Herky on Parade to feature 100 statues including TMNT, Transformers-inspired designs
The newest wave of Herkys are ready for their debut.
Think Iowa City's 20th-anniversary installment of Herky on Parade kicks off Wednesday, May 1 with 100 statues of the University of Iowa's mascot scattered across the Iowa City and Coralville corridor.
The big reveal will be held at 10 a.m. on Wednesday. Photos, artist descriptions and statue locations will all be available on HerkyonParade3.com later that morning.
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A birthday celebration
Originally, only 75, six-foot-tall statues were meant to commemorate Herky's 75th birthday in 2023.
Think Iowa City leadership increased that number to 100 after 150 area artists submitted more than 260 designs.
This year's statues draw inspiration from the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Rosy the Riveter, and the Transformers series, among others. Many designs draw on area icons and popular culture. At least one of the statues was designed entirely by students from an area high school.
The Herkys will be on display in the community through August. A few miniature versions of the 6-foot-tall statues will be sold, and posters and merch will be available throughout the summer.
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On the hunt for Herky
Think Iowa City President Josh Schamberger also teased a "special treasure hunt" in a release, with additional details coming soon.
Herky on Parade first started in 2004 and returned a decade later in 2014.
Statues will be located across Johnson County, in typical spots like downtown Iowa City, Coralville, and North Liberty. Herky on Parade will feature statues in Tiffin and Solon for the first time.
"No question, people will be blown away by some of these designs," Schamberger said.
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A new pose for a new generation of Herky
The third edition statues will hold their right fist up high, “ready to charge."
The 2014 edition of Herky on Parade included 83 statues. This year's project will have an additional 17 statues.
“It's hard to believe that it's been 20 years since we first ‘took to the streets' with Herky on Parade in 2004,” Think Iowa City president Josh Schamberger said in a statement in September. “In 2014, Herky, the mascot, got a new makeover, which we celebrated with the rollout of Herky on Parade 2.0. I recall several of us joking about how we'd be too old to do this again on a 20th anniversary.
Well, here it is 10 years later, and we're energized and excited to do it all over again."
Ryan Hansen covers local government and crime for the Press-Citizen. He can be reached at rhansen@press-citizen.com or on X, formerly known as Twitter, @ryanhansen01.
This article originally appeared on Iowa City Press-Citizen: Herky on Parade's 20th anniversary to have 100 statues by area artists
