What’s Happening in Ames This Week: Taste of Campustown, Lincoln Highway Days & More

Ames doesn’t slow down in late August, and if you’re new to town — or you’ve lived here for years and just haven’t made it out lately — this stretch is worth clearing your calendar for.

Taste of Campustown — Wednesday, Aug. 27, 4-8pm
Welch Avenue turns into a walkable food festival for the evening, with restaurants and vendors from Campustown setting up along the street. It’s a good excuse to explore a part of Ames a lot of buyers overlook once they’re past their ISU years.

Lincoln Highway Days — Aug. 28-30, Nevada
Just east of Ames in Nevada, this is one of Story County’s bigger community weekends — a parade, vendors, and the kind of small-town event that’s hard to find once you leave Iowa.

Nevada Truck and Tractor Pull — Aug. 28, Story County Fairgrounds
Runs alongside Lincoln Highway Days. If you grew up around ag equipment, or you’re looking at acreage and want to see what a working county fairgrounds looks like, it’s worth the drive.

Nevada Community Rodeo — Aug. 29
Also part of the same weekend in Nevada — a full rodeo, right in the middle of Story County. Not something you find in most college towns.

Monarch Magic — Aug. 29, 10am-1pm, Ada Hayden Heritage Park
A family event centered on monarch butterfly tagging and prairie habitat at one of Ames’ best parks. If you haven’t spent time at Ada Hayden yet, this is a good reason to go.

Little events like these are a big part of why I like showing property in this area — Story County isn’t just Ames, and weekends like this one are a good reminder of that. If you’re weighing a move here, or out to Nevada, Slater, Huxley, or any of the smaller communities nearby, I’m happy to talk through what different parts of the county actually feel like to live in.