Looking forward to the sunshine and summertime

Kaity Holtman

While it may feel like February outside, believe it or not, summer break is about to begin – or has begun in the case of Northwest students.

Goodness, the weather sure doesn’t feel like it’s that time of year, but thankfully, it is.

My weather app tells me it’s about to warm up, and hopefully dry up, a little. I don’t always believe it, but it sure gives us some hope.

Last year I didn’t plant any flowers, as a new, tiny little human took all the growing and nurturing I could handle.

But I’m hoping this year, I can get some flowers planted. Those tiny little hands might even be interested in helping me water and take care of them.

Who am I kidding. Those tiny little hands will probably just want to pick them after I put all the hard work into them.

Either way, I’m excited for a trip to the greenhouse this weekend to load up with a lot of spring colors.

Maryville will quiet down without the university students here.

But as I look at the calendar of events for the next few months, it’s doesn’t take much looking to notice that summer in this town will stay pretty busy.

Later this month, the Chamber will kick off summer with a Kid’s Block Party on May 18, and the Public Arts Committee will host a second annual Art, Rhythm, and Brews event on May 19. Both are downtown.

Then June will bring us a three-concert series from Maryville Parks and Recreation on June 3, 10,17, at the Donaldson Amphitheater.

On June 10 the annual Country Showdown preliminary contest will be downtown.

Maryville Parks and Rec will host a Flag Day celebration June 14 at Franklin Park, and the Chamber will host another downtown event that month.

July is always big in Maryville. The City will kick off the month with a Fourth of July celebration out at Mozingo Lake Recreation Park.

The County Fair is scheduled for July 13-15, and that in itself includes a whole host of events. There are fairs and festivals in almost every community within Nodaway County at some point in the summer.

Maryville Parks and Recreation will host its annual mini triathlon at the Maryville Aquatic Center the first Saturday of August, and then a movie night in the park on August 12 at Donaldson Amphitheater.

Finishing up the summer calendar is the Chamber’s Community Pep Rally, on August 17.

I have no doubt in my mind I’ve missed some events. But that means there is likely even more than what I’ve included.

All good things, and a lot of fun things to do here in Maryville and Nodaway County.

The longer I work here at the Maryville Daily Forum (four years now), the more I realize that if we say “there is nothing to do in Maryville,” we aren’t looking around.

When someone tells me there is nothing to do in this town, it is obvious to me they are not involved in community organizations, and probably don’t pay too much attention to local news.

So let’s look around this summer. Let’s make an effort to the support the events going on right here in Maryville and in the surrounding communities.

Talk about it with your friends and family. Change the conversation to highlight all the good things here. Spread the word. Read news articles about it. Post, tweet, text about it. And support the events these entities are working so hard to bring to this community.

Kaity Holtman is the Agriculture Editor for the Maryville Daily Forum.