Union County

Ellen Gerharz
Creston Chamber of Commerce
208 W. Talor, Creston, IA 50801
641-782-7022
[email protected]

Union County Fair
Afton
July 17- 23

February 27-28: SWCC Vocal Jazz Fest, Creston

March 1: SWCC Vocal Jazz Fest, Creston

April 6: Creston Schools Fine Arts Fest, Creston

April 19: Easter Egg Hunt, Creston

April 23: Meals from the Heartland, Creston

May 10: Market on Maple Event, Creston

May 18: Creston High School Graduation, Creston

June 14: Citywide Garage Sale, Creston

June 28: Kansas Street Boogie, Afton

June 28: Greater 8 and 5K Run/Walk, Creston

June 29: Afton Pre-fourth of July Celebration, Afton

July 3: BBQ Bash & Car Show, Creston

July 4: 4th of July Parade, Creston

July 4: 4th of July Fireworks Show, Creston

July 5: Party in the Park, Creston

July 26: McKinley Park Festival, Creston

Aug. 2: Creston’s Crush Cancer in Every Color, Creston

Aug. 30: Fiesta on Montgomery, Creston

Sept. 18: Pork Chop Dinner, Creston

Sept. 19: Creston/SW Iowa Hot Air Balloon Days, Creston

Sept. 20-21: Hot Air Balloon Days, Creston

Sept. 27: Autumn Days, Afton

Oct. 25: Bright Eyes in the Park, Creston

Dec. 4: Lighted Christmas Parade, Creston

Dec. 4: Santa Visits the Depot, Creston

Dec. 4-5: Festival of Trees, Creston

Dec. 6: Merry Marketplace, Creston

Dec. 6: Afton Extravaganza, Afton

Dec. 6: Holiday in the Park, Afton

Dec. 13: Santa Visits the Depot, Creston

Dec. 13: CARE Bake Sale & Gifts, Creston

Afton City Park
641-347-5224

116 West Adams, Creston
641-782-2000, ext. 3

116 West Adams, Creston
641-782-2000, ext. 203

McKinley Park
641-782-8918

west on Hwy. 34, Creston, IA
641-782-7022

Lorimor, IA
641-763-2297

North of Afton
641-347-5100

McKinley Park, Creston

1704 Mount Pisgah Road
Thayer
641-347-5100

Uptown Creston

McKinley Park to Green Valley State Park

1600 Stone Street, Creston
Phone: 641-782-8159

For information on any of the lakes please call the Union County Conservation Office 641-347-5100 or Union County Tourism – 641-782-7022
12-Mile Lake | 3-Mile Lake | Afton Lake | Green Valley State Park | Summit Lake | Thayer Lake

2179 189th Street, Afton
612-718-2560

704 New York Ave, Hwy 34 West, Creston
641-782-4422

804 W. Taylor Hwy. 34 West
Creston
641-782-6541
www.choicehotels.com

800 Laurel Street, Hwy. 34 West, Creston
641-782-7873
www.supertelinns.com

Three-Mile Lake
641-347-5100
www.mycountyparks.com

801 N. Pierce, Afton
641-344-1959

4 miles east of Creston
641-347-5100

on the square, Afton

Hwy 169

1937 190th Street, Creston

1804 Virginia Lane, Creston
1-800-398-9646

west of Afton
641-347-5100

641-782-5131

NE of Afton

west edge of Lorimor

Creston – 641-782-2000 ext. 208
west side of Creston

1704 Mount Pisgah Road, Thayer

500 block of S. Vine & S. Birch, Creston

4 miles east of Afton

one mile west of Thayer

641-347-5100

West of Afton
641-347-5100

Creston and Southwest Iowa’s hills and blue skies are a perfect setting for nearly 35 hot air balloons participating in the Creston/SW Iowa Hot Air Balloon Days the third weekend in September 19, 20 & 21, 2025. Now in its 47th year, the event is one of the largest of its kind in the state of Iowa.

In addition to the balloon events during the weekend there is also the annual Hot Air Balloon Days Parade with high school marching bands from across the area, along with balloonists and many others on Saturday morning starting at 10:30 a.m. in Uptown Creston. The Creston City Center is the site of various activities for spectators of all ages as well. A Flea Market and Craft Fair is a must see as well as a stroll through town to visit the local merchants open for your shopping pleasure during the day.

On Saturday afternoon, you can continue to enjoy your day at the airport and participate in or enjoy the pedal pull and Pet Show. Weather permitting there are also tethered balloon rides available. There is also a marching band competition at the High School.

The very popular NightGlow begins around dusk. The event wraps up on Sunday morning with the last balloon events, weather permitting. Mark your calendar and make your plans early to attend. For more information, please call the Creston Chamber of Commerce at 641-782-7022 or visit their website at www.crestoniowachamber.com.

Located along and near Highway 34, with easy access to Interstate 35 and Interstate 80 the lakes and beautiful landscape are easily accessible to the avid outdoors-man and those who enjoy the outdoors and the beauty which Southwest Iowa offers.

Whether its deer or turkey, waterfowl or pheasants, walleye, Muskie or the lowly catfish, opportunities for hunting and fishing are plentiful in and around Union County. Union County’s High Lakes offer an array of outdoor recreational opportunities unmatched in southern Iowa. Five lakes including award winning 3-Mile Lake and 12 Mile Lake along with Green Valley State Park with 2,500 acres of publicly owned woodland and prairie are all conveniently located within a 20-mile radius of each other.

The lakes offer opportunities for water-skiing, boating, camping, swimming, hiking and picnicking and some great ice fishing during the winter months for the entire family. Three Mile Lake Recreation Area is open year around for the outdoor enthusiast.

The duck and goose hunting are excellent. Turkeys were stocked in the area in the late 70’s and have expanded to the point where just about every patch of woods has turkeys now. The region has become a favorite for deer hunters as well.

Thousands of acres of CRP and cropland furnish an excellent habitat for wildlife. Or, if you prefer, you can hunt along the banks of Three Mile and Twelve-Mile Lakes, where hundreds of acres of cover and food plots have been created to draw wildlife. Recently the Paul & Becky Kelley Family Natural Wilderness Area of 155 acres was gifted to Union County, located just off of Hwy 34 just west of Afton.

The High Lakes Shooting Range, is another spot for the outdoor enthusiast to enjoy

Green Valley State Park is located three miles north of Creston on Green Valley Road (N. Lincoln Street). Green Valley Lake has long been a popular fishing spot for both bank and boat anglers. A number of fishing jetties are available, as well as fishing piers for persons with varying abilities. A section of shoreline is designated as 24-hour fishing access. Four boat ramps provide convenient lake access.

A 6.5 mile paved multi-use trail is located on the East and South sides of the lake. The trail begins in the campground and provides a scenic view of the Eastern side of the lake. Across the dam, the trail passes through DNR managed Mitchell Marsh, and it’s worth a stop to watch waterfowl and other wetland species of birds, particularly during spring and fall migrations. The trail connects to Creston and Southwestern Community College and continues south through town to McKinley City Park.

The campground boasts non-electric, electric, and full hook-up sites (water and sewer) as well as modern restrooms, showers, and a trailer dump station. There is a primitive “youth group site” that is available for Scouts and other youth organizations. Three seasonal camping cabins are located along the lakeshore. There are two playgrounds within the park. There is a playground located right outside of the campground and there is a playground located in the campground.

For more information please call 641-782-5131 or you can check on the park on-line at Iowadnr.gov.

The Union County Historical Village and Museum is located in Creston just off Highway 34 West in beautiful McKinley Park. Here you can find buildings reminiscent of a prospering rural town in Iowa around the 1890’s. You can see the fully furnished last operating rural school in Union County. Other original buildings brought to the complex include an 1855 log cabin, a barn originally built in 1896, a house built before 1900 and the Spaulding Methodist Church where weddings still take place today. A depot, originally from Lucas and later used at Brooks, along with a signal tower from the Creston rail yards and a caboose, emphasize the importance of the railroad heritage to the area.