Music in Siouxland, the Art Pahl-Peter Boe Accordion Festival, Le Mars

Performers at the Art Pahl-Peter Boe accordion festival included Burt Heithold, Wade and Ruth Bruggemann, Carla Drost, Barbara Rikansrud, Mary Mayer, Nancy Sharon and Preston Moerman playing in the auditorium of the Plymouth County Museum in Le Mars Iowa, Sunday April 24, 2022. (photo by Jerry L Mennenga©)

Sometimes entertainment in Siouxland is not a flashy affair. Big named artists visiting a local arena to play some hit or at a festival. A recent trip to the Plymouth County Historical Museum in Le Mars saw the continuation of the Art Pahl-Peter Boe accordion festival, after a hiatus of a couple of years due to the pandemic, like many other normally scheduled activities.

The Art Pahl-Peter Boe accordion festival at the Plymouth County Museum in Le Mars Iowa, Sunday April 24, 2022. (photo by Jerry L Mennenga©)

Performers playing their first set during the Art Pahl-Peter Boe accordion festival at the Plymouth County Museum in Le Mars Iowa, Sunday April 24, 2022. (photo by Jerry L Mennenga©)

Many of the artists played traditional songs that accordion players play, especially with the attending crowd in mind. The music was nice though and made for a pleasant afternoon in a local museum. And a chance to walk through the place again to see what else was new after a couple of years.

Ruth and Wade Bruggeman perform during the Art Pahl-Peter Boe accordion festival at the Plymouth County Museum in Le Mars Iowa, Sunday April 24, 2022. (photo by Jerry L Mennenga©)

Carla Drost performs during the Art Pahl-Peter Boe accordion festival at the Plymouth County Museum in Le Mars Iowa, Sunday April 24, 2022. (photo by Jerry L Mennenga©)

Burt Heithold performs during the Art Pahl-Peter Boe accordion festival at the Plymouth County Museum in Le Mars Iowa, Sunday April 24, 2022. Heithold plays an accordion that belonged to Carla Drost’s father who also attended and performed at the festival in years past. (photo by Jerry L Mennenga©)

The players all knew one another as did most of those in attendance. There was a short remembrance of some former players who have passed in recent years and festival’s emcee played the accordion of a former player who participated in the festival for many, many years.

Not too many flashy performances, but one player did get a bit theatrical with his 55 pound instrument (which he said weighed 50 pounds the year before-age has that affect).

Perston Moerman puts some effort into his performance with his 55 pound accordion (while playing he said last year it was 50 pounds) during the Art Pahl-Peter Boe accordion festival at the Plymouth County Museum in Le Mars Iowa, Sunday April 24, 2022. (photo by Jerry L Mennenga©)

Perston Moerman puts some effort into his performance with his 55 pound accordion (while playing he said last year it was 50 pounds) during the Art Pahl-Peter Boe accordion festival at the Plymouth County Museum in Le Mars Iowa, Sunday April 24, 2022. (photo by Jerry L Mennenga©)

Perston Moerman puts some effort into his performance with his 55 pound accordion (while playing he said last year it was 50 pounds) during the Art Pahl-Peter Boe accordion festival at the Plymouth County Museum in Le Mars Iowa, Sunday April 24, 2022. (photo by Jerry L Mennenga©)

And those in attendance were appreciative of the folk playing and giving up a Sunday to perform. Sharing their talent and love of an instrument that not so many really appreciate for have possible even heard before. Some Sundays are meant to be a quiet, albeit, song filled day, to enjoy.

Jerry Mennenga

Sioux City, Iowa

Accordion player and emcee Burt Heithold, standing, helps out Nancy Sharon, seated center, as they ask the attending audience to “name that tune” that she and performers Mary Mayer, far left, and Barbara Rikansrud , second from right played at the Art Pahl-Peter Boe accordion festival at the Plymouth County Museum in Le Mars Iowa, Sunday April 24, 2022. At far right is accordion player Preston Moerman who seemed to enjoy the exchange. (photo by Jerry L Mennenga©)

Players Mary Mayer, left, Nancy Sharon, center, and Barbara Rikansrud, right, perform at the Art Pahl-Peter Boe accordion festival at the Plymouth County Museum in Le Mars Iowa, Sunday April 24, 2022. (photo by Jerry L Mennenga©)

Fellow accordion players give Mary Mayer, Nancy Sharon and Barbara Rikansrud applause after they finished a particular song at the Art Pahl-Peter Boe accordion festival at the Plymouth County Museum in Le Mars Iowa, Sunday April 24, 2022. (photo by Jerry L Mennenga©)

The Holiday Spirit in Siouxland, Plymouth County Museum in Le Mars

Each year for as many as I can remember living in Siouxland the Plymouth County Museum puts together a Nativity display on the top floor of its facility. There are well north of a few hundred displays loaned to the museum by residents in the area as well as some that I believe have become acquired by the museum itself.

Various Nativity scenes filled the top floor of the Plymouth County Museum in Le Mars, Iowa Saturday, Dec. 8, 2018. (Photo by Jerry L Mennenga©)

The display fills the entire floor and it is amazing to see so many different Nativity sets collected from a variety of countries and made of a variety of material. Some a bit more avant guard than others but sticking to the theme of Joseph and Mary and their baby Jesus.

A variety of different Nativity scenes filled the top floor of the Plymouth County Museum in Le Mars, Iowa Saturday, Dec. 8, 2018. (Photo by Jerry L Mennenga©)

 

A variety of Nativity scenes are found on the top floor of the Plymouth County Museum in Le Mars, Iowa Saturday, Dec. 8, 2018. (Photo by Jerry L Mennenga©)

I find it fun to look at how the Wise Men are depicted.

Different Nativity scenes were placed about on the top floor of the Plymouth County Museum in Le Mars, Iowa Saturday, Dec. 8, 2018. (Photo by Jerry L Mennenga©)

 

Different nativity scenes are found on the top floor of the Plymouth County Museum in Le Mars, Iowa Saturday, Dec. 8, 2018. (Photo by Jerry L Mennenga©)

The museum also showcases Christmas village scenes as well and along with some more expected Christmas fare. It’s a fun way to spend an afternoon and enjoy a little warmth inside before heading back into the winter’s deep freeze, and to have a reminder of the “reason” for the season as the saying states.

Jerry Mennenga

Sioux City, Iowa

Some winter village scenes can be found celebrating the Christmas holiday at the Plymouth County Museum in Le Mars, Iowa Saturday, Dec. 8, 2018. (Photo by Jerry L Mennenga©)

 

Nativity and other winter scenes were scattered about on the top floor of the Plymouth County Museum in Le Mars, Iowa Saturday, Dec. 8, 2018. (Photo by Jerry L Mennenga©)

 

Village Christmas scenes are on display on the top floor of the Plymouth County Museum in Le Mars, Iowa Saturday, Dec. 8, 2018. (Photo by Jerry L Mennenga©)

 

Christmas decorations were scattered throughout the Plymouth County Museum in Le Mars, Iowa Saturday, Dec. 8, 2018. (Photo by Jerry L Mennenga©)

A place at the inn, Siouxland manger exhibit, Le Mars

The Plymouth County, Iowa, museum in Siouxland has a manger exhibit up and running this holiday season with between 100-150 various according to volunteer Julie Leaverton. Mangers of various artistry and country of origins celebrating the birth of Christ fill a room on the top floor of the museum’s space in the old Central School. Many hand crafted from wood and other material, a person could spend serious time looking at different representations of the same theme. The exhibit runs through early January and would be an interesting stop on the itinerary for holiday visits.

The museum itself covers a variety of topics and genres, filling the rooms of the former school with exhibits from the late 1800’s to the 20th Century including the history of the community like the Westmar College, the beginning of Blue Bunny ice cream, early band instruments, and one in particular, a harp, that was found in the tomb of King Tut and now resides in this Le Mars, Iowa center of history.

Jerry Mennenga

Sioux City, Iowa