Cache Is Not At The Posted Coordinates
Mr. Toot is the mascot not only of the North Iowa Band Festival, but also for Mason City as a whole. His image has appeared on everything from T-Shirts to business cards to city light poles. Now his image also appears on the geocaching map just south of Mason City Iowa. Each of these puzzles will include a fact or story in theme with the art series. Some may also include a question or two for you to answer correctly to find the coordinates.
Band Fest
In 1985 and 1986, the festival was switched to a fall date but in 1987 was returned to its traditional spring format of the first Saturday in June. That meant that in the 1986-87 school year, there were two festivals, one in October of 1986 and one in June of 1987. This was the first time one school year experienced two festivals’ - half-century after it all began, the festival was still experiencing "firsts".
Throughout the next 20 years Band Festival saw subtle changes, brought on by changing times in education. School districts were merging, creating one school where there had once been two, and dwindling school resources made lengthy travel a luxury many districts could not afford. The days of 100 or more bands participating in the 70’s and 80’s were gone.
Still, fewer in numbers but no less melodic or enthusiastic, the bands played on.
Mr. Toot with two unidentified musicians
N 43 01.955 W 93 10.900