The seventh-annual “spring fling” on the grounds of the governor’s mansion in Des Moines will feature a circus theme and gives the governor a break from the goofy costumes. The Spring Fling is one of First Lady Christie Vilsack’s projects, a day to tout literacy by opening the lawn of the governor’s mansion to children and their parents, with lots of Vilsack administration folks dressed as characters from a book.
In past years Mrs. Vilsack has convinced her husband to don a Winnie the Pooh outfit and he once dressed as The Scarecrow from The Wizard of Oz. Last year his costume was less joke-worthy. Vilsack dressed as Old King Cole. This year he’ll dress as the ringmaster, to follow the circus theme inspired by the Dr. Seuss book “If I Ran the Circus.”
Mrs. Vilsack plans to dress as an equestrian acrobat. There’ll be a petting zoo, jugglers, gymnasts, a dog show, miniature ponies and storytellers stationed around the grounds of Terrace Hill.