Like many communities, Sioux City has a number of festivities that celebrates the Christmas holiday and season. One of which is the Festival of Trees, with decorated trees that are then available through a private bidding auction which helps support one chosen charity or organization that particular year. Various organizations and people decorate their tree and they are available for viewing for a week or so until the bidding process ends and people who win can pick up their very own Christmas tree for the holiday.
But during the first evening while the parade of lights is happening outside, folk who wander into the Ho Chunk Centre are also entertained. A local church bell choir, Grace United Methodist Church, perform a few numbers that is always amazing to hear. All the more I think because the bells always seem to be perfectly tuned. Making me wonder how exactly can bells be tuned.
And then to top off the evening, a local dance group performs various numbers or routines to renditions of holiday Christmas songs. Mostly jazzy version that matches the energy of the young dancers. Cute as they are, the younger ones making the best of it while not always hitting the mark or executing their cue. But no one cares. It’s a fun performance for the beginning of the holiday season and gets people into the mood for the season with a reason.
I live in the Siouxland area that encompasses a wide swatch of land in northwest Iowa, northeastern Nebraska and southeastern South Dakota. The people that inhabit this area are generous folk and your basic honest, Midwestern people you like to have as neighbors. I explore the area and share observations, mostly photographic, sometimes through video, and and short text. All images and video are copyrighted material of the author.
Jerry Mennenga, Sioux City, Iowa
jerrylmennenga@yahoo.com
lostinsiouxland 
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