After doing some shopping in downtown Le Mars, let’s head over to the Browns Century Theater for wholesome, family-friendly show. Throughout the year, the Brown family put on Easter celebrations, Christmas carols, and holiday events.
After doing some shopping in downtown Le Mars, let’s head over to the Browns Century Theater for wholesome, family-friendly show. Throughout the year, the Brown family put on Easter celebrations, Christmas carols, and holiday events. They even travel world-wide, but with Covid-19 they have primarily stayed close to home this past year, which means more chances for you to enjoy an afternoon or evening singing along to some familiar favorites.
During this month, my husband and I decided to take a weekend off from our jobs, and plan a day trip over to Le Mars. On our list of things to do in this small town of just under 10,000 was to pay a visit to the Brown’s Theater and enjoy a Saint Patty’s Day show.
Local attraction
Not knowing what to expect, I was initially surprised at how small the theater was, but then I was also surprised at how well maintained it was. For such a small city as Le Mars, I would not expect a talented singing quartet to call this place home.
Most people think of traveling to larger cities when planning a trip to see a live performance, but just thirty minutes up the road, you can enjoy a two-hour performance of singing, dancing and fiddle playing. Arriving on the weekend after St. Patrick’s Day, we were on the tail-end of an Irish-themed medley of song and dance.
Celtic musical and a history lesson
We enjoyed the matriarch of the family, Shelly Brown, and her three children, singing Irish songs such as You Raise Me Up, Danny Boy, and my mom’s personal favorite Amazing Grace. We learned bits of history of Ireland, the struggle of the Irish people during the Potato Famine (which lasted six years!), and the story of St. Patrick himself.
During the intermission, guests were encouraged to make their way down to the gift shop where patrons can purchase handmade truffles, soaps and lotions, and even a copy of one of the Brown’s albums. This would make a perfect Christmas gift during the holidays, and I especially love that you can find souvenirs made only in Le Mars in this quaint little boutique.
Breaking the bank
In fact, this building, built in 1883, used to be the old bank building, and after purchasing it in 2015, the Browns have successfully renovated it into a thriving business. I love that they kept the nostalgia of this historic structure, while adding their own flare. In addition, you can view pictures of the transformation process and read more about the restoration on their website (https://thebrownstheater.com/).
And while you’re there check out their performance schedule, up-coming events and tours, make a purchase from their online gift store, and even plan to stay overnight at the Inn on Central. That’s right, not only do the Browns have a theater and gift shop, but also a peaceful retreat for travelers wanting to experience the history of Siouxland.
Plan your visit
One last thing, on their Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/thebrownstheater), as well as their website, you can plan a dinner with your show. The meal is served buffet style, and is different every time. For example, corned beef and cabbage was served in honor of the Irish heritage. And next month for Easter, they have deviled eggs, chicken salad and grilled fish. When I booked our show Saturday afternoon, there was an option to enjoy a lunch beforehand. However, we opted to not go to lunch, since we had other dinner plans, which we will visit in our next post.
Pricing differs for each show, day of the week, adult and youth pricing, and whether you would like to partake in a dinner or lunch buffet before the performance. And finally, make sure to check their website for gift shop hours of operation, and showtimes throughout the month.
712-546-5770
11 Central Ave NW
Le Mars, Iowa 51031
