Meet Ottumwa

06/17/2024

Thousands of new Meet Ottumwa visitor guides were delivered today, and now we can't wait to get them in your hands! They're filled with everything you need to know to make the most of your trip to Ottumwa and Wapello County:

Local restaurants
Attractions to visit
Events to attend
Arts to enjoy
Why we're famous
Historic places to explore
Green spaces calling your name
And so much more!

Stop by our office in the lobby of Bridge View Center to pick them up or visit meetottumwa.org to have one mailed to you. Either way, you'll love having our guides handy as you plan your next visit.

City of Ottumwa, Iowa - City Government Greater Ottumwa Partners in Progress Ottumwa Public Library

06/17/2024

Make plans to attend the Ottumwa Juneteenth Celebration & River Roots Festival this Wednesday form 12-9 pm. Railroad park (softball fields by Hwy 34) will play host to a day of speakers, singers, and musicians celebrating a day of community and fellowship. Don't miss out!

06/14/2024

Go back in military history as the Iowa Heartland History Connection - Museum and Meet Ottumwa partner in a new pair of exhibits featuring the history of the Korean War and the community’s ties to the M*A*S*H television show.

The exhibit at Iowa Heartland History Connection, Wapello County’s historical museum, will feature Korean War history, photographs from real M*A*S*H units, as well as trivia and souvenirs from the tv show. Look for M*A*S*H items available to purchase in the gift shop, and to top it all off, you can get your picture taken in Radar's bunk.

Meet Ottumwa’s portion of the exhibit gives visitors their own connection to Radar and the TV show. In addition to an Army-themed selfie station and one-of-a-kind memorabilia for purchase, read through all the Ottumwa mentions on the show, learn the background of real-life "Radar" Don Shaffer, and pick up a copy of the M*A*S*H Characters’ Hometown Tour. This map is an itinerary to visit 11 of the characters’ birthplaces, from coast to coast and across to Hawaii.

06/13/2024

NEW SHIRTS!! AVAILABLE NOW!!
You can pick up these new beautiful RAGBRAI shirts at Meet Ottumwa (102 Church St, inside BVC, Mon-Fri 9am-4pm) or at GOPIP (217 E Main St, Mon-Thu 9am-4pm, Fri 9am-noon) or contact Connie Ferguson at (641) 777-0894. They're only $20.

We also encourage you to wear them each Thursday to show support as we're only 6 weeks away!! Thanks to all our amazing sponsors!!

Meet Ottumwa Greater Ottumwa Partners in Progress City of Ottumwa, Iowa - City Government

06/12/2024

Keep an eye on the sky this week. You may get a preview of the Elks 347 Ottumwa Pro Balloon Races Charity Fundraiser that is happening next week!

06/10/2024

Go back in military history this Friday as the Iowa Heartland History Connection - Museum and Meet Ottumwa partner in a new pair of exhibits featuring the history of the Korean War and the community’s ties to the M*A*S*H television show.

Meet Ottumwa’s portion of the exhibit gives visitors their own connection to Radar and the TV show and book. In addition to an Army-themed selfie station and one-of-a-kind memorabilia for purchase, they can read through all the Ottumwa mentions on the show, learn the background of real-life Radar Don Shaffer, and pick up a copy of the M*A*S*H Characters’ Hometown Tour. This map is an itinerary to visit 11 of the characters’ birthplaces, from coast to coast and across to Hawaii.

What is your favorite Radar moment from the show?



Greater Ottumwa Partners in Progress City of Ottumwa, Iowa - City Government

06/07/2024

Our valiant leader Laura Carrell graduated from the Ottumwa Leadership Academy last night!

06/06/2024

Exciting things are happening at Meet Ottumwa! We're partnering with Iowa Heartland History Connection - Museum for the opening of a joint project next Friday, June 14. What do you think it might be...?

06/05/2024

We definitely recommend arriving early to get a good seat for Acoustic Friday at Bridge View Center, but two days early might be a little excessive.

06/05/2024

Do you like music? Do you like history? Do you like free things? If you answered yes to all three of those questions then do we have some exciting news for you! The Ottumwa Municipal Band will be kicking off their 160th season tomorrow night at 7 p.m. in Central Park. They perform every Thursday night in June & July and all of their concerts are FREE! Come out and help the band celebrate this monumental achievement.

06/03/2024

The Wapello County Farmers Market Ottumwa returns for the season starting today! The market is open every Monday and Thursday from 2:30-5:30 p.m. in Central Addition Park. Go check them out!

06/03/2024

This is shaping up to be a great show!

05/31/2024

Kick off your summer with these awesome events happening around Wapello County!

05/27/2024

Between the upcoming BBQs and vacation days, let’s pause to remember those who made our freedom possible. Their sacrifice is our privilege.

The Ottumwa Memorial Day Service will take place this morning at the Jimmy Jones Shelter in Greater Ottumwa Park starting at 10:30 a.m. The event will feature Brian Morgan as Master of Ceremonies, an opening prayer/poem from Doug McAntire, Legion Commander Rick Kleinman, VFW Commander Leonard Sloat, DAV Chapter 1 Commander Stephen Croft, and guest speaker Lt. Colonel Ashley Noreuil. Lunch will be provided by the American Legion following the program.

The Meet Ottumwa office will be closed today in observance. We will reopen tomorrow at 9 a.m.

05/25/2024

05/24/2024

Spending Memorial Day Weekend in Ottumwa? We might have a few things for you to do. Visit meetottumwa.org/events for more details.

05/21/2024

For , we asked what some of the favorite local menu items around Ottumwa were and these were the top 10 answers. Have you tried them all? Which is your favorite?

05/17/2024

Bridge View Center is bringing back one of our favorite local music series for a second year! Acoustic Fridays on the Riverfront return tonight with a live performance by Tom Blew out on the Bridge View Center patio (weather permitting). Visit meetottumwa.org/events for more information and mark your calendars for the next two!

05/15/2024

Our RAGBRAI Housing form is now live at ottumwaragbrai.com! Riders and support crew can go to the housing page, fill out the form, and get paired with the perfect host. We are requesting a $15 non-refundable donation for all housing requests.

05/15/2024

Get your swimsuits from the closet, dust off your floaties, and stock up on sunscreen because in just 10 days The Beach Ottumwa will be opening for the 2024 season! We will see you on Saturday, May 25 at 1 p.m.

05/13/2024

One of our favorite parts of spring in Ottumwa is the colors.

05/10/2024

We can’t wait for the Love Where You Live celebration this weekend! The Ottumwa Leadership Academy class of 2024 have come up with a fun two day event to celebrate our community and its history. We’ll see you tonight!

05/10/2024

Train enthusiasts have the opportunity to witness history this weekend! 🚂

Join us to celebrate the anniversary of the historic event of the Final Spike completing CPKC’s continental connection linking Canada, the U.S. and Mexico.

05/08/2024

Have you signed up to host RAGBRAI riders yet? For just $0 a day you can help a rider in need find their overnight home. It only takes a few minutes. Go to ottumwaragbrai.com, fill out the host form, and let us know what accommodations you have available!

05/08/2024

Have you submitted your piece for the American Gothic House & Center Art Contest yet? Submissions are due in person by May 24 and voting will take place June 7-9 during Gothic Days. Submissions just need to be a 8x10 or larger, be in any medium except photography, and feature the American Gothic House window in some way. Don't let our masterpiece intimidate you. All ages and skill levels are encouraged to submit! Find out more at americangothichouse.org/upcoming-events

05/03/2024

What are your plans this weekend? Find information on these four events and more at meetottumwa.org/events.

05/01/2024

We are only 2 days away from Pages for Pennies at Bridge View Center! Shop great deals on thousands of books, puzzles, games and more!

Check out Meet Ottumwa’s video.