Generosity Keep Clear Lake's Independence Day Tradition Shining Bright

Endowed Fireworks Fund Surpasses $1.7 Million While Supporting One of Iowa's Most Beloved Fourth of July Celebrations

For generations, families have gathered along the shores and on the water of Clear Lake to celebrate Independence Day. Clear Lake's Independence Day celebration traces its roots to 1856, making 2026 the 170th year of one of Iowa's longest-running Fourth of July traditions, drawing tens of thousands of visitors for a week filled with parades, live music, carnival rides, lakefront activities, and the signature fireworks display over Clear Lake.

Behind the brilliant fireworks that light up the lake each year is a story of generosity, foresight, and community pride.

Established in July 2011 by the Clear Lake Chamber of Commerce through the Cerro Gordo County Community Foundation, an affiliate of the Community Foundation of Northeast Iowa (CFNEIA), the endowed fund was created to help ensure the long-term sustainability of the fireworks display that has become a centerpiece of the community's Independence Day celebration.

Today, the fund has grown to more than $1.7 million. The growth reflects more than $1.1 million in gifts from generous donors, combined with years of investment growth. During that same period, the fund has distributed more than $470,000 to support the annual fireworks display, helping preserve a tradition that continues to bring residents, visitors, and families together year after year.

"Few events capture the spirit of Clear Lake quite like the Fourth of July celebration," said Stacy Doughan, President, CEO & Secretary of the Clear Lake Area Chamber of Commerce. "The fireworks are a highlight of the week, but they represent something much bigger. They bring generations together, create lifelong memories, and contribute significantly to the energy and economic vitality of our community. The generosity of donors who established and continue to support this fund has helped ensure that this tradition remains strong for future generations."

The impact reaches far beyond a single evening's display.

Clear Lake's Fourth of July celebration has become one of the largest Independence Day events in Iowa, attracting visitors from across the Midwest. The Clear Lake Chamber of Commerce estimates upwards of 50,000 visitors come to view the fireworks and that over 100,000 people visit Clear Lake during the week-long holiday celebration, creating a substantial economic boost for local businesses, restaurants, lodging providers, retailers, and community organizations.

Throughout the holiday week, visitors fill hotel rooms, dine in local restaurants, shop downtown, and enjoy the many attractions that make Clear Lake a destination. The fireworks display serves as a centerpiece attraction that helps draw visitors and supports the broader celebration, generating economic activity throughout Cerro Gordo County. The Clear Lake Chamber of Commerce estimates community events contribute approximately $20 million annually to the local economy.

"The Clear Lake Fireworks Fund is a powerful example of how endowment building works," said Kaye Englin, President and CEO of the Community Foundation of Northeast Iowa. "Through the vision of the Chamber and the generosity of people who care for and understand the importance of this celebration, a long-term investment was made in something they loved about their community. Because those gifts are endowed, the fund has been able to provide support year after year while continuing to grow. It's a wonderful demonstration of how charitable giving can preserve important community traditions and create lasting impact."

The fund's success reflects a simple but powerful idea: when people invest together in the future of a community, the benefits extend far beyond a single generation.

As Clear Lake celebrates another successful Independence Day, event leaders are grateful for the community's generosity and hope others will support the tradition's future. As the costs of fireworks and maintenance of the fireworks barges continue to increase, funding is more important than ever. Additional gifts to the endowed fund help strengthen its ability to provide ongoing support for years to come. Gifts can be made online at www.cfneia.org/donations/clear-lake-fireworks-endowment-fund. Donors to the Clear Lake Fireworks Fund are eligible for the Endow Iowa 25 % state tax credit. Learn more at www.cfneia.org/endowiowa.

For 15 years, donors have helped ensure that when the sun sets on Independence Day, families can gather and look skyward as fireworks reflect across the waters of Clear Lake. Thanks to their generosity, that tradition continues to shine brightly today, and for generations still to come.

A Space Where Community Comes Alive

Sustaining arts and culture to inspire expression, expand opportunity, and strengthen communities

On any given day, the Waterloo Center for the Arts hums with possibility.

“Waterloo Center for the Arts is one of the most dynamic spaces in the Waterloo-Cedar Valley community,” said Chawne Paige, Executive Director, Waterloo Center for the Arts. 

What began as an art museum now includes a theater, children’s museum, amphitheater, classrooms, and gathering spaces where people come together to celebrate, learn, and connect.

It is more than a place to view art. It is a space built for community.

“We strive to be a space that’s safe for engagement and a champion of dialogue,” Chawne said. “We’re not just the stuff on the wall. We create experiences around ideas so people can connect with them together.”

That connection matters. “Creativity is one of the cornerstones of innovation,” he said. “It gives us the ability to see the world differently.” Exposure to arts and culture helps people understand one another. “It gives us the capacity to hear a different thought and not be so quick to shut it down.”

Art also carries something deeper. “Art has this beautiful ability to be the alchemy of humanity,” Chawne said. “If you support a community with a space where people can tune into that creativity, it has the ability to help heal.”

That belief is visible across downtown Waterloo. Investment in arts and culture has transformed public
space into a hub of activity, from performances at the RiverLoop Amphitheatre to hands-on learning inside the Phelps Youth Pavilion. Families, artists, and visitors of all ages find ways to engage, create, and belong.

“I would love to say we’re the disco ball spinning in the community, reflecting the vibrant light of its people,” he said. “We want to be a mirror.”

That vibrancy extends beyond the Cedar Valley. The Center stewards nearly 9,000 works of art, a collection owned by the Community Foundation of Northeast Iowa and held in trust for the community. 

“The collection is owned by the Community Foundation, and we serve as its stewards,” Chawne said. Through partnerships and exhibitions across the country, that collection has helped put Waterloo on a broader cultural map. “There are people across the country who know about Waterloo because of this collection.”

Support through endowment funds held with CFNEIA and grants from the Foundation helps sustain programming, expand scholarships, and ensure continued access to the arts. “That support is essential, especially when the arts face funding challenges,” Chawne said.

Vibrant communities are built over time through creativity, partnership, and shared investment. In Waterloo, the Center for the Arts continues to create space where people gather, express, and see the world in new ways.

The Gates Are Open

New fairgrounds built on a legacy of a county’s pride and a belief in the next generation

For 149 years, the Bremer County Fair called the same grounds home. Then it did something almost unheard of.

“We are the third fair in the state of Iowa over the last approximately 85 years that has ever relocated,” said Roy Petersen, Bremer County Fair Association Board member. “Fairs don’t move.”

But Bremer County did.

In 2025, the new fairgrounds became home to the 150th Bremer County Fair. It was a milestone marked not only by celebration, but by transformation. What began as an expiring lease became a bold, community-led vision to create a space designed for generations.

Today, the fair operates on nearly 50 acres, up from 18, representing a $6 million investment made possible by local families, volunteers, businesses, and donors who believed in strengthening their community.

At its heart, that investment is about young people.

“It’s about the kids,” Roy said. “They’ve been working on projects all year long. You’re only seeing the final results at the fair.”

For 4-H and FFA youth, the fair is months of responsibility, problem-solving, and growth. They learn to care for animals, manage projects, and present their work with confidence, building skills that last far beyond the fair.

But the impact extends beyond youth. The fair is one of the few places where an entire county gathers. Grandparents watch grandchildren in the show ring. Neighbors reconnect. Families spend time together. In a busy world, the fair creates space
to slow down and belong.

“The gates are open,” Roy said. “This is the people’s.”

Designed for year-round use, the fairgrounds now host events that draw visitors from across the region and beyond, which fuels local businesses and generates meaningful economic activity.

“We’re not talking hundreds of thousands,” Roy said. “We’re talking possibly millions in impact.”

Grant support from the Community Foundation of Northeast Iowa, including a $100,000 Mission Fulfillment grant in 2025, and the Bremer County Community Foundation, helped bring this vision to life.

“It is an investment in our youth,” Roy said. “The kids we have at the fair are the leaders of tomorrow.”

In Bremer County, the fair is more than an event. It is a place where people come together and where
a community invests in its future.