October 26 ~ November 1, 2026
Five Good Things Coming Our Way Across Northeast Iowa!
Well, would ya look at what’s goin’ ’round town this week! ❤️
October is getting ready to wave goodbye, November is waiting just around the corner, and Northeast Iowa has a few more good things up its sleeve!
From celebrating neighbors who’ve given years of service to family games, Halloween adventures, and a little early holiday shopping, there’s plenty happening that reminds us why our small communities are such special places to call home.
And sometimes, the nicest part of an event isn’t what we go there to see or do.
It’s the people we meet along the way.
So here we go! Five good things worth knowing about this coming week!
✋ HIGH 5 #1 ~ Twenty-Five Years of Hearts and Helping Hands! ❤️
Waukon | Wednesday, October 28 | 1 p.m.
Some people spend their retirement slowing down.
Others find new ways to make a difference!
Northeast Iowa RSVP is celebrating 25 years of connecting volunteers age 55 and older with opportunities to serve their communities.
An anniversary open house is planned at White Haus Social in Waukon at 1 p.m.
It’s an opportunity for community members to recognize the neighbors who’ve spent years sharing their time, talents, and kindness with others.
And here’s something worth celebrating: RSVP now connects more than 630 volunteers with over 80 partner organizations throughout Northeast Iowa!
Whether it’s helping at a food pantry, assisting with tax preparation, or exchanging letters with schoolchildren, these volunteers remind us that kindness doesn’t come with a retirement age.
Sometimes the greatest gift we can give is simply showing up for somebody else.
And what a beautiful reason to celebrate!
✋ HIGH 5 #2 ~ BINGO! A Little Family Fun and a Whole Lot of Smiles! 🎉
Lansing | Wednesday, October 28 | 5:30~6:30 p.m.
B-I-N-G-O!
And maybe a little LOTERÍA, too!
The Lansing Public Library is inviting families to enjoy an evening of Family Bingo/Lotería in the library’s Brick Room.
Lotería is a traditional Mexican game similar to bingo, making this a fun opportunity for families to enjoy something familiar while perhaps learning something new.
There will even be a chance to win a prize!
The event is designed for children accompanied by adults, so bring the family and enjoy a little friendly competition.
Registration is required, and children must attend with an adult.
Because sometimes the best family memories don’t cost much at all.
Just a little time together, a few laughs, and maybe somebody shouting BINGO before you do!
For registration information, visit the Lansing Public Library’s event calendar.
✋ HIGH 5 #3 ~ Pumpkins, Costumes, Candy, and Halloween Smiles! 🎃
Waukon | Saturday, October 31 | 11 a.m.~2 p.m.
Get those costumes ready, little ghosts and goblins!
Iron Hill Powersports is hosting its Halloween Spooktacular at 208 IA Highway 9 in Waukon, and the whole family is invited!
The afternoon’s activities include:
- Trick-or-treating
- Pumpkin painting
- A costume contest with prizes for first, second, and third place
- Free food
- Plenty of Halloween fun!
Whether your little one arrives dressed as a princess, a dinosaur, a superhero, or something wonderfully silly, it’s another opportunity for families to enjoy a little hometown fun together.
And let’s face it.
Half the fun of Halloween is seeing what those imaginative little minds come up with!
A little candy, a little creativity, and a whole lot of happy memories.
Now that’s a pretty sweet way to spend part of Halloween!
✋ HIGH 5 #4 ~ A Spooktacular Night of Neighbors, Treats, and Togetherness! 👻
Waverly | Saturday, October 31 | 4~10 p.m.
Waverly is turning Halloween into an evening of community fun, with several activities planned for families throughout town.
The Waverly Community Chamber of Commerce and Waverly Parks & Recreation are teaming up for the Waverly Spooktacular.
And the fun begins with something especially heartwarming.
4~5 p.m. ~ Adept Nursing & Rehab of Waverly
Families are invited to stop by in costume, collect treats, and visit with residents and staff.
Just imagine the smiles when little pumpkins, witches, superheroes, and princesses come walking through!
5~7 p.m. ~ Community Trick-or-Treating
The fun continues throughout the Waverly Plaza, VFW, and downtown areas, with participating businesses sharing Halloween treats.
Waverly Dental will also offer free hot dogs donated by Peace Lutheran Church.
8~10 p.m. ~ An Outdoor Halloween Movie!
Head over to Wayne Park for an outdoor showing of Hocus Pocus on the tennis courts.
There will be s’mores around the fire pits, too!
Bring chairs, blankets, and pillows to settle in for a cozy evening under the autumn sky.
And perhaps the nicest part of the whole celebration is how it brings different generations together.
From little ones visiting nursing home residents to neighbors sharing candy and families watching a movie outdoors, it’s the kind of community connection that makes a town feel like home.
Because sometimes the sweetest treats aren’t wrapped in candy paper. They’re the memories we make together.
✋ HIGH 5 #5 ~ A Little Holiday Shopping That Helps Keep the Music Playing! 🎶❤️
Decorah | Saturday, October 31 | 9 a.m.~3 p.m.
Who says you have to wait until November to find a little holiday cheer?
The 41st Annual Northeast Iowa Holiday Craft and Bake Sale is coming to Decorah High School, bringing together nearly 100 vendors with handmade crafts, baked goods, unique gifts, and plenty of holiday shopping possibilities.
And the best part?
This isn’t just about finding something special to tuck under the Christmas tree.
It’s also about supporting the arts and opportunities for local students.
Hosted by the Decorah Performing Arts Boosters, the sale helps support music programs at Decorah Community Schools, including student participation in contests and festivals.
Visitors can also look forward to:
- Handmade gifts and crafts
- Homemade baked goods
- Student booths, including eighth graders raising money for their upcoming Washington, D.C., trip
- A raffle for a new television
- Free door prizes
- A concession stand
Admission is free and open to the public.
The sale will take place from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Decorah High School, 100 Claiborne Drive.
So whether you’re looking for an early Christmas gift, something homemade for the kitchen, or simply a reason to enjoy a little community shopping, this event offers an opportunity to do some good while having a little fun.
Because when we support our local students, we’re helping give tomorrow’s talents a chance to shine today. ❤️
❤️ AND THAT’S OUR HIGH 5!
Five different happenings.
Five opportunities to gather, celebrate, create, laugh, and make somebody’s day a little brighter.
Whether it’s honoring a volunteer, sharing a family game night, enjoying Halloween festivities, bringing a smile to an older neighbor, or shopping for a good cause, there’s something special waiting to be found across Northeast Iowa.
And here’s something worth remembering:
Sometimes the best part of living in a small community isn’t how much there is to do. It’s how many opportunities we have to care about one another.
So get out there if you can.
Say hello to somebody.
Share a laugh.
Support a neighbor.
And don’t underestimate the difference one friendly smile can make.
Here’s to another week of finding the good, sharing the good, and keeping it goin’ ’round town!
❤️ Word ’Round Town
Deliverance Hope ~ word-round-town.com
Event details are subject to change. Please check with organizers before attending.
Keep Goin’ ‘Round Town
There’s always another story waiting just around the corner.