Mark your calendars! SEPTEMBER 25-27, 2026

2025 River & Rail

Interior of a living room with wooden ceiling beams, a ceiling fan, a fireplace with a mirror above it, and various chairs and a rug.
A BNSF freight train with orange locomotives moving through a scenic area with trees, power lines, and a body of water with boats and a dock in the foreground.
A DJ with a red beard wearing a black cap with the word 'Rool' and the number '19' and black headphones is playing vinyl records on a turntable, with a dark background featuring colored lights.
A cozy dining room with multiple tables covered in red and gold tablecloths, set with plates and cups, and decorated with floral centerpieces, featuring wooden chairs, display shelves with collectibles, and a sliding glass door leading to an outdoor patio.
Five firefighters stand around a small fire truck with a sign reading 'Tower 9442' in front of a larger fire rescue vehicle that says 'Fort Madison Fire & Rescue.' One woman in the center holds a sign supporting a fundraiser event.
Logo of Bentley's Burgers featuring a burger icon and text around the circle indicating Wilson Bros. BBQ Company in Mash, with bold red and black lettering.
Two people sitting on a boat near a dock, smiling at the camera, with water and a cloudy sky in the background.
Two unfinished wooden buildings with balconies, a flagpole with an American flag, and a cannon in front on a grassy area.

2024 River & Rail Weekend / Beach Themed Nostalgia Night

Three men standing in front of a vintage steam-powered tractor inside a building, with one man wearing a tan shirt, one in a blue graphic t-shirt, and the third in a plaid shirt with a jacket.
A man sitting on a chair in a small pool, surrounded by a chain-link fence, next to a red Santa Fe train engine marked 'Santa Fe' and a yellow slide, with a gray sky overhead.
Woman sitting on a portable chair near a sidewalk, decorated with pink flamingo yard ornaments. Behind her, a train with Amazon Prime containers is passing by on the tracks.
A person sitting on a platform inside a dunk tank at an outdoor event, with two children throwing a ball at the target to dunk them. The children are wearing colorful leis, and the scene is set on a concrete ground with a yellow basketball in the foreground.
An older man with a gray beard, wearing a black cap and a bright yellow jacket, sitting on a red chair beside a large tree in a park. He has a serious expression and relaxed posture.
A woman holding a young boy at a tabletop train set display in a room with framed pictures on the walls and green window blinds.
Group of people standing on a train platform in front of a brick building, with luggage and a small dog, under a clear blue sky.
Man with gray beard and hair wearing a black hat, gray jacket, and jeans standing on a black metal platform in front of a red Santa Fe train caboose.
Three people posing in front of a dunk tank at an outdoor event, with two men inside the tank and a woman outside.
Three pink inflatable flamingos in a grassy area at night, each adorned with a colorful lei around their necks. Two hula hoops are placed behind one of the flamingos. A street with a fence and streetlights is visible in the background.
Brown poodle sitting on sidewalk looking up at a person standing in front of it, wearing shorts and a red jacket, with a name tag hanging from its collar.
People sitting at a picnic table and standing outside a train station with a sign that says Fort Madison, Iowa.
A couple stands on a boat at sunset, embracing and looking at each other with a river and bridge in the background.
Two men, one in a police uniform and the other in a train station attire, standing in front of a silver train car with windows, on a yellow tactile paving surface.
People dining outdoors at a waterfront restaurant during sunset, with a river and buildings in the background.
Three people sitting on a park bench in front of a brick building with a sign that reads 'Fort Madison.'
A person making a duck face pressing their face and hands against a clear plastic window on a dunk tank labeled 'Easy Dunker'.
Three people, a boy, a woman, and a baby, using colorful leis and smiling at the camera, standing outdoors near a brick wall with a train in the background.
Two people standing outdoors near a train, smiling at the camera. The man on the left is wearing a gray shirt with 'Virtual Railfan' logo, sunglasses, a cap, and has a lanyard around his neck. The woman on the right is wearing a blue shirt, sunglasses, and a lanyard. Behind them is a red train engine, a train platform, street lamps, and a clear blue sky.
Two people standing in front of a sign that reads 'Fort Madison, IA' with an American flag flying above. One person is a woman wearing a floral shirt, and the other is a man wearing a colorful Mickey Mouse shirt and a cap.
An indoor presentation with a group of people seated facing a speaker near a large brick wall and a window, with vintage equipment and a television.
A man standing on a sidewalk next to a sign that reads "Fort Madison, IA" and "Amtrak". He is wearing a baseball cap, glasses, a colorful shirt with an Amtrak design, blue jeans, and black shoes. In the background, there are buildings, cars, and lampposts, with a train car partially visible on the right side.
People gathering outside the Fort Madison train station at sunset, with a small live music performance under a sign that reads 'Fort Madison'.
A person dressed in a blue dolphin costume is playfully biting a woman wearing sunglasses, a colorful Hawaiian shirt, gray shorts, and flip-flops, at an outdoor event in front of a building with a sign that reads "Fort Madison."
Woman dressed in tropical shirt, wearing colorful leis, sunglasses, and a yellow hat with balloon shapes, making a shaka sign and pouting, outdoors on a cloudy day.
A man sitting at a table with a sign that says "Fun Book", holding the book and smiling at the camera. The table has various papers, candy, and items on it. Two people are standing in the background outside a building with a sign that says "Fort Madison, IA".
A woman with curly hair, sunglasses, and a black T-shirt sitting on a wooden park bench, smiling and waving with both hands in a parking lot. Behind her are parked cars, a trailer, and buildings, with a blue sky overhead.
A woman standing outdoors next to a trailer, smiling, wearing glasses, a teal T-shirt, and ripped jeans, holding a small box. The trailer has a black and silver exterior with a license plate reading 'IOWA TOUREM' and is parked in a lot with a street and buildings in the background.
An elderly woman sitting outdoors wearing a large black sun hat, sunglasses, a black t-shirt with a graphic of a dog dressed as Santa Claus, beige pants, and jewelry
People dining and socializing outdoors on a rooftop patio with tables and drinks, during sunset.

2023 River & Rail Weekend / 1950’s Nostalgia Night

Group of people sitting and standing under a bridge with a train in the background, posing for a photo at a railway event.
Two elderly men sitting on a park bench, talking, with a walking person in the background. The scene is outdoors during the daytime.
A woman with long blonde hair smiling at the counter in a diner, with a man with glasses and a cap sitting beside her, and another woman with a ponytail in the background at a different table.
Group of people waiting at a train station platform beside a moving train at sunset.
Group of five people standing in front of Fort Madison entrance arch under a clear blue sky.
Two people are standing outside in front of an archway near a train with shipping containers labeled 'CMA CGM' in the background. The person on the left is a woman with short blonde hair, glasses, wearing a light blue T-shirt, red and white checkered pants, and sandals. The person on the right is a man with dark hair, dressed in a shiny black and silver patterned jacket, black shirt, and black shoes. They are smiling and posing for the photo.
A young woman in a pink polka dot dress and teal high heels standing in front of vintage cars parked in a lot on a sunny day.
Two young children on a red train car, one girl standing and one boy sitting, smiling and enjoying their time outside.