Hello Granger | Fall Festival Countdown + Local Artist + Local Events This Week

First of all—who forgot to tell October that we were DONE with the rain? Sigh…

On to better things! The Granger Fall Festival is just eight days away, and there's still time to get involved! We've got the details on how to sign up, plus some updates from around town and a local artist who's bringing something fun to the festival.

And if you're looking for something to do this weekend, the craft fair at Assumption Church in Granger is Saturday! This is one my sister and I usually try to make it to. They always have some good stuff!

Have a wonderful week! 😊

Friday, Oct. 9
Barn Dance
Lake Robbins Ballroom | 7-10 p.m. | $10
Enjoy an evening of live music from The Wild Mustard Band, country-style dancing, and fun. Instructions are given before the dances, so beginners can jump in, too. Don’t forget the cowboy/cowgirl hat!

Saturday, Oct. 10
Love Louder 5K
Jester Park Amphitheater & Mini Shelter | 9 a.m. |
Run or walk in this annual 5K organized by Woodward mom Amy, founder of the nonprofit With Love; Addy. Day-of registration is available. Stick around after the race for yard games and treats available for purchase.

Assumption Craft Fair
Assumption Catholic Church Gym, Granger | 9 a.m. - 1 p.m.
Get some early holiday shopping done with more than 25 vendors and crafters all under one roof. Plus grab breakfast or lunch while you’re there. There will also be a bake sale and coffee bar!

High Trestle Hawk Watch
High Trestle Trail Bridge Overlook | 10 a.m.–4 p.m. | Free
Bring the family to watch the fall migration and join expert birders in spotting hawks, falcons and other soaring birds along the Des Moines River. Bring your binoculars for a closer look!

Fall Traditions Celebration
Jester Park Nature Center | 1 - 3 p.m. | Free, No Registration Needed
Explore Día de los Muertos, Diwali, Halloween, Oktoberfest and more through themed crafts and activities while learning about their history and connections to nature. Feel free to bring a photo of a loved one who has passed away to add to the Nature Center’s ofrenda.

Sunday, Oct. 11
Knights of Columbus Pancake Breakfast
Assumption Catholic Church, Granger | 9-11 a.m.
Come hungry! The Knights of Columbus are serving up pancakes.

Monday, Oct. 12
Woodward City Council Meeting
Woodward City Hall | 7 p.m.
Woodward still has a few things going on that community members may want to keep up with. Check the agenda posted beforehand or the City’s Facebook page for the meeting location. Can’t attend in person? The agenda also includes a Zoom link to watch live.

Tuesday, Oct. 13
Adult Yoga
Granger Community Center | 10-11 a.m. |
Yoga for adults with beginner to intermediate experience.

Toddler Open Gym
Moore Sports Plex, 1701 Burr Oak, Granger | 9 a.m.-12 p.m. | $5 per child/adults & infants free
Let the little ones burn off some energy and have fun with friends!

Early Readers Daytime Craft
Woodward Public Library | 10-11 a.m.
Little ones can stop by the Woodward Public Library to make a candy corn magnet to take home.

Wednesday, Oct. 14
Library Story Time
Granger Public Library | 11:15-11:45 a.m. | Ages 0-5 |
Little ones can enjoy stories, songs, snacks and crafts at this weekly library get-together. No registration needed.

Early Out at Woodward Public Library
Woodward Public Library | 2:30-3:30 p.m. | K-12th grade
This week the Blank Park Zoo is coming to the library. No registration needed.

Granger City Council Meeting
Granger Community Center | 6 p.m. |
The regular monthly meeting of the Granger City Council. Attend in person or watch online. Since we included Woodward’s, we couldn’t leave Granger out!

Thursday, Oct. 15
Toddler Open Gym
Moore Sports Plex, 1701 Burr Oak, Granger | 9 a.m.-12 p.m. | $5 per child/adults & infants free
Let the little ones burn off some energy, indoors.

Senior BINGO
Granger Community Center | 1-3 p.m. |
Granger seniors are invited to gather for a fun, friendly game and a chance to connect with others in the community.

H.Y.P.E. Club: Ranking Superhero Movies
Woodward Public Library | 4-5 p.m. | Older elementary-High School
The H.Y.P.E. Club (Hobbies, Youth Pop-Culture & Entertainment) is a place to hang out after school, try something new and meet others. This week, they’ll have superhero movie rankings. No registration needed.

Granger resident, Nicki Klatt has been creating art since her elementary school days at Woodward-Granger. By high school, she was spending nearly every free moment in the art room, experimenting with different mediums. She even included her own paintings and easels in her senior pictures!

These days, she's back in the halls of Woodward-Granger, but in a different role. She's now in her 10th year as a PreK associate at the Early Learning Center.

But her artistic talents certainly haven't gone unused! A couple of years ago, she painted a mural in the ELC hallway. All freehand!

More recently, Blank Park Zoo selected her design for a large, double-sided lion sculpture. She spent about two months painting it before it went on display at an outdoor concert venue in Ankeny, where it can still be seen today.

Her artwork tends to feature bright colors, geometric shapes and abstract designs. She often starts with an idea in her head and lets it develop as she works, sometimes sketching things out first and other times just seeing where her creativity takes her.

Now she's bringing that colorful style to the Granger Fall Festival. Her latest project is an 8-foot-tall ruler featuring a stack of brightly colored pumpkins where kids can measure their growth each year. She's calling it "How Tall This Fall?" and hopes families will make a tradition of taking pictures with it.

For Nicki, creating art locally is especially meaningful. She grew up in Granger, as did her family, and has watched both Granger and Woodward grow and change over the years. "It is my goal to bring more art into the community and use my creativity to brighten people's days, inspire others, and bring smiles all around!"

Check It Out & Get In Touch
📸 Be sure to check out Nicki's 8-foot-tall pumpkin ruler at the Granger Fall Festival on October 17!
🎨 Have an art project in mind you'd like her to take a look at? Reach out to Nicki at [email protected].

• 🚫 Coming Soon to Sycamore Street: No Parking Signs

We've all been wondering when those No Parking signs on Sycamore Street are finally going to show up, right?

Well, the wait is almost over. The signs were on back order, but the city says they're expected to arrive yet this week, with installation planned for early next week once utility locates are completed.

As a reminder, the no-parking restriction went into effect September 17 and applies to both sides of Sycamore Street north of State Street, all the way to the city limits.

• 🚨 New Outdoor Warning Siren

Granger is getting a new outdoor warning siren as part of Dallas County Emergency Management's countywide replacement program. The city's current siren is believed to date back to around 2001, and the new one will be funded largely through a grant.

Where will the new siren go? That's still being worked out. City officials are evaluating locations to make sure the siren provides adequate coverage as Granger continues to grow. More details to come!

• 🎃 Granger Fall Festival 8 Days Away!

So many fun things happening at the Granger Fall Festival on October 17! Here's how to get involved—but don't wait until festival day. Register today for these events! 👇👇

🎣 Kid’s Fishing Tournament: It's called a fishing tournament, but don't let that scare you! It's really just a chance for kids up to 14 years old, to check out the fishing at Windcrest Pond and have some fun. Whether they've been fishing for years or have never picked up a pole, everyone is welcome! The kids will have Windcrest Pond all to themselves from 9–10:45 a.m. on October 17, with plenty of help and worms available! 👉 Sign up here!

🍞 Sourdough Contest: Been keeping a sourdough starter alive like it's another member of the family? Time to put it to work! Register today for the Granger Fall Festival's Best in Sourdough Contest! Enter your best loaf in Pure Sourdough, Specialty Sourdough or Junior Best in Dough. It's $10 per loaf, and there are even some legit local celebrity judges lined up to check out your creations! 👉 Sign up here!

🥣 Chili Contest: Think your chili has what it takes? Sign up for the Chili Cook-Off. Festival goers will get to taste and vote for their favorites, with tasting spoons available for just $2 each. 👉 Sign up here!

OCT. 17 🎃 Granger Fall Festival
Events from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. • Windcrest Pond + WG Elementary North Parking Lot

OCT. 31 👻 Granger Trick-or-Treat
5- 7 p.m.

OCT. 31 🕸️ Woodward Trick-or-Treat
6- 8 p.m.

📌 Community Board

🙋 Be Part of the Granger Fall Festival!
Have a little time to spare on Saturday, October 17? Granger Partners of the Parks could use some extra hands at the Fall Festival! Volunteers are needed to help with setup, the Kids Fishing Tournament, games, contests, check-in and cleanup. Whether you can help for a short shift or several hours, they'd appreciate it! Have a Woodward-Granger student who needs Silver Cord hours? They can sign up to help, too! 👉👉Click here to volunteer!

🧀 The community refrigerator at the Granger Public Library has been seeing a lot of use lately. If you’re able, consider picking up an extra source of protein—dairy, meat, etc.—during your next grocery trip and dropping it off at the library. In Woodward, donations can also be dropped off at the Woodward Public Library’s community refrigerator.

💚💛🦅 Let’s Help Everyone Get WG Gear!
If you have WG Hawks gear that no longer fits—or just wasn’t quite the right fit—consider passing it along! Granger Emmanuel United Methodist Church and Woodward United Methodist Church are collecting new and gently used WG spiritwear to help get Hawks gear into the hands of local kids and families who could use it. Donations can be dropped off at either church, or contact Brenda Talbert at [email protected] for more information.

🚘 Volunteer Drivers Needed
Volunteer Community Services of Woodward & Granger (VCSWG) is looking for volunteer drivers to help local residents get to appointments, pick up groceries, and run errands—helping neighbors stay independent. Students, this is also a great opportunity to earn Silver Cord hours.For more information, call 515-978-8114 or visit vcswg.org.

❓Do you have a volunteer opportunity, job posting or another local announcement you’d like included here? Reply to this email and let me know.