Madison County Covered Bridge Festival

The 2008 Festival dates are October 11-12, 2008

Parade Application (.pdf) Festival Vendor Contract (.pdf) Festival Vendor Rules and Regulations (.pdf)


Main Covered Bridge Festival page	Covered Bridge Festival Schedule of Events	Covered Bridge Festival Courthouse Square Map (Booths, Demonstrators and Entertainment)	Winterset Area Map (Parking, Parade Route and other items of interest)

SOME SCENES FROM THE 2007 COVERED BRIDGE FESTIVAL
	Plant a peanut with George Washington Carver at Carver Memorial park just off the Square, and meet other historical figures as they wander the grounds telling their stories.
	Giant inflatables are a hit with all ages.
	The Storytelling Tent features great storytellers and great music.
	More delicious food than you can shake a stick at … or put on a stick.
	Just one of the great new entertainment acts for this year.
	“Pickles on a stick! Everybody needs a pickle!"
	Visitors can take guided tours of the magnificent Courthouse right in the center of the Square.
	What visit to the Madison County Covered Bridge Festival would be complete without dessert on a stick too?
	2007 Festival royalty Eddie and Daisy Dell Benge kick it up a notch.
	Area youngsters compete to see who can last the longest in the spelling bee.
	FREE shuttle from the Square to the Historical Complex and the Birthplace of John Wayne delight visitors with its hitch of four powerful Clydesdales.

The Madison County Covered Bridge Festival

The festival features artisans demonstrating the old-fashioned ways, booths with delightful crafts and delectable foods, nonstop music and entertainment, a quilt show, antique vehicle parade, guided bus tours of the covered bridges and so much more!

Covered Bridge Festival 2007 Entertainment Lineup Rocks!

The 38th annual Covered Bridge Festival, will soon be here (October 13 and 14, 2007) and there are some exciting additions to this year’s entertainment lineup. The Street Stage, which is being moved this year to Jefferson Street, will feature these artists:

Switchback
To highlight Madison County’s ‘Irish connection’ Switchback, a Celtic band “whose Americana creations alternate between sentimental ballads to blistering rockers that deliver the full-band experience” will play on Sunday of Covered Bridge Festival. www.waygoodmusic.com/switchback

(Left: Martin McCormick & Brian FitzGerald)

Sun. Oct. 14, 12pm - 3pm, Street Stage

Sheltered Reality is a high energy youth drum corps. For the past six years,this non-profit group has grown to 400 members in eleven states and played nearly 1,200 shows. They employ the power of music to engage and motivate audiences to make positive changes both in themselves and the world they live in. www.sheltered-reality.org

Sat. Oct. 13/Sun. Oct. 14 3pm, Street Stage

Exit 113 brings a fresh new sound to some great old rock ’n’ roll standards from the ’50s, ’60s and ’70s. A popular band at the Iowa State Fair, this variety band, which hails from Des Moines will be singing their way into your hearts on Saturday of Covered Bridge Festival. www.exit113.com

Sat. Oct. 13, 12pm - 3pm, Street Stage

(Left to right: Jill Anderson, Jo Anderson, Joe Vaughn, Taylor Telford, Bob Long)

Festival Montage

The Madison County Covered Bridge Festival has been a time-honored tradition in Madison County, Iowa since 1970. Each year on the second full weekend in October, county residents gather under the brilliant hues of autumn to celebrate their historic covered bridges. The festival features old-time craft demonstrations, a wide variety of food, antique and craft vendors, music, an antique vehicle parade complete with bands, a car show, spelling bees, and so much more.

Crafts Demonstrations Continue the Old Traditions

See artisans present unique examples of their crafts, many of them practiced back when the bridges were new. Watch sheep shearing, wood carving, soap making, spinning and much, much more. There's something new to see every year!

Music and Entertainment Galore!

Sit a spell and enjoy the delights of musicans and singers of all kinds, gymnasts, square dancers, cloggers, barbershop quartet, spelling bees, coin and belt buckle auction and much, much more going on throughout the weekend.

Guided Bus Tours of the Bridges

Always a popular attraction, tours depart regularly and visit several of the world-famous bridges. Our knowledgeable guides will tell the history and legends of these vintage structures. Passengers may disembark at two of the bridges to walk and inspect these historic bridges up close.


An appreciative crowd gathers in front of the Courthouse stage.
A group of local children perform.

Have a question? Knowledgeable staffers at the Festival’s Information Booth have the answers.	Many types of crafts are available for savvy shoppers.

Festive Sights

Here’s just some of the highlights of the Madison County Covered Bridge Festival:

Over 100 craft, antique and food booths
Demonstrations including spinning, tatting, wood carving and more
Farmer's Market
Antique Vehicle Parade
Quilt Show
Classic Car show

For more information about the Madison County Covered Bridge Festival
contact the Madison County Chamber of Commerce or call (515) 462-1185.