OTTUMWA — The well-known Des Moines band “The Nadas” will be the finale of a week’s worth of events for The Ottumwa Courier’s 160th Anniversary Party on Aug. 30.

“This concert is really a culmination of a full week’s worth of events,” Courier Advertising Manager Dan Canny said. “We really hope everyone comes out to help us celebrate. We just wanted to do something out of the ordinary to show our customers how much we appreciate their support.”

There is a charge for the concert to be held outside at Bridge View Center.

However, events leading up to the concert are free.

The Courier is inviting everyone to attend The Beach Ottumwa, free, for three hours on Friday night, Aug. 29.

Before that, the Courier will host picnics with free food at a different Ottumwa park Monday through Thursday, Aug. 25-28. It will give Courier readers and Ottumwa residents a chance to meet Courier employees and visit with them about the newspaper.

The Nadas’ fame is growing

The Nadas may not be very well known in southeast Iowa, but are well known in other areas of the state and country.

The band started in 1993 when Mike Butterworth and Jason Walsmith were students at Iowa State University.

“I was in a band that was looking for a guitar player and [Butterworth] auditioned for it, and he got the job,” Walsmith said.

Soon after the two left and became an acoustic duo.

“We were the first two to start the band,” Walsmith said.

They later added more members to the band and became “The Nadas.”

The five members include: Mike Butterworth, guitar and vocals; Jon Locker, bass; Ian Shepherd, drums; Jason Walsmith, vocal and guitar; and Ross VanderWerf, guitar and keyboard.

The group is based out of Des Moines, and band members are from all over the state, from Spirit Lake to Pella, and one member from Indiana.