All-School Reunion activities set for 2026 Harvest Fest

All-School Reunion Committee members recently held a meeting aligning the many events taking place on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, August 21-23 with the Harvest Fest celebration.  With hundreds of Howard County area graduates hopefully attending, the town is expected to “swell” overnight, filling up hotels, camp grounds and even hosting homes.

   The All-School Committee are still asking families to open their homes to those attending, as they expect the hotels and camp grounds to fill up quickly.  If you would like to be a host to anyone coming, you can call the Cresco Chamber, who will let those looking know your home is open to them.

   T-Shirts are currently being offered for those who graduated in the county, sporting shirts with the “All-School ‘26 Reunion” logo (on the sleeve) representing 11 different schools.  With many of the area schools closing in 1960 to form Howard-Winneshiek/Crestwood High School and area parochial elementary schools. The All-School team has created numerous shirts:

Schools Shirts Available:

 • Notre Dame Crusaders (Closed 1989)

• Our Lady of Lourdes Trojans (1968)

• Cresco Spartans (1960)

• Assumption Crusaders (1951)

• Rudolphinum Rudohawks (1969)

• Elma I.C.A. Saints (1964)

• Crestwood Cadets

• Ridgeway Mustangs (1960)

• Elma Eagles (1960)

• Lime Springs Comets (1960)

• Chester Hawks (1960).

You can go on Facebook at CrescoAllSchoolReunion, browse online at  the crescochamber.com  for more information, or just pick up a form at the Chamber office. 

Sizes range from small to 4XL and the cost is only $25, allowing you to take part in all the reunion activities, plus get the t-shirt of your choice. Extra shirts are $25.

The schedule is set for the celebration with much to do, starting Friday evening with the Opening Ceremonies for Norman Borlaug Harvest Fest at Beadle Park starting at 4:30 p.m. and ending with the VFW Breakfast from 8 to 11 a.m. on Sunday.

• Friday, Aug. 21 - Following the Opening Ceremony, there will be numerous individual class get-togethers throughout town.  If you class is not offering a separate gathering, all graduates can still gather at the Harvest Tent, starting at 5 p.m. 

• Notre Dame is offering a Meet & Greet, with dinner available (at 6 p.m.), at the Heritage Event Center from 3 p.m. to close.  

• Food Trucks will be available near the Harvest Tent starting at 4:30 p.m. Also, all your area restaurants will be open to accommodate any groups wanting to meet. 

• At 6 p.m. there will be BINGO at the Harvest Tent

• A Youth Wrestling Color Fun Run will be starting at the Borlaug Mural at 6:30 p.m. 

•  A Bean Bag Tournament will then take place at the Harvest Fest Tent at 7:30 p.m. with refreshments and some music also likely available.

• Saturday, Aug. 22 - The VFW will host their Breakfast from 8 to 11 a.m. 

• The Annual Cruise To Cresco Car Show will start at 8 a.m. and run through 3 p.m. with the winners announced at closing. This will take place downtown Cresco and will fill up several streets!

• The Quilts of Valor will be presented at 9:30 a.m. at the Harvest Tent, offered to several area veterans.  If you have yet to attend a Quilts of Valor ceremony, it truly is something special to see!

• Borlaug Farm Tours will start at 10 a.m., leaving Beadle Park.  At the Birthplace House of Norman Borlaug, a special Ribbon Cutting will take place at 11 a.m.

• At 10:30 a.m. you can go to Crestwood High School and load on a bus to take a tour of Cresco.  

• At 11 a.m. the Annual RHS Auxiliary Quilt Auction will start at 11 a.m. featuring many beautiful quilts, all offered as a fundraiser for the group.   

• Tours of Crestwood School and of Notre Dame Schools will run from 12 noon to 2 p.m. 

• An All-School Reunion Program will then take place at the Crestwood School starting at 2 p.m.  The All-School Committee is still working on speakers for the event, offering some excellent insites with former graduates, plus hearing from administration and others.  

During the meeting in April, several excellent suggestions were made for speakers as members hope to lock them in for that special program. A complete list of the speakers will be announced ahead of the celebration. 

• Starting at 4 p.m. will the the huge Harvest Fest Parade where floats, bands, vehicles and more will line up at the fairgrounds.  Grand Marshals will be Denny and Donna Brosdahl this year!

Several class reunion floats are expected to also ride in the parade.  

• Notre Dame will also host a gathering at the Heritage Event Center starting at 10 a.m. to close.  Lunch will also be available (11 a.m. to 1 p.m.) at the gathering.

• Food Trucks and Restaurants will also be open for lunch and supper throughout Saturday.  

• At 5:30 p.m. Live Music will take place in the Harvest Tent, featuring Cresco’s own Braelyn McCarville at 5:30 p.m. and then Incognito to start at 7:30 p.m.

  ~ McCarville, who currently attends Crestwood High School, offers an excellent variety of music, from country to rock to pop.  Her music  venues continue to grow as she grows, showing her talent on the stage throughout all of northeast Iowa. 

  ~ Incognito is out of Rochester and features some of the most talented and dedicated musicians from that area,  having been performing for over 40 years.  The group has an excellent following and offer great music for every age.  Approximately 12-14 members of the group will perform with numerous pieces of musical instruments and vocals blending together for wonderful entertainment.

• Sunday, Aug. 22 the VFW will have their breakfast from 8 to 11 a.m. with area restaurants also open.

All in all, the Harvest Fest and All-Class Reunion is a “must attend” event for 2026!