Villages of Van Buren County, Iowa

06/12/2026

06/10/2026

Farmington, Iowa Strawberry Festival is this weekend, June 12-14!

06/10/2026

06/05/2026

Fly Van Buren: Freedom Takes Flight is ready for takeoff – this Saturday, June 6th, so grab the family and head to the skies (well, almost) for a high-flying morning of fun!
Start your day with a delicious breakfast served up by the Keosauqua Iowa Lions Club, and watch real airplanes fly in right before your eyes!

06/04/2026

Small-Town Pride in Action 🏅

One of the things that makes the Villages of Van Buren County special is the way our communities rally around one another.

Wells Hometown Drug in Keosauqua recognized four Warrior athletes who combined to earn four state track championships this season. As a token of appreciation for their hard work and dedication, the local business gifted each athlete a pair of championship-inspired shoes.

These are the stories that define small-town Iowa: local businesses supporting local students, celebrating success, and investing in the next generation.

Congratulations to these outstanding athletes, and thank you to Wells Hometown Drug for demonstrating the community spirit that helps make the Villages of Van Buren County such a great place to live, work, and visit. ❤️

🥇🥇Yesterday, we were lucky enough to get these 4 Warriors together at our new Keosauqua location to present them with a small token of recognition from Wells Hometown Drug. As a pharmacy, we try to be at the top of our game all the time. That’s why, when we were cheering these guys on, we were amazed at their commitment to hard work and the success they experienced this season.

While these were awarded to the group based only on their participation in the state meet we wanted to highlight some of what they were able to accomplish.

They earned 4 gold medals at the state track meet. Unbelievable—and something that has inspired us greatly to continue pushing for excellence in what we offer the community every day.

Shoe breakdown: All 4 athletes received the Jordan 11 "Playoffs Bred." These are the shoes MJ wore when he won his 4th championship. Lincoln was actually seasonally employed by Wells Hometown Drug as our snow removal guy for much of his high school career, so we also got him an all-gold pair—the Jordan 6 "Pinnacle."

From a business that expects to operate at the highest level to these Warriors who made it happen at the highest level—nothing but respect.

06/04/2026

Here they are! Save up that cash and head on out to the City Wide Garage Sales! Here is a digital map of the included houses, happy treasure hunting!

06/04/2026

There seems to be a theme this week, and we’re excited to share another bit of good news! 🏆

We are honored to receive the 2026 iTIP Service Excellence Award.

This award recognizes excellence in service, and we are incredibly proud that the work of the Villages of Van Buren’s two-person team has been recognized by our peers across Iowa’s tourism industry.

Every day, we strive to provide exceptional service to visitors, support our local and regional tourism partners, and promote the unique experiences that make the Villages of Van Buren County a destination worth discovering.

Thank you to Iowa Travel Industry Partners for this recognition. As a small team, it means a great deal to have our commitment to service recognized by our industry peers. It’s been an exciting week for the Villages team, and we’re thankful for the opportunity to celebrate the work we love to do! ❤️

Some of Iowa's biggest tourism successes are powered by the smallest teams.

With just two staff members, the Villages of Van Buren County, Iowa team wears countless hats throughout the year. From helping visitors map out the perfect getaway to organizing Bike Van Buren, they consistently prove that exceptional hospitality isn't about the size of your staff - it's about the passion behind the work.

What truly sets the Villages apart is their deeply personal approach to visitor service. Whether creating customized itineraries, answering questions, or sharing local recommendations, they make every visitor feel like more than just a traveler passing through.

Congratulations to the Villages of Van Buren, recipient of a 2026 iTIP Service Excellence Award! 🎉

The Service Excellence Award is sponsored by Oak View Group.

06/03/2026

We are excited to share that yesterday the Villages of Van Buren received the 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟔 𝐑𝐮𝐫𝐚𝐥 𝐏𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐀𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐝 from Preservation Iowa’s Preservation at Its Best ceremony for 𝑷𝒓𝒆𝒔𝒆𝒓𝒗𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝑽𝒊𝒍𝒍𝒂𝒈𝒆𝒔 𝑯𝒊𝒔𝒕𝒐𝒓𝒊𝒄 𝑪𝒐𝒎𝒎𝒖𝒏𝒊𝒕𝒊𝒆𝒔 𝑻𝒐𝒈𝒆𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒓!

This recognition celebrates the preservation collaboration between the Villages and the many partners, volunteers, museums, historical organizations, businesses, and community members working together to preserve and share the rich heritage of the Villages of Van Buren County.

Thank you to Preservation Iowa for this honor, and thank you to everyone helping keep our history alive.

Preserving our past. Strengthening our future. Thank you for being part of the journey. ❤️