Action-packed Summer of the Arts lineups set

Iowa City is gearing up for another action-packed Summer of the Arts celebration, featuring free Saturday night movies on the Pentacrest; free Friday night concerts on the Ped Mall; the Iowa Arts Festival in June; the Iowa City Jazz Festival over the July Fourth weekend; and Sand in the City, a blend of sand sculptures, food, arts and entertainment in late August.

For more information: http://www.summerofthearts.org/

FREE MOVIE SERIES

Movies start at sunset on the Pentacrest, by Macbride Hall; music and special activities may be offered beforehand.

June 12: “Shrek” (animated; PG; 89 minutes; 2000)

Beautiful princesses, handsome princes, witches, ogres, and fire-breathing dragons turn up in almost every fairy tale. They're all in this computer-animated adventure, but their roles and the plot twists are anything but expected.

June 19: “Forrest Gump” (PG-13; 137 minutes; 1994)

June 26: “Footloose” (PG; 107 minutes; 1984) with Iowa City Community Band

When a city boy (Kevin Bacon) moves to a small Midwestern town, he discovers some disappointing news: rock music and dancing are forbidden by the local government. Determined to bring some ‘80s-style life into the town, he sets about changing the rules and eventually enlists the help of the daughter of the man responsible for the law.

July 10: “The Dark Knight” (PG-13; 152 minutes; 2008)

Batman (Christian Bale) faces a rising psychopath criminal called The Joker (Heath Ledger), whose eerie grin belies a dangerous agenda.

July 17: “Bring It On” (PG-13; 98 minutes; 2000) with Hawk All-Stars and West High Cheerleaders

Torrance Shipman (Kirsten Dunst) is captain of her high school's cheerleading squad and they're off to the championships to compete for their sixth consecutive title. She has everything going for her until she discovers that her squad's routine was stolen from an inner-city hip-hop squad from Los Angeles.

July 24: “Twister” (PG-13; 114 minutes; 1996)

A team of brave scientists (Helen Hunt and Bill Paxton) "hunt" tornadoes to learn how to predict them. (Some scenes filmed in Iowa.)

July 31: “Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets” (PG; 161 minutes; 2002)

The world's most popular wizard – Harry Potter – returns for his second year at Hogwart's with his friends Ron and Hermione, despite a warning from house elf Dobby that great danger awaits him. 

Aug. 7: Rain Date OR “Singin' in the Rain” (Not Rated; 102 minutes; 1952)

Considered by many to be the finest musical comedy of all-time, this film looks at the time when movies were changing from silent to talkies. The songs range from the hilarious "Make 'em Laugh," performed by Donald O'Connor, to the delicate "You Were Meant for Me" and the show-stopping "Singin' in the Rain" solo by Gene Kelly.

Aug. 14: “Finding Nemo” (animated; G; 100 minutes; 2003)

Pixar takes us under the sea to the world of clownfish, Marlin, and his son, Nemo.  When the defiant Nemo takes off from his dad and gets captured by a tropical fish-seeker, he finds himself stuck in a fishbowl in a dentist's office. Marlin and his well-meaning but wacky friend, Dory, embark on an epic journey to find his son.

FRIDAY NIGHT CONCERT SERIES

Ped Mall, Weatherdance Fountain Stage

May 21:  City High and West High Jazz Programs

May 28: 20

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Anniversary Reunion Show featuring Dave Moore; David Zollo & The Body Electric; and Shame Train (folk, soul, roots rock)

June 11: Bambu (world beats) and Awful Purdies (bluegrass and more)

June 18: The Diplomats of Solid Sound, Featuring The Diplomettes (soul, funk, dance music)

June 25: Iowa Summer Music Camp Jazz Combos

July 9: Euforquestra (Afro-Caribbean-barnyard-funk)

July 16: The Recliners (pop, rock and more) and Turkana (Turkish music)

July 23: B.F. Burt and the Instigators (funky musical cocktail of blues, funk, soul and R&B)

July 30: Amanda Miller and the Smoking Sextion (R&B, soul, funk) and Clean Livin' (rock, Americana band)

Aug. 6: Burlington Street Bluegrass

Aug. 13: The Beaker Brothers (post-psychedelic, proto-alternative, protest music, and retro)

Aug. 27: Orchestra Alto Maiz (Latin-jazz dance band)

Sept. 10: Uniphonics (jazz-funk infused hip-hop) and Minus Six (story-telling, swing dancing, slow dancing, sing-alongs)

Sept. 17: Big Funk Guarantee (funk, horns, organ, dirty grooves).

IOWA ARTS FESTIVAL

Main Stage downtown

June 4:

7 p.m. Sarah Jarosz (bluegrass); 9 p.m. Darrell Scott (alt country)

June 5: noon Dustin Busch (country blues); 1:30 p.m. Radoslav Lorkovic (piano); 3 p.m. The Pines (roots, indie-rock, folk, blues); 4:30 p.m. Jeffrey Foucault (folk-alt); 7 p.m. The Honeydogs (psychedelia, power pop, folk-rock, jazz); 9 p.m. Sonny Landreth (blues/New Orleans/rock infused guitar)

IOWA CITY JAZZ FESTIVAL

Main Stage downtown

July 2: 4:30 p.m. United Jazz Ensemble (City and West High students); 6 p.m. U.S. Army Blues; 8 p.m. Bob Washut Dream Band

July 3: 2 p.m. Equilateral (rock, folk, jazz); 4 p.m. Public Property (gospel, reggae and ska mix); 6 p.m. Gabriel Espinosa's “From Yucatan to Rio”; 8 p.m. Roswell Rudd's Trombone Tribe; jam at the Mill Restaurant afterward

 July 4: 2 p.m. Koplant No (jazz, electronic and progressive rock); 4 p.m. Lake Street Dive; 6 p.m. Paul Smoker Notet (horn); 8 p.m. Dr. Lonnie Smith Trio; fireworks at 9:45 p.m. in Hubbard Park.

SAND IN THE CITY

Downtown

Aug. 20: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. sand sculpting competition; 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Culinary Row and children's sand pit open; 4 p.m. sand sculptures judging and FUN Zone open; 5 to 6:30 p.m. entertainment; 5:30 or 5:45 p.m. Team Trophy presentations; 7 to 9 p.m. music by Funk Stop

Aug. 21: 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Culinary Row, FUN Zone and children's sand pit open; 4 p.m. music by Grooveship; 6:30 to 8 p.m. entertainment

Aug. 22: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Culinary Row, FUN Zone, children's sand pit open; entertainment to be announced