburn public libraries. You only have until April 30 to submit an application before the final brick order is placed. For additional information, contact Don Richardson at 515-321-9320 or Paul Snyder at 515-422-2820.
Tacopalooza
4-7 p.m. Wednesday, May 1 at Perry VanKirk Career Academy, 1011 2nd St., Perry.
DMACC students, staff and community members are invited to come celebrate the end of the semester. The event will feature inflatables, a dunk tank, music and $1 TACOS (limited supply).
To submit events to be included in the Around the County round-up, email news@adelnews.com or news@theperrychief.com.
This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Things to do in Dallas County this weekend, April 19-22
