The city of Ames will continue to keep itself busy this weekend as it hosts the 37th Annual Iowa Shrine Bowl on Saturday.

While the Iowa Games continue Saturday and Sunday, Ames will see even more visitors for the north-south all-star game that showcases the top football talent in Iowa.

After moving around the state to places like Davenport and Sioux City, the Shrine Bowl landed in Ames a few years ago, staying for the convenient location.

“Most of the players and cheerleaders are still playing baseball and softball,” said Jerry Hoffman, general manager of the Shrine Bowl. “Having the game centrally located in Ames means the athletes and cheerleaders can get back to their other activities.”

Two incoming ISU players will also participate in the game. Josh Lenz, a wide receiver from Dubuque, and Jake Knott, a linebacker out of Waukee, will get an early look at the experience of playing in Jack Trice Stadium. The two future Cyclones could possibly see direct action against one another as Lenz is playing for the northern team and Knott is playing for the southern team.

In addition to displaying the top prep football talent in Iowa, the Shrine Bowl also serves as a fundraiser for the Shriners Hospitals for Children.

The program focuses on care for children with burns, orthopedic issues, cleft lip and palate and spinal chord injuries.

The Shrine Bowl supports five of the 22 nationwide Shriners Hospitals in Chicago, Minneapolis, St. Louis, Cincinnati and Galveston, Texas.

Players and cheerleaders from Iowa took a trip to the Shriners Hospital in Minneapolis earlier in the week to get a first-hand look at what the money raised from the game accomplishes. Among many presentations, they also met a young girl who had benefited from the free care the Shriners Hospitals offer.

“We take them up to the hospital every year to show them what they play for,” Hoffman said.

While the game shows off Iowa’s talent and supports a good cause, Hoffman said the experience of the game and the week leading up to it is the real reward.

“I believe it’s the highlight in the football career of the players,” Hoffman said. “I’ve talked to guys who have gone on to play college and even professional football who still recall the time they spent and the friendships they made in the Shrine Bowl.”

Festivities will begin at 9:30 a.m. Saturday with a parade down Main Street. The game will begin at 7 p.m. with doors opening at 5:30 p.m.

General admission tickets are $10 per person and will be available at the west gate of Jack Trice Stadium.

Shrine Bowl

7 p.m. Saturday

Jack Trice Stadium

Tickets available for $10 at the west gate of Jack Trice