Supervisors approve use of courthouse lawn for RVTV festivities in Newton

In about a month-and-a-half, the annual WHO 13 RVTV Tour will make its way to Newton in preparation of the Iowa-Iowa State Cy-Hawk game, and when it does the Jasper County Courthouse will be ready for it. The board of supervisors on July 23 authorized the use of the courthouse lawn for community festivities.

Erin Yeager, executive director of Newton Main Street, told supervisors that when RVTV arrives to the downtown then organizers will block off much of the town square for a public tailgate party. Food trucks and live music will also be available and the high school will hold a pep assembly in the square, too.

It was announced in May that RVTV would make two stops in Jasper County on its way to the Cy-Hawk game. The trip starts in Perry on Sept. 2 and continues each day to Mitchellville and Oskaloosa, and then to Baxter on Sept. 5 and Newton on Sept. 6. RVTV has been going strong since 1995.

“They go from different communities across Iowa and head to Iowa City for the big rivalry game,” Yeager said. “They will be coming from Baxter to Newton, and they will roll into town about noon. But we will have the big tailgating party down here. They’ll will arrive in the downtown about 1 o’clock.”

Yeager added that some activities will require the use of the courthouse lawn but will not damage it. She said it is a similar set up to Thunder Nites, which are also held in the town square once a month for three months out of the summer. Yeager expected some yard games will be set up on the lawn, too.