Red was red hot in Des Moines!
A very un-Canadian warm front welcomed the Man in Plaid to Des Moines, Iowa on Sunday, July 27, 1997.
The only thing higher than the humidity and temperature was the excitement as a crowd of 1,500 proud Iowans welcomed their PBS hero - Red Green - to the Simon Estes Pavilion. With the line extending up stairs, around the rim and over the Locust Street bridge, Steve Smith personally welcomed each and every person who pledged support in the most recent fund raising efforts for public broadcasting.
As a show of continued appreciation, Steve Smith was awarded the honorary key to Des Moines.
Plaid everywhere
Despite the high temperatures, Steve was dressed in his trademark Possum Lodge gear, but he was by far not the only one dressed for the Candian winters. Many hearty fans came dressed in their khaki pants, plaid shirts, and creative duct tape costumes to show Red their intense loyalty. More than a few patrons came with gifts for Steve, who graciously accepted each with a smile and a handshake.
Harold was missed!
Although Iowa did win the priviledge of host both Steve and Pat McKenna, Mother Nature was not accomodating to Minneapolis as Harold was unable to make the trip to Iowa due to adverse weather conditions in Minnesota. Despite the slight disappointment, everyone had great fun throughout the day and into the evening.
