Madison County Covered Bridge Festival

Madison County Covered Bridge Festival

Second weekend in October

The Madison County Covered Bridge Festival takes place annually on the second weekend in October in and around Winterset, Iowa. The town is located in Madison County, noted for its historic wooden covered bridges. These structures became world-famous with the success of the best-selling 1992 novel, The Bridges of Madison County, by Robert James Waller, and the subsequent film of the same name. The festival, which pre-dates the book and movie, was launched in 1970.
The Covered Bridge Festival celebrates not just Madison County's vintage bridges, but all things old-fashioned. In addition to bridge tours, the weekend's festivities include demonstrations of such traditional activities as sheep shearing, wool spinning, and soap making. The non-stop entertainment includes barbershop quartets, square dancers, and cloggers, plus quilts and antiques are on display. Children are invited to take part in a spelling bee championship, and a parade of antique cars is a highlight of the weekend.

CONTACTS:
Madison County Chamber of Commerce
73 Jefferson St.
Winterset, IA 50273
515-462-1185; fax: 515-462-1393
www.madisoncounty.com/bridge_fest.html

Celebration days:
2011: Oct 8; Oct 9
2012: Oct 13; Oct 14
2013: Oct 12; Oct 13
2014: Oct 11; Oct 12
2015: Oct 10; Oct 11