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DECORAH -- On March 21, an entire episode of John McGivern's Main Streets will be dedicated to Decorah, Iowa. The show - a local public television program presented by PBS Wisconsin - is in its third season and focuses on travel around the Upper Midwest. Season 3 features twelve locations in six states, only two of the locations are in Iowa: Decorah and Davenport. The filming for the Decorah episode took place in July of 2023 following nearly a year of correspondence with the crew. Local tourism expert Alyssa Ritter with Visit Decorah led the effort with support from Decorah Area Chamber and Winneshiek County Economic Development & Tourism. There was no cost to the local organizations or included sites. "The show's content producer originally reached out to Visit Decorah. While he had not yet personally visited Decorah, his parents had visited a number of times and spoke highly of our community," Ritter explained. "Likewise, I had a lot of familiarity with the show, as my relatives in Wisconsin are regular viewers and had previously noted that Decorah could be a great fit as a featured community. The show features two cities in Iowa each season, so we were quick to respond to the inquiry to have Decorah be considered for Season 3." The Decorah episode features anchor attractions (Vesterheim Norwegian-American Museum, Seed Savers Exchange, Lawn Chair Night's Nordic Dancer Performance, Decorah Impact Crater & Sea Scorpion Display in Valders Hall of Science), local businesses (Hammel Jewelers, Twin Springs Supper Club, Iowa Rotocast Plastics), and historic locations (Phelps Cemetery, Winneshiek County Courthouse). The crew also filmed at the Decorah High School Garden and at Luther College's DNA Lab. Ritter said that she has not seen the final edit yet and will need to wait until it debuts on March 21. Overall, however, the entire show process has been a rewarding experience between early conversations, content generation, connecting the content producer with individuals in the community based on their goals, and then watching the filming unfold in July 2023. "The show's hosts and production team loved their time in Decorah and we are sure that will show in the footage that they captured to include within the episode," Ritter said. Six-time Emmy award-winning actor, comedian and television host John McGivern travels to celebrate the people who live there and the unique attractions, history and businesses of each community. His unique brand of storytelling is done through lively interviews with local residents, uncovering the uniqueness and charm of each community he visits. He is joined on the show by Emmy Fink, an Emmy Award-winning television and video host, media personality and producer with 20 years of on-air experience under her belt. Starting March 21, the Decorah episode may be viewed for free on PBS Wisconsin, the PBS streaming app, or from the show's website at https://www.pbs.org/show/john-mcgiverns-main-streets/.

Support your local businesses

Decorah Featured on PBS Wisconsin's 'John McGivern's Main Streets'