More than music

The Mission Creek Festival brings literary readings, music performances, public lectures and local food to downtown Iowa City. The festival has expanded in its ninth year to encompass the new Mission Creek Tech + Innovation Conference and a film series co-curated by FilmScene.

For six days from Tuesday through April 6, the festival uses downtown bookstores, clothing stores, cafes and performance spaces, sometimes in unique ways as is the case with the book fair held each year at The Mill bar and restaurant.

Music meets literature when former Drive-By Truckers guitarist/songwriter Jason Isbell, who will perform Friday as part of the festival, also will interact with Iowa City's literary community on Thursday at Motley Cow.

The festival's literary lineup also includes writer-in-residence Brian Evenson and two-time National Book Award nominee Rachel Kushner, fresh off the release of her acclaimed 2013 novel “The Flamethrowers.”

TUESDAY

• Leslie Jamison, 6 p.m. Prairie Lights Books, 15 S. Dubuque St., free (See book review below.)

WEDNESDAY

• Kembrew McLeod, 6 p.m. Prairie Lights Books, free

THURSDAY

• Jason Isbell and Lindsay Hunter,
• 4 p.m. Motley Cow Cafe, free
• Sarabande's 20th Anniversary Reading, 6 p.m. Prairie Lights Books, free
• Molly O'Neill, Pulitzer Prize-nominated food writer and editor, 6 p.m. Devotay, 117 N. Linn St., $50, (319) 354-1001
• Slow Collision and Little Village Reading, 8 p.m. Trumpet Blossom Cafe, 310 E. Prentiss St., free

FRIDAY

• Lit Crawl, 5 p.m., Downtown Iowa City, free

SATURDAY

• Book Fair, 11 a.m., The Mill, free
• Q-AND-A with Rachel Kushner, noon, Prairie Lights Books, free
• Rachel Kushner, 6 p.m. The Mill, free
• earthwords Release, 7 p.m. Prairie Lights Books, free