Looking for Prairie School style designs by the famous Frank Lloyd Wright, Walter Burley Griffin, William Drummond and  Francis Barry Byrne?  Look no further than Mason City, Iowa! 

A new $822,000 facility to help visitors experience and understand the significance of architecture in Mason City and to tell the story of the Frank Lloyd Wright Stockman House is underway.  This new facility, the Architectural Interpretive Center, will complement the existing Frank Lloyd Wright residential home which incorporated a clever and strong separation of public and private areas in a dwelling, and sought to include the exterior environment in both the exterior and interior of the living space. 

Preliminary plans for the Interpretive Center are inspired by a design by Walter Burley Griffin that was never built, featuring two interlocking squares.  The center will be located adjacent to the Frank Lloyd Wright Stockman House and lie just to the north of the Rock Crest/Rock Glen National Historic District.  This district is the largest collection of Prairie School designed homes on a unified site. The project is slated to be completed in June, 2010.

Currently, Wright and Prairie School architecture enthusiasts can tour a residential home, enjoy a Prairie School Architectural Slide Show and Architectural Walking Tour.
Learn more by reading about Frank Lloyd Wright and the Mason City's Prairie School Architecture.

Tickets are available for the Pyrotechnic Guild International (PGI) fireworks shows scheduled for Aug. 9-14, 2009, at the North Iowa Fair Facility in Mason City, Iowa.

A grandstand pass for ages 11 and up, good for the Aug. 9, Aug. 11, Aug. 12 and Aug. 14 shows, is available for $45 if purchased before June 30. The price increases to $60 after June 30.

Individual tickets for the Aug. 9, Aug. 11 and Aug. 12 shows are available for $10 per person. The price will increase to $15 per person after June 30. Children 10 and under will be admitted free.

Individual tickets for the Aug. 14 show are available for $15 per person. The price will increase to $20 per person after June 30. No children's discount is available for this show. Tickets are required for people to park at the fair facility for all shows.

Grandstand seating for the Aug. 10 show is free and no advance notification is required. However, parking at the fair facility will cost $10 per car load and no walk-ins will be permitted. On Aug. 10th, competition shells will be featured. There will be no synchronized fireworks displays. Instead, competitors from PGI will shoot one fireworks shell at a time competing for an award.

Ticket order forms are available at www.VisitMasonCityIowa.com/pgi.htm.

PGI is a non-profit organization founded in 1969.  It is an independent, worldwide association of amateur and professional fireworks enthusiasts.  PGI’s membership consists of approximately 4,000 members whose mission is to promote the safe use of pyrotechnics; encourage public and private pyrotechnics; promote the production and sale of high quality pyrotechnics; and channel the creative energies of talented people into the design, production and display of high quality pyrotechnics through the

More than 3,700 convention attendees are expected to attend the seven-day convention.  The convention is a family oriented event that offers programs and entertainment for Pyrotechnics Guild International members.  Many technical seminars and classes will be scheduled for the PGI members during the week plus demonstrations, a trade show, an art show, kids programs and the opportunity to shoot fireworks in competition, purchase and sell fireworks and related items.  In addition to the PGI convention delegates, area residents will be invited to attend spectacular nightly firework displays.  “Everyone will be given the chance to see one-of-a-kind fireworks, incredible ground and aerial displays and exciting competition,” noted Ray Garris, Site Coordinator. “Demonstrations of products never seen before in the United States are one of the many event highlights.”

For more information regarding the Pyrotechnic Guild International visit www.pgi.org.  Only members of PGI are afforded access to the convention and only members can purchase fireworks.  To be eligible to attend the ‘member only’ convention, membership dues to PGI must be paid between January 1, 2009 and June 1, 2009.

(Contributing Resource: Mason City Globe Gazette)