Go Stagestruck

07/27/2026

𝗥𝗔𝗚𝗕𝗥𝗔𝗜 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲 | 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗪𝗲𝗲𝗸 𝗕𝗲𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗴𝗲

Another RAGBRAI is in the books, and after a little sleep and unpacking what feels like an entire warehouse, we've had a chance to reflect on an incredible week.

We started the week by keeping track of a few fun stats... and then things got a little out of hand. 😂 If you've been following our daily recaps, here's the high level "backstage" look at RAGBRAI 2026 by the numbers, including a few you haven't seen!

This week reminded us that the music may bring everyone together, but it's the people behind the scenes who make the magic happen. The months of planning by each host committee, the countless volunteers donating their time, and the pride each community takes in welcoming thousands of visitors is what makes this event unlike anything else.

𝗧𝗵𝗮𝘁'𝘀 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘄𝗵𝘆. We love being one small part of something so much bigger than ourselves. It's the people and the communities that have won our hearts year after year. Every overnight town had its own personality, and every one left its mark on our crew.

To Onawa RAGBRAI 2026, Harlan RAGBRAI 2026, Guthrie Center Ragbrai 2026 , Boone RAGBRAI 2026, Marshalltown RAGBRAI, Indee RAGBRAI, and Dyersville RAGBRAI: thank you for welcoming us into your communities and letting us be a small part of your RAGBRAI story.

To the volunteers who unloaded trucks, hauled barricades, kept backstage secure, brought us cold water, answered endless questions, and somehow managed to make long days feel fun... thank you. You are the true heros.

And finally, thank you to our incredible Iowa Sound & Stagestruck crew. Seven days. Hundreds of hours. Countless laughs. We couldn't ask for a better team to share the journey with.

Until next year, RAGBRAI. 🚴❤️

07/25/2026

𝗥𝗔𝗚𝗕𝗥𝗔𝗜 𝗗𝗮𝘆 𝟲 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝘁𝘀 | 𝗗𝘆𝗲𝗿𝘀𝘃𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗲

👣 56,683 collective steps
💧 3 gallons of water
⚡ 4 energy drinks
🧂 4 electrolyte packets
🧋 1 gallon of Milo's Sweet Tea
🍿 1 bag of caramel corn
🤕 0 head bonks 🎉
🌡️ High of 74° and absolutely beautiful all day

Dyersville RAGBRAI was the perfect way to wrap up our time on the RAGBRAI route.

The vibe was relaxed and laid back, and the community fully embraced its Field of Dreams legacy. We loved wandering through the charming downtown, taking in the murals and all the character that makes Dyersville unique.

Every band that took the stage brought something special, and it was especially fun reconnecting with our friends, the Spazmatics Chicago. So nice to see them back on the route this year, and judging by the size of the crowd, the riders felt the same!

Once again, we had an incredible group of volunteers who jumped in during setup and helped get our crew loaded out in record time at the end of the night.

Overall, Dyersville was simply a feel-good way to end our week on the route.

We're officially home, catching up on a little sleep, doing a week's worth of laundry, and reflecting on what an incredible journey the last week has been.

More on that soon... ❤️🚴🎶

07/25/2026

𝗥𝗔𝗚𝗕𝗥𝗔𝗜 𝗗𝗮𝘆 𝟱 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝘁𝘀 | 𝗜𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗽𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲

👣 59,980 collective steps
☕ 9 cups of coffee ☕😳
⚡ 3 energy drinks
🧂 3 electrolyte packets
💧 4 gallons of water
🤕 3 head bonks 😢
🍕 4 more plates of Pizza Ranch
🕶️ 1 favorite pair of sunglasses 𝗙𝗢𝗨𝗡𝗗 🎉
🚰 1 lost water bottle 𝗙𝗢𝗨𝗡𝗗 🎉
🌡️ High of 76° and absolutely beautiful weather

Indee RAGBRAI was an absolute blast!

The entire town was buzzing with energy from the moment we arrived. The volunteers were true rockstars, jumping in during setup, keeping the backstage area secure throughout the night, and taking incredible care of our crew. Their positive attitudes and great sense of humor were contagious, and it's obvious they poured their hearts into making RAGBRAI a memorable experience for everyone who came through town.

Not Quite Brothers did what they always do, delivering a high-energy show that packed the streets and kept the crowd singing and dancing all night long.

Aaaand then came the surprise of the evening no one saw coming. As the show wrapped up, volunteers made their way through the crowd setting off dozens of confetti poppers. It was such a fun way to close out the night! We're pretty sure we'll be finding tiny confetti souvenirs tucked into the stage and cases for weeks to come. 😂

Tonight we're set up for Dyersville RAGBRAI, our final stop on the route. One more show, one more community, and one more opportunity to make some memories. 🖤

07/23/2026

𝗥𝗔𝗚𝗕𝗥𝗔𝗜 𝗗𝗮𝘆 𝟰 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝘁𝘀 | 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘁𝗼𝘄𝗻

👣 73,473 collective steps
💧 2 gallons of water
⚡ 3 energy drinks
🧂 6 electrolyte packets
🧋 1 gallon of Milo's Sweet Tea
🥤 1 horchata
🤕 0 head bonks 🎉🎉🎉
🕶️ 1 lost pair of sunglasses
🚰 1 lost water bottle
🧊 1 beverage cooler gained (Don't worry, Boone RAGBRAI 2026... we'll be bringing it back! 😄)

Marshalltown RAGBRAI was a vibe.The beautiful historic downtown, the incredible courthouse, and the energy throughout the community made this day feel relaxed and enjoyable all around.

The crowd showed up in full force for The Pork Tornadoes, who delivered another fantastic performance. We also wanted to give a shout-out to their crew. We've been quietly keeping an unofficial backstage leaderboard this week, and we're happy to announce they are the top contender for our 𝗚𝗼𝗼𝗱 𝗛𝗼𝘂𝘀𝗲𝗴𝘂𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗔𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗱. 🏆 Their teardown was fast, efficient, and they left the stage absolutely spotless. We always say the stage is our house, and they treated it exactly the way we'd hope a guest would. That's the kind of thoughtful professionalism that makes our crew feel respected and appreciated at the end of a long day! 👏👏👏

As for us... we managed to keep the head bonk counter at ZERO for the day! 🎉 I'd call that a win.
Today we're excited to be working with the Indee RAGBRAI team. Looking forward to another great day on the route!

07/22/2026

𝗥𝗔𝗚𝗕𝗥𝗔𝗜 𝗗𝗮𝘆 𝟯 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝘁𝘀 | 𝗕𝗼𝗼𝗻𝗲

👣 96,026 collective steps
☕ 5 cups of coffee
⚡ 6 energy drinks
🧂 2 electrolyte beverages
💧 5.75 gallons of water
🍕 21 plates of Pizza Ranch
🤕 7 head bonks 🤦‍♀️
🌡️ High of 82° with a beautiful breeze

After a few scorching days on the route, The Boone RAGBRAI 2026 theme, "Cool Down in Boone," theme couldn't have been more fitting. The cooler temperatures and steady breeze made for a perfect day along the route!

Hairball packed the entertainment garden bringing out a huge crowd and reminding us why they're always such a favorite on the route.

One of our favorite moments happened backstage when we had the opportunity to help arrange a photo with Happy from Hairball for a group of local medics. Seeing their excitement and watching those smiles was the perfect way to end the nigjt!

Every town has its own personality. Boone's was one of those nights that simply left you smiling.
And now we'rnight! Marshalltown RAGBRAI. Looking forward to all the day has in store! 🚴🎶

07/21/2026

𝗥𝗔𝗚𝗕𝗥𝗔𝗜 𝗗𝗮𝘆 𝟮 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝘁𝘀 | 𝗚𝘂𝘁𝗵𝗿𝗶𝗲 𝗖𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿

👣 82,776 collective steps
☕ 2 cups of coffee
⚡ 4 energy drinks
🧋 ½ gallon of Milo's Sweet Tea
🥛 1 cup of milk
💧 5.5 gallons of water
🧂 7 electrolytes/Gatorades
🤕 0 head bonks 🎉
🌡️ High of 99° (felt like 111°)

Yesterday was...rough. 🥵

The heat was relentless, but our crew dug deep and kept things moving.

Guthrie Center Ragbrai 2026 brought the party... until Mother Nature decided she wanted a turn too. A passing storm forced us to press pause so everyone could safely take cover. Thankfully, the crowd came back ready to rock, and Gimikk DELIVERED!. Such a fun end to the night!

One of the highlights of the day? Iowa Sound owner, Jason Smith, was invited on stage to play drums with his former band mates, The Nadas!

TODAY we're on to Boone RAGBRAI 2026. With cooler temperatures and Hairball taking the stage tonight, we're expecting a huge crowd and an incredible evening!

Day 3 (but really 4)- let's do this! 🤘🚴

07/20/2026

RAGBRAI Day 1 Stats | Harlan

👣 78,411 collective steps
☕ 4.5 cups of coffee
⚡ 6 energy drinks
🥤 8 Powerades/Gatorades
💧 6 gallons of water
🤕 2 head bonks
🌡️ High of 89° with 88% humidity

Another hot, humid Iowa summer day, but the amazing volunteers at Harlan RAGBRAI 2026 absolutely crushed it. They weren't messing around during setup and had us up and running in record time. They also made sure our team never ran low on water or electrolytes. On a day like yesterday, that kind of hospitality makes all the difference with keeping our team safe and hydrated!

We may have teased Harlan about Onawa RAGBRAI 2026 setting the bar high, but we're happy to report they rose to the challenge. 😊
Thank you, Harlan, for taking such great care of our crew!

Today, we're on to Guthrie Center Ragbrai 2026. Let's see what you've got for us! 👀

07/19/2026

RAGBRAI Day 0 Stats

👣 71,450 collective steps
☕ 2 cups of coffee
⚡ 4 energy drinks
🥤 6 Gatorades
🤕 3 head bonks on the stage (IYKYK)
🌡️ High of 94° with 75% humidity

Yesterday was a scorcher, 🔥 but the stage went up, the sound was EXCELLENT (as Wayne and Garth would say),the party was rocking, and Day 0 was a complete success!

A huge thank you to Onawa RAGBRAI 2026 for the incredible hospitality. Not only did uou welcome our crew with open arms, you gave us freeze pops! 🍒🍓🫐🍇 We couldn't have asked for a better way to kick off the week.

Now it's your turn, Harlan RAGBRAI 2026... No pressure, but Onawa set the bar pretty high. 😉 We can't wait to see what you've got in store!

Bring on Day 1! 🚴🎶

Here are just a few highlights from Day 0.

04/23/2026

Outdoor event season has officially kicked off, and we started things a little differently this year.

A few weeks ago, our team supported the Aggieville Showdown, a unique event bringing the cattle industry into the heart of a college town entertainment district. It’s not every day you see cattle being shown in front of our stage, but that’s the kind of magic our team helped to pull off!

We’re grateful to work with clients who care deeply about what they’re building, and the team behind The Grand Drives is truly the real deal.

Cheers to the start of a great season!

04/21/2026

Last week, company co-owner, Kim Johnson-Smith, had the honor of serving as a mentor at the Ankeny Chamber’s Mentoring for Women event. Being invited into a space like this with so many driven, thoughtful women was a powerful reminder that the best businesses are built on strong relationships and a willingness to learn from one another. We are grateful to the Ankeny Area Chamber of Commerce for creating space for those connections and for inviting Kim to be part of it!

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