Hello Granger | Local Pumpkins + Fall Fishing + Events This Week

Hello, October! 🍂

Woodward-Granger Homecoming Week is wrapping up, pumpkins are popping up around town, and it’s not time to put the fishing poles away just yet. We’ve got all of that—and plenty more local happenings—in this week’s Hello Granger.

Have a great week!

Friday, Oct. 2
A Little Social
Centennial Park | 9- 10:15 a.m. | $7/per family |
Kids ages 0–5 can enjoy unstructured play while caregivers connect, with a snack included. No registration is required — just pay by Venmo at the playdate.

🦅Hawk Walk to the Stadium
WG High School to Hawk Stadium | 5:40 p.m. |
The Homecoming parade may have been called off, but the Hawk Pride isn’t! Come help give the football team, cheerleaders and Homecoming Court a high-energy send-off as they walk to Hawk Stadium.The Hawk Walk will travel from the high school along W. 3rd Street to E. 3rd Street, ending at Birch Ave. just before Hawk Stadium. Line the streets, and bring plenty of loud school spirit! No candy will be handed out.
Click here for more info, and to see the parade route on the WGCD Facebook page.

🦅WG Homecoming Football Game
Hawk Stadium | 7 p.m. | $8 click here for tickets
It’s Homecoming under the Friday night lights! Come out and watch the Hawks take on Clarke Community.

Saturday, Oct. 3
Locally Grown Showcase
The Cellar Winery, 2183 320th St., Madrid | 9 a.m. - 3 p.m. | Free
Just 15 minutes from Granger, shop from 40 local artisans all in one spot! The Locally Grown Showcase features handmade goods, local produce, live music, fresh coffee, food, wine and more.

Beginners Line Dance Lessons
Lake Robbins Ballroom, Woodward | 5:30-6:30 p.m. | $5
Grab your boots and hit the dance floor! Karla is teaching the basics of line dancing—no experience needed.

🦅Woodward-Granger Homecoming Dance
WG High School | 8-10 p.m. | $5/cash only
If you see high schoolers around town cleaning their cars and getting all dressed up, this may be why! It’s Homecoming Dance night at WG.

Sunday, Oct. 4
Woodward Christian Church 140th Birthday Celebration
Woodward Christian Church | 10 a.m. - 1 p.m.
Woodward Christian Church invites all friends and neighbors to help celebrate 140 years of Christian service! Worship begins at 10 a.m., followed by social time from 11 a.m.–1 p.m. with refreshments and birthday cake. Come for all or stop by when you can.

Monday, Oct. 5
Mommy + Me Yoga
Granger Community Center | 8:30-9:30 a.m. | Free but register
Caregivers and children are invited to stretch, breathe, and move together in a come-as-you-are environment.

Granger Fire & EMS Open House
Granger Fire Station, 1904 Main St. | 5-8 p.m. | Free
Bring the family for a night at the Granger fire station! Tour the firehouse and fire trucks, enjoy inflatables and games, and grab dinner for a free-will donation. Swoops N’ Scoops will be there with ice cream, plus there will be free Fire Prevention Week prizes and giveaways!

Tuesday, Oct. 6
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
Rainy days + busy toddlers = Toddler Open Gym is back! Let the little ones run, play and burn off some energy indoors every Tuesday and Thursday from 9 a.m. to noon.

Wednesday, Oct. 7
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’s theme: Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. Kids pick their favorite Nintendo characters and battle it out on the Nintendo Switch. Play solo or team up with friends and see who can be the last one standing!

Knee-High Naturalists: Leaf Explorations
Jester Park Wetland Shelter | 10-11 a.m. | Free
Little nature lovers can explore the changing season. This program for ages 3–6 combines a story with outdoor exploration as kids take a closer look at fall leaves. Registration required by Tuesday, Oct. 6. Click here to register.

Thursday, Oct. 8
Toddler Open Gym
Moore Sports Plex, 1701 Burr Oak, Granger | 9 a.m.-12 p.m. | $5 per child
Rainy days + busy toddlers = Toddler Open Gym is back! Let the little ones run, play and burn off some energy indoors every Tuesday and Thursday from 9 a.m. to noon.

Senior Social Time
Granger Community Center | 1-3 p.m. |
A chance for older adults to get out of the house and connect with cards, games, movies, conversation and occasional ice cream socials: hosted by Granger Parks and Recreation.

Free Play Switch Games
Woodward Public Library | 4:30 - 6 p.m. | Tweens and Teens
Kids can hang out with friends and enjoy some Nintendo Switch games free play at the library — this one’s great for kids with mean moms who don’t let them play at home. 🙋‍♀️

Granger Community Bingo
Granger American Legion, 1804 Main St., | 5:30 p.m. doors open, 6:30 Bingo starts |
Fun, friends and supporting veterans! Head to the Granger American Legion for Community Bingo, with food and drinks available, too. And —it’s now a monthly event, happening every second Thursday!

There’s a new pumpkin patch taking root just outside Granger—and while this year didn’t go exactly according to plan, the first season is only the beginning for Shryock Family Farms. 

The Shryocks purchased the farm about two years ago with a vision of creating a small, family-focused fall experience for the community. This year was supposed to be the start, with plans for families to cut sunflowers and take photos, and a you-pick pumpkin patch. But wet fields, mud and weeds changed those plans for their first season.

But there are still plenty of pumpkins!

Visitors can stop by the farm to pick out a pumpkin from those already harvested and displayed near the parking area—and take a few fall photos as they choose the perfect one! They might also notice a hint of what’s coming next year—a large playset is already in place, with more activities planned for kids. 

The Shryock kids have plans for the farm, too. They already have chickens and would eventually love to add goats for families to enjoy during pumpkin season.

As the farm grows, the goal is to keep the experience itself simple and welcoming. “It will all come together in small steps each year,” Courtney Shrock said. “We want to keep it small, family-focused, and something our community can enjoy.”

There’s also a more personal reason behind building the farm. Courtney wants her own kids to be part of the process and learn the value of hard work and responsibility while helping create something together.

For year one, there may be some mud and a few lessons learned—but also plenty of pumpkins and plans for what comes next. We’re excited to watch you grow Shryock Family Farms!

Good to Know Before You Go 🎃

📍 Where: 1391 334th Road, Woodward
⏰ When: Stop by anytime to choose from the picked pile.
💵 Payment: Cash in the cash box or Venmo using the QR code on the pricing sign.
📸 Follow here on Facebook for photos of what they’ve got!

🍂 Meet the family at the Granger Fall Festival, where they’ll have a table and kids’ activity.
🎓 WG students can earn Silver Cord hours helping pick pumpkins on weekends through Oct. 30, while pumpkins last. Email [email protected] to get started.

• Don’t Put Away the Fishing Poles Yet 🎣

The temperatures are dropping, but that doesn’t mean it’s time to put the fishing poles away. In fact, fall can be a great time to head down to Windcrest Pond (the one by the WG Elementary School) and see what’s biting.

Windcrest Pond may be small—just under an acre—but it makes the Iowa DNR’s list of “Community Fishing Locations.” As part of that list, the DNR keeps information on the pond, including its popular fish species: bluegill and largemouth bass.

And fall can be a good time to catch both. According to the DNR, large bluegill start leaving their deeper summer hangouts around late September and move into mid-depth water, often around shoreline points. Largemouth bass also move back into shallower water as they feed aggressively to prepare for winter.

There’s another reason to give Windcrest a try this fall. Way less algae and weeds, making the pond a lot easier to get around and fish! How’d it happen? We can thank Parks & Rec Director Alishia VanDrimmelen for finding a company to provide quality aquatic treatment—and the City Council for approving the plan back in December.

Now that the pond is cleaned up, it’s time to have some fun with it! The Kids Fishing Tournament is coming to Windcrest Pond on Oct. 17 as part of the Granger Fall Festival. The tournament is open to kids 14 and under, whether they’re regulars at the pond or have hardly held a fishing pole before.

There’s no cost to participate, no fishing license needed for kids, and prizes will be awarded! Parents or guardians just need to register their child and complete a waiver ahead of time. Click here to register. Questions? Email: [email protected].

Planning to Fish, Too?

Kids under 16 don’t need an Iowa fishing license. Adults 16 and older who plan to fish need a valid Iowa fishing license unless they qualify for an exemption. For adults who just want to fish that day, an Iowa resident one-day license is $10.50. Licenses can be purchased here.

Thanks to Granger Partners of the Parks for giving us another reason to get outside and enjoy our local pond. 🍂

OCT. 10 🛍️ Assumption Craft Fair
9 a.m. - 1 p.m. • Assumption Catholic Church Gym, 1906 Sycamore St., Granger

OCT. 10 🏃‍♀️ Love Louder 5K— put on by Woodward mom Amy, founder of the nonprofit With Love; Addy.
9 a.m. • Jester Park, Granger

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.

📌 Community Board

🧀 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.

🎉 Show Up & Show Off at Granger Fall Festival!
Little League team? Church group? 4-H club? We want to see you at the Granger Fall Festival! Host a game, lend some volunteers or just show Granger what your group is all about. This is our first Fall Festival, and we’d love to fill it with the groups that make our community ours. Email [email protected] to get involved!

💚💛🦅 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.