Everly Community Days returns with 3-day run

A schedule dotted with new events will greet guests during Everly Community Days next weekend.

This year's edition was a labor of love. According to City Clerk Kristi Fliss, there was much more community involvement during the planning process of the big event.

"We had three community planning meetings, and we invited whoever wanted to come and talk," she said. "It's pretty exciting to have so many people involved."

New events on Friday night include BINGO and a family movie night at the library. Saturday features a cornhole tournament at The Ranch as well as a virtual scavenger hunt at the Everly Heritage museum. Sunday's no slouch either, as new attractions like a Bloody Mary omelet brunch at the Hap Ketelesen Community Center, disc golf tournament and side-by-side ride will keep folks busy.

However, that list only makes up a small portion of the schedule. Saturday's slate of events is the biggest, with Bossy BINGO, a ping pong drop, kids' games at the park, vendor fair and food trucks all highlighting the morning lineup. The Cookie Memorial Golf Tournament will bring linksters across town during the afternoon, and evening meal and street dance sponsored by the fire department will close out the day downtown.

Featured performers during the dance are She's With Us, a band with ties to Royal and Everly that's garnered a strong local following in recent years. She's With Us has performed at a variety of venues and festivals as far away as Mason City, Sioux City and Lakefield, Minn.

The band is comprised of members Iesha Toft, Whitney Thiessen, Dane Zittritsch and Nate Shaughnessy. The group's repertoire features a variety of blues-based classic rock and pop with more modern music peppered throughout each set.

In addition to the aforementioned brunch, side-by-side ride and disc golf tournament, Sunday features a community church service at the United Methodist Church.

"We're hoping it's a busy weekend," said Fliss. "With more people wanting to be involved, trying to fit everything in one day would be way too much."