On February 5, 2013, Iida became one of the few Japanese cities to have a roundabout. Iida has a mayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and a unicameral city legislature of 23 members. Iida was traditionally known for sericulture and the production of "mizuhiki", a traditional art form using knotted cords. In the modern era, the economy of Iida centers on horticulture, notably pears and apples, and the production of precision instruments and electronics. Iida has 19 public elementary schools and ten public middle schools. There are four public high schools operated by the Nagano Prefectural Board of Education and one private high school. Since 1979 the city of Iida has hosted the Iida Puppetry Festival, a major event that is the largest of its kind in Japan, with over 200 traditional and contemporary troupes from all over Japan and abroad participating in the annual four-day festival in early August. In 2008 the city hosted a nine-day version of the festival with expanded international participation to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the puppetry festival. Iida's connection to the traditional Japanese puppet theater commonly known as "ningyō jōruri" or "Bunraku" goes back more than 300 years. Four traditional puppet troupes are located in or near Iida: the Imada Puppet Troupe, Kuroda Puppet Troupe, the Furuta Puppets, and the Waseda Puppets. In June, the "Saiwai Shimoina Wadaiko Festival", a major taiko drum festival takes place in Iida. Each year, top drum groups perform at the "Super Show" while amateur groups perform at the "Fringe Festival." Beginning in July, there are many festivals at local shrines. One aspect of these festivals that surprises visitors is the quantity of fireworks. One of the biggest and most spectacular displays of fireworks is the Tōrō-nagashi festival, in Tokimata, held around the 16th of August. The fireworks are also shot off on the surface of the Tenryū River. Another important festival in Iida is Oneri Matsuri, which is held every seventh year (the last being 2016, the next in March, 2022), a massive four-day event, most famous for the "shi-shi" lion dance. Iida has adopted the apple as its symbol. One of the city's largest festivals is the Ringo Matsuri (Apple Festival), held every year in early August, and Iida's Ringo Namiki-dori (a street lined with apple trees) is tended by students of the city's Higashi Middle School.