ia Magazine

07/08/2026

Why Iowa Bankers ❤️ IA
Strong communities start with people who invest in them.

In our I {HEART} IA video series, organizations from across the state are sharing why they love calling Iowa home. Next up is the Iowa Bankers Association, highlighting the relationships, communities and opportunities that make Iowa such a great place to live, work and grow.
🎥 Watch their story and discover why Iowa continues to win hearts across the state.
📬 Then explore the full I {HEART} IA video series and sign up for the ia newsletter to follow the stories all year long.

06/17/2026

Eight years ago, two cousins teamed up to open a farm-to-table restaurant in rural Iowa. Now, Cafe Mir is a vibrant and eclectic spot that brings a city feel to the small town of Fertile, just off Interstate 35 near the Minnesota state line.

Writer: Kylie Petty Photographer: Duane Tinkey Eight years ago, two cousins teamed up to open a farm-to-table restaurant in rural ...

06/17/2026

Okoboji has long been known as one of Iowa’s most popular summer vacation spots, but there’s a lot to love about winters in the lakeside destination, too. The locals knew this when they organized a small broomball tournament on the frozen lake back in 1981. What began as a way to celebrate winter activities and cure cabin fever snowballed into a fun-fueled annual weekend event that today draws more than 40,000 visitors to the region each January. We’re talking, of course, about the University of Okoboji Winter Games.
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The Chamber of the Iowa Great Lakes plans and manages all aspects of the Winter Games. This includes the sports and activities schedule, plus the live music and entertainment that keep spirits high when temps drop low. The Winter Games Cheerleaders are especially good at that — so good, in fact, they inspired a documentary in 2025 from the Okoboji Project.
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Learn more about the cheerleaders and watch the documentary online, featured in our 2025-26 issue of ia magazine:

Cool kids: The 2025 Okoboji Winter Games Cheerleaders bundle up to spread some joy despite the frigid temps. Writer: Hailey ...

06/17/2026

Now celebrating 45 years together, these lovebirds still live together on a small western Iowa farm near Minden, which doubles as the Peacock Information Center, where they’ve raised hundreds of peafowl. Over the years, they’ve become experts in peafowl care, publishing books and posting hundreds of videos on YouTube.

Affectionately known as “Mr. and Mrs. Peacock,” they say the attention has always supported their true passions — the birds and each other.

Lovebirds Dennis Fett and Debra Buck love their birds almost as much as each other. Writer: Mathany Ahmed Photos: James ...

06/17/2026

A herd of 40-some alpacas lives on a serene farm in the hills east of Winterset.

Aron and Kari Shultz own the operation, known as Rusty Stars Alpacas, and have turned it into a relaxing outdoor destination in Central Iowa. Anyone can visit and feed the alpacas for free.⁠

The Shultzes shear the fiber once a year and spin most of it into balls of yarn, as well as a few little handmade items. Each ball has a tag that identifies its specific producer. “It’s not very often you can take a photo with the animal that your sweater came from,” Aron said. “Several people have made things and then come back to show us what they made and to see the alpaca.”⁠

See (and smell) alpacas up close during a field trip to Winterset. Writer: Emmett McMenamy Photos: Duane Tinkey A herd ...

06/17/2026

Right now it's the best time to spot some fireflies in Iowa.

When Radim Photo Schreiber was growing up in the Czech Republic, he spotted fireflies only once — just flickers in a little marsh as he walked home from a Boy Scouts meeting.

“I was quite shocked,” he said. “In the Czech Republic, the firefly is almost like a mythical creature.”

So when he moved to Fairfield in 2008, he was stunned when he saw fireflies in every yard all summer long. One night when he followed a city trail through the woods, it felt like magic. “They weren’t flashing quickly but glowing, slowly,” he said. “It was so peaceful, so joyful, like they were illuminating the path.”

Radim Schreiber captures the beauty of a single moment. Writer: Michael Morain Photographer: Radim Schreiber When Radim Schreiber was growing ...

06/11/2026

When the Iowa Indie Bookshop Tour debuted in 2024, my bookish friend Nicole and I decided to try to hit all 36 participating bookstores. After several day-trips around the state and one long weekend trip in Eastern Iowa, where we visited more than a dozen stores, we managed to visit 32 bookshops in all.

When the tour rolled around last year with 45 participating shops, we decided we wanted more time to explore the towns instead of trying to hit all the locations. We selected some of our favorites and sprinkled in some new ones. This allowed us time to enjoy leisurely lunches, shop for popcorn and chocolates and admire some public art along the way. We spent a relaxing evening in Fort Madison having dinner on a riverfront patio, followed by reading in our rooms at the Kingsley Inn. Readerly bliss!

This year’s tour, running July 1 through Sept. 30, includes 64 (!) participating bookstores. Kudos to those who will hit them all, but Nicole and I will be employing last year’s strategy again. Here are a few of the shops on our list:

The Green Dragon Bookshop in Fort Dodge. (Photos: Jessica O’Riley) By Jessica O’Riley When the Iowa Indie Bookshop Tour debuted ...

04/24/2026

Apparently Mother Nature just couldn’t wait for spring. She’s busting out the tulips a little earlier than usual this year, so now is the time to get out and see them — and some charming cities and small towns across the state:

Everything’s coming up tulips in Pella. Our writer snapped this shot on April 18, 2026. By Jessica O’Riley Apparently Mother ...

04/09/2026

Saturday, April 25, is Independent Bookstore Day, a day to celebrate locally owned and operated bookstores nationwide (and a convenient excuse to buy more books). There are dozens of unique bookstores across the state that are worth the drive. Here are five that I’ve enjoyed, in no particular order:

Across Iowa, there are dozens of unique bookstores that are worth the drive

03/30/2026

I didn’t know it then, but the Rural Road Trip started in fall 2019. Mallary Snakenberg wanted a way to draw people to the The Feathered Farmhouse, the shop she opened a few weekends throughout the year outside of Sigourney.

We stumbled upon it purely by accident. Back in April 2024, two of my cousins, a sister-in-law and I met up in Kalona for some shopping and lunch before heading to an overnight stay in a converted train depot a few miles south in Washington. Other than our goal to hang out together, we didn’t have any firm plans for the trip — at least, not until we saw a sign on the door of the first shop we entered. That sign, about the Rural Road Trip, set the agenda for the rest of the weekend:

Every road trip needs snacks. Stock up on fudge at the Kalona Creamery. (Photo: Travel Iowa) By Jessica O’Riley We ...