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Stars, Stripes, and Small Town Pride

Independence Day celebrated in Reinbeck, Garwin

The Dig Inn's Holly Robertson waves to the crowd while her husband Ben Robertson works a squirt gun on Friday, July 4, in downtown Reinbeck as part of the community's 2025 Independence Day Grand Parade. PHOTO BY SOREN M. PETERSON AND RUBY F. MCALLISTER
PHOTO BY STEPH BOWERS, ERINN MAHARRY, AND ROBERT MAHARRY
PHOTO BY SOREN M. PETERSON AND RUBY F. MCALLISTER
PHOTO BY STEPH BOWERS, ERINN MAHARRY, AND ROBERT MAHARRY
PHOTO BY SOREN M. PETERSON AND RUBY F. MCALLISTER
PHOTO BY SOREN M. PETERSON AND RUBY F. MCALLISTER
PHOTO BY SOREN M. PETERSON AND RUBY F. MCALLISTER
PHOTO BY SOREN M. PETERSON AND RUBY F. MCALLISTER
PHOTO BY SOREN M. PETERSON AND RUBY F. MCALLISTER
PHOTO BY SOREN M. PETERSON AND RUBY F. MCALLISTER
PHOTO BY SOREN M. PETERSON AND RUBY F. MCALLISTER

REINBECK AND GARWIN – As Americans across the country celebrated Independence Day on Friday, July 4, Reinbeck hosted its annual 4th of July celebration while nearby Garwin hosted its own Freedom Days festival. The bulk of the activities in both communities were held in the towns’ respective city parks.

Highlights included Reinbeck’s always-stellar Grand Parade Friday afternoon and Garwin’s first annual Grand Parade Friday evening. Parade weather was hot, humid, and sunny – all the ingredients necessary for a fantastic Independence Day bash in Iowa.

Reinbeck’s parade float winners this year included True North VBS in first place, Kids Club in second place – pulled by ‘Grandma Janet’ (Janet Schildroth) piloting her restored 1951 John Deere tractor, and Reinbeck High School Class of 1985 in third.

While festivities in Garwin concluded on July 6 with a spectacular fireworks show, Reinbeck’s fireworks illuminated the night sky on Independence Day.