(Orange City) — After RAGBRAI leaves Sioux Center early Sunday the first two
stops of the morning are laying out the proverbial red carpet. Orange City and
Alton, which are usually pretty quite on a Sunday morning, will be bustling as
soon as 6am.
As bikers come down Central Avenue in Orange City, Dale Heimstra, co-chair of
the RAGBRAI committee, says that residents will be decked in Dutch costumes,
Dutch treats will be available (including deep fried almond patties dipped in
chocolate!) and Dutch “hot tubs” will also line the streets.
Listen here
{audio}images/stories/mp3/July 2012/Rag OC Alton 1.mp3{/audio}
Music will also resonate from the band shell at Windmill Park in Orange City
Sunday morning.
Alton is having a formal breakfast for the riders and anybody who wishes to come
to the park adjacent to St. Mary’s Church to mingle. Todd Vande Griend of Alton
tells us what’s on the menu.
Listen here
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Proceeds from the event will be going toward new tanks for Alton’s Fire
Department and for playground equipment near the pool in town.
No matter what town RAGBRAI passes through, they all have one goal in mind:
making sure the riders walk away with a good impression. Dale Heimstra of
Orange City recognizes that it could even have long term effects.
Listen here
{audio}images/stories/mp3/July 2012/Rag OC Alton 3.mp3{/audio}
RAGBRAI Starts in Sioux Center!
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{audio}images/stories/mp3/July 2012/Rag SC 1.mp3{/audio}
That’s Jason Moeller, member of the executive committee for RAGBRAI planning in
Sioux Center where the RAGBRAI party kicks off this Saturday.
Moeller tells us what’s happening in and around the All Seasons Center, on 7th
Street NE.
Listen here
{audio}images/stories/mp3/July 2012/Rag SC 2.mp3{/audio}
The opening band is Highway 124, they kickoff the live music at 6pm. The Dirty
Word out of Minneapolis take the stage at 9pm. Moeller says that the lead singer
of that band has a great set of pipes.
Listen here
{audio}images/stories/mp3/July 2012/Rag SC 3.mp3{/audio}
When The Dirty Word breaks at 10pm there will be a 30 minute fireworks show and then the band will
close out the night. The entertainment area will be open to adults 21 and over, with an adjacent area
for minors who wish to see the bands.
There will be thousands of extra people in town Saturday, including 25 thousand
in riders and support teams. So if you’re heading up to Sioux Center to join in
on the fun, Moeller suggests taking an alternative route to get where you need
to be in town. Coming up on highway 75, take 20th Street east, follow the road
north, go around the fairgrounds, then head back west toward the industrial park
on the north edge of town to park. Highway 75 will be open all the way through
but traffic will likely be bumper to bumper.
This is the 4th time that Sioux Center has hosted RAGBRAI and Jason Moeller says
they’ve planned to make this Saturday’s events the best yet.
Listen here
{audio}images/stories/mp3/July 2012/Rag SC 4.mp3{/audio}
