50th and Final Osborne Heritage Days

Janelle Tucker October 10, 2025Last Updated: October 10, 2025

1 minute read

This weekend is the 50th Annual Heritage Days – and it’s also the final one.

For five decades, residents from across northeast Iowa have been able to travel back in time to the early pioneers because of this annual event that takes place in the Pioneer Village of Osborne Park south of Elkader. Abbey Harkrader is a naturalist with the Clayton County Conservation Board and coordinator of Heritage Days.

This year will be the last of the traditional Osborne Heritage Days, where some of the crafts, skills and lifestyles of the early pioneers are recreated. Visitors get to experience what life was like long ago during this glimpse of the past. Over twenty demonstrations are featured, including spinning, basketry, soap making, printing press, wood crafts and candle making.

Many pioneer-era foods are featured at Heritage Days too. Treats include homemade root beer, kettle corn, fresh baked goods and jerky. Samples of buffalo stew are also given out during the weekend. A farmer’s market features pumpkins, apples, honey, preserves, maple syrup, sorghum, horseradish and much more. Lunch options include sandwiches, barbecue, pork on a stick, and a Heritage Days favorite – smoked turkey legs.

Some of the featured events will include Gary Froiland’s One-Man-Band and storyteller Pat Coffie on Saturday.

Sunday will feature a pioneer church service, music from The Andregg Family Band, pumpkin contests, an auction, and the 25th Annual Iowa Championship Buffalo Chip Throwing Contest.

All the demonstrations and events at Heritage Days are free.

Clayton County Conservation says this will be the final Heritage Days due to a lack of volunteers and demonstrators. After this year’s event wraps up, they’ll begin planning a new fall market-type of festival that will take the place of Heritage Days in the coming years – but Harkrader says what that will look like is still undecided.