Notable entertainers and guests from the the early years of Veishea:

1945: Entertainer Bob Hope judged the Veishea Queen Contest

1947: Bob Hope returns and is joined by actor-singer Bing Crosby to crown the Veishea Queen

1948: Count Basie and His Orchestra perform for the Veishea Dance

1950: President Harry Truman lit the Veishea torch in Ottumwa

1950: Bob Hope returned a third time to crown the Veishea Queen

1950: World heavyweight Jack Dempsey judges the “Villain of Villains” — the winner won a role in the Stars Over Veishea play

1951: Secretary General to the United Nations Trygue Lie is grand marshal

1952: Duke Ellington and His Band perform for the Veishea Dance

1952: Director Cecil B. DeMille lit the Veishea torch and was the Veishea speaker

1958: Then-actor and Iowa native Ronald Reagan was grand marshal and guest speaker

1959: Count Basie and His Orchestra headline the Veishea Dance a second time

1963: Vice President Lyndon B. Johnson lit the Veishea torch in Washington, D.C.

1963: Iowa native and playwight Meredith Willson attended the Stars Over Veishea performance of “The Music Man” — which he wrote

1964: U.S. Supreme Court Justice Earl Warren is grand marshal

1966: Astronaunt Capt. Allen D. Shepard, Jr. lit the Veishea torch at NASA Headquarters in Houston, Tex.

1967: Iowa native and actor John Wayne lit the torch

1968: Peter, Paul, and Mary perform

1969: Diana Ross and the Supremes performed two concerts for Veishea

1973: Sonny and Cher perform

1974: The Spinners perform

1975: John Denver performs

1979: Billy Joel performs

1980: The Who performs