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Rain Check for the Stoplight Festival

The Toledo festival’s namesake sat alone doing its job in the Friday downpour as the annual festival was canceled. PHOTO BY MICHAEL D. DAVIS
Not all locals were deterred by the weather as one local runner wasn’t slowed down by the rain. PHOTO BY MICHAEL D. DAVIS
Locals were dodging in and out of puddles made by the deluge. PHOTO BY MICHAEL D. DAVIS
Toledo Heights Park filled up like a rain barrel in the Friday storms. PHOTO BY MICHAEL D. DAVIS

As if a faucet had been left on in the sky, Tama-Toledo endured its fair share of rain last Friday. It came down like cats, dogs, frogs, lizards, and wizards, for a while, making the park a lake and puddles pop up all about. From splashing about and playing in the water to having a lazy day at home, locals weathered the storm but missed out on this year’s Stoplight Festival. Gary Bock, President of the Tama-Toledo Chamber of Commerce, issued this statement about the weather-forced decision to cancel the 2025 Stoplight Festival.

“The Stoplight Festival brought to you by the Tama/Toledo Chamber has become a celebrated annual event that brings residents, neighboring communities, businesses, and STC reunions together. I believe we have had great success with this annual event for nearly 15 years without having to postpone the event until this year,” he said. “Unfortunately, this year, due to the continued catastrophic weather patterns Central Iowa has been facing, and the weather forecast specifically for that date, the Chamber decided to postpone this year’s event until next year for everyone’s safety. We have already begun plans on what next year’s Stoplight Festival will include. Be sure to watch our Tama/Toledo Chamber Facebook and social media pages for dates of next year’s Stop Light Festival and all the great Chamber sponsored events for the remainder of 2025.”

Despite the chamber’s cancellation, the Toledo Farmers Market went ahead with their regularly scheduled routine. However, the market dismissed early due to lightning.

Over the past five years, the Stoplight Festival has been hit or miss with weather and other earthly factors. In 2020, it was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic at the time. In 2021, the event was moved inside due to poor weather conditions. 2022 went off without a hitch, but 2023 was canceled due to RAGBRAI consuming the community’s focus.

Last year’s festival was a return to normal with 2025 going down in the history books as condemned by Mother Nature. The 2026 Stoplight Festival will be waiting for the green light after a few dicey years for the event.