Iowa Soul Festival a celebration of African and African-American cultures

IOWA CITY - Summer of the Arts is planning a jam-packed weekend filled with art, music and food celebrating African and African-American cultures.

The annual Iowa Soul Festival kicks off with the Friday Night Concert Series at 6:30 p.m. featuring The Maytags and The Candymakers, followed by the Capital City Steppers at 9 p.m. and Black to the Future Fashion Show at 9:30 p.m., all on Iowa Avenue at the north end of the Pentacrest. The evening wraps up with Soul Shake in an affiliated event at 10 p.m. at Gabe's, 330 E. Washington St.

Activities move down the block on Iowa Avenue for a full day of fun on Saturday (8/18). The Main Stage will be set up on Iowa Avenue near the intersection with Dubuque Street, where you can catch a wide range local, regional and national talent.

Iowa Avenue also will be filled with food vendors, local artists and activities for kids, including spin art.

Saturday's events actually begin indoors, with a Black Business Leaders Panel at 10 a.m. at MERGE, 136 S. Dubuque St. on the Ped Mall, followed by a Black Authors Panel at 11 a.m. at Prairie Lights Books, 15 S. Dubuque St., and back to MERGE for a new event, Lived Experiences Barbershop Panel at 11:30 p.m.

Activities head back outdoors at 11 a.m. with artists and kids' FUN Stops and the Culinary Corner all opening on Iowa Avenue. Music and dance presentations begin at 12:30 p.m. on the main stage, including Kingdom Center Choir, Dream Divas, and Petit Afro African Singers and Dancers.

University of Iowa Jazz Professor Damani Phillips and his band will bring an upbeat vibe to the main stage at 7 p.m., followed by The Front Page Band at 9 p.m. Affiliated events continue at 10:30 p.m. with DJ Freeze at Gabe's and a hip-hop show at the Yacht Club, 13 S. Linn St.

Saturday night's Free Movie Series offers up the blockbuster hit 'Black Panther” at sundown, between 8:15 and 8:30 p.m., so bring your chairs and blankets to catch this free film on the UI Pentacrest in front of Macbride Hall, 17 N. Clinton St.

GET OUT!

WHAT: Iowa Soul Festival

WHERE: Downtown Iowa City

WHEN: 6:30 to after 10 p.m. Friday (8/17) and 10 a.m. to after 10:30 p.m. Saturday (8/18)

ADMISSION: Free

DETAILS: Summerofthearts.org/sota-events/iowa-soul-festival/