Held annually each fall — the Decorah Gear Exchange is the best place to sell and buy gently used outdoor recreation gear in the Decorah Driftlesss area. Find new-to-you gear, connect with other outdoor enthusiasts, and gain resources about the area!
Proceeds benefit Decorah Parks and Recreation, further expanding recreational opportunities and resources in the Decorah area.
Buying and selling information can be found on the Visit Decorah website:
Beginning April 6th at 8:00am, summer swim passes for the 2026 season will be available for purchase. Early bird prices will apply until Thursday, May 21st.
Price increase ($5) will start on Friday, May 22nd.
Passes and Memberships will remain available for purchase throughout the pool season.
Unused punches on 2025 Punch Passes will be honored and accepted during the 2026 season.
**Summer registration for park-rec activities and programs will not be available until May 1st**
Decorah will host 1 of the 6 Iowa Interscholastic Bike Races at Van Peenen Park, Saturday, Mat 31st.
All Elementary through High School racers welcome – not required to be part of an existing league team. Hopefully there is a team in your area – if not, reach out if you are interested in starting a local team!
Point of Contact: IowaMTBleague@gmail.com
More details and information can be found here: Iowa Scholastic Mountain Bike League Race Series #2-Decorah
FREE EVENT
This will be an on-going event through the entire March Madness Tournament for both men and women. Each participant is allowed to submit one bracket per tournament, one for men’s and one’s for women for a total of two brackets. You cannot submit two brackets within the same tournament.
Brackets will be submitted through ESPN’s Tournament Challenge no later than Wednesday, March 19th. Use the links and follow the prompts:
Points will be awarded to participants whose teams advance throughout the tournament. Participants with the most points will be eligible to win prizes!
As we near warmer weather, please note there are still areas of trails that have snow/icy coverings. The Parks and Recreation Dept. is working to clear sections of the trails as much as possible, without damaging the trail and it’s surrounding areas.
We ask you that if an area is blocked off or closed, you obey signage and use alternative routes for the time being. If a section is open we ask that you use extreme caution and be on alert in those areas as well.
If you have questions or concerns, please call our office at 563-382-4158.
Decorah Parks & Recreation and the Iowa DNR are hosting a fishing day beginning at 9:00am at Twin Springs Pond.
This event is free and is geared for children ages 12 and under (ages 8 & under must be accompanied by an adult). Children should bring their own poles and bait (worms). Only a very limited amount of equipment and bait will be available.
This event is part of Free Fishing Weekend (fishing license is not needed for Iowa residents from June 7-9). No need to register, just show up!
The Fair Fun Run will be held Saturday, July 15. This family friendly event includes a 3/4 mile kids race for children ages 12 and under, and a 3-mle race for older children and adults. Each participant is eligible for a drawing prize distributed during the awards ceremony (must be present to win). Refreshments are provided. Awards are given to 1st-3rd place in each age division.
Registration can be completed online or by returning a paper registration form to the Park-Rec Office. Entry fee is $12 with a t-shirt and $6 without a t-shirt. Registration is still available for the No Shirt option.
Late registration will be taken 7:00-7:30am at the intersection of E Water St. and Sumner St the day of the event . The 3/4 mile run starts at 8:00 am; 3 mile at 8:30 from the fairgrounds. The awards ceremony will be held in the Fontanelle Shelter near the Cattleman’s Building on the Winneshiek County Fairgrounds after the last participant finishes (approximately 9:30 am)
This event is made possible with the support of the Winneshiek County Fair Board and these sponsors: Collins Aerospace, Deco Products Company, Gundersen Health System, Oneota Valley Family Eye Care, The Family Table, Viking State Bank