The year in Grimes: the annual events worth marking.
Every town has a rhythm, the handful of dates that anchor the year. Here are the ones that matter in Grimes, from the big June festival to trick-or-treat and the holidays.
The big one
Governor's Days (June)
Governor's Days is the town's signature festival, held the first weekend of June at the South Sports Complex. It packs in a grand parade (Saturday morning), a carnival, live music, a bags tournament, food and craft vendors, the Lions Club pancake breakfast, and Saturday-night fireworks. Named, like the town, for Governor James W. Grimes.
Summer
The farmers market and the Fourth
Grimes Farmers and Community Market - Saturday mornings, 8 to noon, at Heritage Park, roughly June through September.
Fourth of July fireworks - at the South Sports Complex. See our fireworks guide.
Fall and winter
Halloween and the holidays
Trick-or-treat - Grimes holds trick-or-treat on October 31, generally 6 to 8 p.m. Confirm the year's posting on the city calendar.
Grimes Holiday Celebration - the first Sunday of December, with Santa arriving by fire truck. See our holiday lights guide.
Good to know
City holiday closures
Grimes city offices close for the standard holidays: New Year's Day, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Veterans Day, Thanksgiving and the day after, and Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.
What's on, every week
The Grimes Brief carries the seasonal calendar and what's worth your time, free every Monday.
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Sources: Governor's Days; City of Grimes community events and holidays pages; Grimes Farmers and Community Market. Dates shift yearly, confirm on the city calendar. Preview build, September 2026.