83rd North Iowa Band Festival Honorees Call for Parade Entries Fundraising Appeal
MASON CITY—Plans are gearing up for the 83rd North Iowa Band Festival celebration in Downtown Mason City. The theme for the annual festival, scheduled for Memorial Day weekend (May 26-30), is “Band Fest on Broadway”!
Grand Marshal Award – Richard E. Leet
The Grand Marshal Award recognizes a person or people of local or national prominence who have made a significant contribution to the development, history, or success of the festival. The North Iowa Band Festival Committee is pleased to announce Richard “Dick” Leet as the 2022 award recipient.
Dick was the founding director of the Charles H. MacNider Art Museum and is a notable artist and educator. In 2003, as a member of the Mason City Sesquicentennial Committee, Dick designed and crafted giant puppets that performed at local parades and celebrations leading up the community’s 150th birthday bash in July. The puppets debuted at the 2003 Band Festival parade.
In addition, Dick created the logo for the Band Festival in 1992, 1993, and 1994. These designs were memorialized in the collectible festival buttons each of those years.
Dick is a long-time and active member of the First United Methodist Church and Mason City Rotary, having served in leadership positions for both organizations through the years. An accomplished artist, he is a member of the Iowa Museum Association (president 1978-79, Hall of Fame 2001) and the Iowa Watercolor Society.
A graduate of the University of Northern Iowa, he also earned a Master of Arts degree from the University of Iowa. Dick and his late wife, Kay, are the parents of two children: Kimberly (Jon) and Todd (Jennifer), and are doting grandparents to six.
Klempnauer Award – The Pavilion Committee
The Klempnauer Award was named for Dan Klempnauer, a long-time volunteer and festival supporter, and is intended to honor an unsung hero who volunteers for the festival. The Band Festival committee selected the members of the Performing Arts Pavilion Committee as this year’s recipient in gratitude for the effort and hard work they put in since 1999 to build a new performance venue for the festival and the Mason City Municipal Band.
The Performing Arts Pavilion Committee was formed by Al Zook in 1999 by volunteers with a vision to build an acoustically-superior performance pavilion. After years of dreaming, fundraising, searching for a site, and planning, the Principal® Pavilion was dedicated last fall. Committee members include:
Robin Anderson
Scott Bell
Bob Fisher
Dr. Darrell Fisher
Dennis Higgins
John Klemas
Russ Kramer
Unfortunately, committee members Al Zook, Gil Lettow, Rich Dean, and Vance Baird passed away before the project was completed.
Call for Parade Entries
Entries are currently being accepted for the Band Festival parade which is scheduled to begin at 10AM on Saturday, May 28. Applications received after May 9 are subject to a $25 late fee. The committee was excited to announce the return of candy and other hand-outs at this year’s parade. Placement in the parade is based upon receipt of the entry form which is available on the website (www.nibandfest.com) and at the Chamber of Commerce office.
Friends of the Festival Campaign
The Friends of the Festival campaign is underway. Charitable donations are used to support the free family entertainment offered throughout Memorial Day weekend. Contributions in any amount are greatly appreciated and should be directed to: The North Iowa Band Festival Foundation in care of the Chamber of Commerce, 9 North Federal Avenue, Mason City, IA 50401. The foundation is classified by the Internal Revenue Service as a 501c3 non-profit charitable organization.
