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The second day was all about play. A makeshift obstacle course, built from hay bales and wooden planks, turned the fields into a battleground of friendly competition. The “Grandpa Jim Relay”—where participants carried a sack of feed while reciting a family proverb—ended with more giggles than triumphs, and the prize was a handmade wooden spoon engraved with “Nelson Strong.”

Evening brought a bonfire. As the flames danced, Nelson recited a poem he’d written about his father’s hands—calloused, steady, and always ready to build. The verses were accompanied by Karla’s acoustic guitar, and soon the whole crowd joined in a chorus of “Cielito Lindo,” their voices rising in unison and echoing across the fields. The moment felt like an auditory tapestry, weaving together Spanish, English, and the occasional dialect from the older generation.

While other reunions might opt for fancy catering, Karla insists on a potluck—but with a twist. The main dish is always sloppy joes, a nod to that first rainy picnic in 1985. However, the side dishes are a competition. The "Golden Ladle Award" is given to the best side dish, and past winners have included Deep-Fried Deviled Eggs, Grandma’s Rhubarb Crisp, and an infamous "Jell-O salad from 1974 that won’t die." karla+nelson+family+reunion

During this decade, the reunion was held at Karla’s farmhouse. Activities included a softball game in the north forty, a watermelon seed-spitting contest, and a "show-and-tell" where families bragged about new jobs, new babies, or new marriages. The primary rule was simple: No politics, no grudges.

Karla’s famous “Southern‑Style Fried Chicken” went head‑to‑head with Nelson’s legendary “Grandma June’s Chili” in what we’re now calling The Great Grill-Off. The judges? A panel of impartial toddlers who, after a few bites, declared both dishes “YUM!” and demanded seconds. The second day was all about play

Highlights:

Every great family tree has a strong root system. For the Nelsons, that root is Karla Nelson. Now 78 years old, Karla is a retired schoolteacher from rural Iowa who, over the last four decades, has transformed a simple family picnic into a sprawling, three-day institution. While other reunions might opt for fancy catering,

Karla’s story began in the 1960s when she married Thomas Nelson, a quiet farmer with a boisterous family of seven siblings. In the early years, the extended Nelson clan would only gather for funerals or Christmas Eve—occasions that were often rushed or tinged with sadness. Karla, believing that families should celebrate life together, organized the first official reunion in 1985 in her own backyard.

"We had 22 people that first year," Karla recalls in the family’s self-published cookbook, Recipes & Remembrances. "I burned the baked beans and it rained. But nobody left early. I knew then we had something special."

Today, the Karla Nelson Family Reunion draws between 150 and 200 relatives from 12 different states, ranging from newborn great-great-grandchildren to Karla’s own 99-year-old aunt, Margaret.