Hello Granger | Granger Fall Festival + Community News + Events

Hey Granger!

The first-ever Granger Fall Festival is Saturday, and sunshine is in the forecast! ☀️🎃We’ve got the details to help you make the most of the festival, a recap of Woodward’s data center news, and more local events and updates. Thanks for being here!

Friday, Oct. 16
WG Hawks Football – Final Game of the Season
Hawks Stadium, Woodward | Kickoff at 7 p.m.
The Hawks take the field one last time this season against Clarinda! Come out and cheer them on. Go Hawks! Click here to buy tickets, or pay cash at the gate.

Bouton Haunted Church
109 South St., Bouton | 7-10 p.m. | $10 per person
Get ready for a scare at Bouton Fire & Rescue's 5th Annual Haunted Church, just 20 minutes from Granger! Scares can be adjusted for younger visitors or turned up for the brave. Admission is $10 per person, with proceeds supporting the fire department.
Open Fridays and Saturdays in October, 7–10 p.m.

Saturday, Oct. 17
Granger Fall Festival
Windcrest Pond, next to WG Elementary |
8:30 - 10:45 a.m. kids’ fishing tournament, 11 a.m. - 3 p.m. fall festival
The Granger Fall Festival is here! The morning kicks off with a kids' fishing tournament, followed by plenty of fall fun with pumpkins, games, food, and more! Check out the full story below for all the details.

Sunday, Oct. 18
Live Big Band Music + Dancing
Lake Robbins Ballroom, Woodward | 5-8:30 p.m. | $13 per person
Make an evening of it at Lake Robbins Ballroom! Enjoy live big band music from the Al Welsh Orchestra, get out on the dance floor, and grab some dinner while you're there!

Monday, Oct. 19
Mommy and Me Yoga
Granger Community Center | 8:30-9:30 a.m. | Free/Register First
Enjoy a free, relaxed yoga class for caregivers and kids! There will be gentle movement, breathing exercises, games, and plenty of play. No experience or yoga mat needed!

Woodward-Granger School Board Meeting
Woodward-Granger High School Media Center, Woodward | 5:30 p.m.
The Woodward-Granger School Board will hold its regular meeting. Community members are welcome to attend. Anyone wishing to speak during public comment must notify the board secretary before the meeting.

Tuesday, Oct. 20
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! Check in at the front desk of the Artistic Concrete building.

Wednesday, Oct. 21
Story Tellebration: Very Busy Squirrel
Jester Park Nature Center | 10 a.m. | Designed for ages 2-6 | Free
Kids can enjoy an interactive story and activity that explores the outdoors, with storyteller Carmen Epstein. No registration is required.

Pumpkin Decorating
Granger Public Library | Time slots available from 11:00 a.m. to 4:50 p.m.
All ages are welcome for some pumpkin decorating fun at the library! Pumpkins are provided by Friends of the Granger Public Library, with cookies courtesy of the Granger Women's Club. Supplies are limited, so be sure to sign up here and include the total number of participants.

Early Out at Woodward Public Library
Woodward Public Library | 2:30-3:30 p.m. | K-12th grade
This week it’s pumpkin painting time! No registration needed.

WG Volleyball – Regional Tournament Game
Woodward-Granger High School | 7 p.m.
The Hawks are heading into postseason play! Come cheer them on at home as they face the winner of the Madrid vs. South Central Calhoun game on Oct. 19. Go Hawks!
Click here for tickets, once the opponent is determined.

Thursday, Oct. 22
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! Check in at the front desk of the Artistic Concrete building.

Pony Tales
Jester Park Equestrian Center | 11:30 a.m. | Free
Enjoy a pony-themed story while the ponies listen nearby, followed by a chance to meet them! Open to all ages. Bring a blanket or lawn chair for seating. Sign up here.

Senior Social Time
Granger Community Center | 1-3 p.m.
Join other Granger seniors for an afternoon of cards, games, movies, conversation, and the occasional ice cream social! It’s a great chance to catch up with friends and neighbors.

Pumpkins, fishing, prizes, chili—and free admission! The first-ever Granger Fall Festival is Saturday, and sunshine is in the forecast!

Click the map 👇 to see where all the fun’s happening—and find the important stuff, like parking and restrooms!

Start your festival morning at Windcrest Pond for the kids’ fishing tournament! Kids 14 and under are invited, whether they’ve been fishing for years or have never picked up a pole!

Check-in begins at 8:45 a.m., with fishing from 9–10:45 a.m. Dress for the chilly morning—worms will be available! Look for the tables near the Iowa Auto Recon trucks and Jeeps when you arrive. Participation is free! 👉 Register for fishing here!

And thanks to the tournament’s sponsor, Justin Dunn owner of Iowa Auto Recon, each participant will receive a raffle ticket for a chance at roughly 20–30 prizes, including tackle bags, two baitcasters, fishing/camping chairs and lures! Everyone gets a fair shot at a prize! You must be present with your matching ticket to win.

Dunn’s involvement is a great example of the community spirit behind the festival. He is a local dad whose biggest passion outside of family and business is fishing. He’s wanted to be part of a local fishing tournament like this through his business for years, and sponsoring this one was a chance to share his passion and bring more outdoor fun to kids in the community.

Not joining the fishing tournament? No problem! Stop by between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. for kids’ activities, games, pumpkin decorating, prizes, food, music and plenty of community fun!

There are no admission fees or products to buy this time. Free-will donations are welcome, with proceeds going back into Granger’s future. Come enjoy the day and support Granger!

• News Next Door: Woodward’s Proposed Data Center 🏢

Our neighbors in Woodward have been in the news this week. Microsoft has purchased about 600 acres there for a proposed data center, and residents shared questions and concerns with Microsoft representatives and Mayor Todd Folkerts at a community meeting Monday at the WG High School. Click here for KCCI’s coverage, or read the story in the Des Moines Register (subscription required).

The project may be in Woodward, but we share a school district, and many of us will drive past the data center campus on our way to the high school once the campus is built. We care about our neighbors and are sending good vibes from Granger as Woodward works through the details.

👉 If you’re in Woodward and missed the meeting, Sara Hansen, one of the Microsoft representatives shared her contact information—even holding up her pink phone to emphasize that you could reach her directly.
📞 Sara Hansen, Microsoft senior community affairs manager for Iowa: (425) 705-2709
💻Click here for the Microsoft blog that was mentioned during the meeting as a place where updates about the data center may be shared.

• WG Special Olympics Bowlers Headed to State 🎳

The Woodward-Granger Special Olympics bowling team competed at the West Central Area competition this week, with four bowlers earning gold medals and qualifying for state! Ethan Faughn, Colton McNeely, Paul Sennert and Xavier Tinius will compete at the state competition on Nov. 21 in Des Moines.

Congratulations to all the bowlers and their coaches!

👀 Keep an Eye Out: Local events coming soon!

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

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

📌 Community Board

⛪ A Night at the Vatican – Assumption Auction
Get dressed up for a fun evening of dinner, drinks, and fundraising at the Assumption Catholic Church Gym on Saturday, October 24, at 6 p.m.! Tickets are $40 per person and include dinner and drinks. Cocktail attire is encouraged. Click here to purchase tickets.

🧀 Adding an extra package of cheese, yogurt or meat to your grocery cart is a simple way to help a neighbor.
The Granger Public Library’s community refrigerator has been busy lately, and protein donations would be appreciated! You can also drop off donations at the Woodward Public Library’s community refrigerator.

💚💛🦅 Let’s Help Everyone Get WG Gear!
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.