116 3rd St SE
Cedar Rapids, Iowa 52401
Fun in the sun around Eastern Iowa and beyond
Celebrations ready to make a splash spring to fall
Mark your calendars — these are just some of the many 2023 fairs, festivals and special events happening in Eastern Iowa and beyond. Don’t see your event here? Be sure to add it the listings at HooplaNow.com.
MAY things to do in Eastern Iowa
May 4-6: Tulip Time, downtown Pella. Celebration of Dutch heritage, with tulips, Dutch attire, food, grandstand shows, Friday night fireworks, 2:30 and 8:30 p.m. parade Saturday. visitpella.com/tulip_time/
May 6: Craft Fair: Spring Edition, Central Park, 107 W. Washington St., Washington. Food, craft vendors, and a fashion show. Event calendar at washingtoniowa.gov/
May 6 & 7: Chalk the Walk, Mount Vernon, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. First Street turns into a giant canvas, as hundreds of artists will leave their mark there, using more than a half-ton of chalk. mvaac.org/chalkthewalk
May 6 & 7: Amana Colonies Maifest, 622 46th Ave., Amana. Celebrate spring in the German tradition with music, dancing, food, 10 a.m. parade Saturday, and more. amanacolonies.com/things-to-do/festivals/maifest/
May 13: Coralville Asian Festival, noon to 6 p.m., S.T. Morrison Park, 1513 Fifth St.; free. Music, arts and crafts, food, workshops, performances, education and more. Search Coralville Asian Festival in facebook.com
May 17: Syttende Mai, Vesterheim Norwegian-American Museum, 502 W. Water St., 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Celebrating Norway’s Constitution Day; storytelling, 1 p.m. children’s parade, Nordic Dancers at 1:35 p.m., history programs, tours. vesterheim.org/program/syttende-mai-2023/
May 19-21: 45th annual Houby Days, 16th Avenue SW, Cedar Rapids. Czech Village tradition features morel mushrooms, live music, traditional Czech-Slovak events, 10 a.m. parade Saturday, royal court and more. czechvillagecedarrapids.com/houbydays
May 20: Marion Arts Festival, Uptown Marion, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Seventh Avenue between 10th and 12th streets. Juried arts show with artist booths, food, half marathon 5K fun run and walk, hands-on clay activities and more. marionartsfestival.com/
May 20: Marion Community Kite Festival, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Baseball all Diamonds at Lowe Park, 4401 Irish Dr., Marion; free. With giant kits from Great American Kites. cityofmarion.org/
May 20 & 21: Farm to Film Fest, 205 W. Main St., Washington. Free family film event featuring diverse genres. Event calendar at washingtoniowa.gov/
May 25: Taste of Lansing, 274 Main St., Lansing. Food festival in downtown Lansing. allamakeecounty.com/events/taste-of-lansing
May 27 & 28: Bentonsport Flea Market & Craft Show, Bentonsport Historic District, 21964 Hawk Drive, Bentonsport. Antiques, crafts, food, covered wagon rides and more. villagesofvanburen.com/calendar.html
May 27-29 and June 3 & 4: Spring Iowa Renaissance Festival, Middle Amana Community Park, 801 27th Ave, Middle Amana. Comedy, swordplay, music, magic, horseback jousting, marketplace, food and drink. iowarenfest.com/
JUNE events in Eastern Iowa
June 1-3: Manchester River Days, 200 E. Main St., Manchester. Food, vendors, music, 5K run, float parade and more. manchesteriowa.org/events/manchester-river-days/
June 3: Marion Kiwanis BBQ Rendezvous, 11 a.m., Lowe Park, 4500 N. 10th St., Marion. Food vendors, live music, kids activities; free admission.
June 2-4: St. Joseph Fun Days, St. Joseph Church, 1790 14th St., Marion. Carnival rides, kids games, fun run and 5K race, live music, games, country store, food, adult beverage tent and more. Free admission. stjosephfundays.org/
June 2-4: Iowa Arts Festival, downtown Iowa City. Downtown. Local and national artists, food, kids’ activities, local and national musicians; free admission. summerofthearts.org/
June 2-4: Denmark Heritage Days, Denmark. Custom cars and pickups, gas engines, antique tractors, music, yard sales, food, 1 p.m. tractor parade Saturday and Sunday, games. denmarkproduction.wixsite.com/denmarkheritagedays
June 3 and July 22: Colonies in Bloom, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Amana Colonies. self-guided garden tour, with printed maps of locations; Garden Party to follow. amanacolonies.com/things-to-do/events/themed-weekends/colonies-in-bloom/
June 3: Iowa Craft Brew Festival, Lauridsen Amphitheater at Water Works Park, 2201 George Flagg Pkwy., Des Moines. Iowa’s largest brewing festival features craft beer and cider, food trucks, live music. iowabeer.org/icbf
June 9 & July 14: Downtown Summer Nights, First Avenue, Dyersville. Music, games and cold beverages. dyersville.org/events/
June 9-11: Farmington Strawberry Festival, South Front Street, Farmington. Rides, games, live entertainment, vendors and more in downtown Farmington. villagesofvanburen.com/calendar.html
June 10-17: Juneteenth events, organized by the African American Museum of Iowa, Cedar Rapids. Events in various metro-area locations; including Juneteenth Commemoration with live performances June 17 at NewBo City Market, 1100 Third St. SE, Cedar Rapids. blackiowa.org/events/juneteenth/
June 14-July 4: Cedar Rapids Freedom Festival, various sites around Cedar Rapids. Tribute to Heroes, Balloon Glow, DockDogs, 10 a.m. parade June 24, movie at the ballpark, music; July 4 pancake breakfast, car show, concert and fireworks. freedomfestival.com/events/
June 16 & 17: Lawler Irish Fest, downtown Lawler. Irish music and dance, classic rock and country bands, kilt contest, food, games, 1 p.m. parade Saturday; admission $5 per day. lawleririshfest.com/
June 17: Wurst Festival, 622 46th Ave., Amana. Celebrating German sausage-making traditions with food, games, contests and the Dachshund Derby. amanacolonies.com/things-to-do/festivals/wurst-festival/
June 18: Snake Alley Art Fair, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Snake Alley, Sixth and Columbia streets, Burlington. Live music, art, food and kids’ activities. btownart.com/snake-alley-art-fair.html
June 23 & 24: Fairfax USA Days, Fairfax. 5K, food, street market, movie in the park, kids’ rides, games, Friday street dance, 11:30 a.m. parade Saturday., fireworks 9:30 p.m. Saturday. thebankhere.com/usadays
June 23 & 24: TrekFest, Riverside. Theme: Quark’s Bar. Games, 10 a.m. Saturday parade, costume contest, “Star Trek” celebrity meet-and-greet with Chase Masterson, Lolita Fatjo and John Paladin, fireworks. trekfest.org/
June 23-25: 25th Annual Des Moines Arts Festival, Western Gateway Park, 1200 Grand Ave., Des Moines. Visual artists, performing artists, live music, and local food and beverage vendors. desmoinesartsfestival.org
June 24: Downtown Iowa City Block Party, 4 to 11 p.m., various sites. Food, music, games, kids’ talent show. downtowniowacity.com/events/downtown-block-party/
June 24: Lazy River Beer & Wine Festival, Marquette Riverfront, Marquette. Beer, wine, food and live music on the banks of the Mississippi River. mcgreg-marq.org/events/lazy-river-beer-and-wine-fest-1
June 28-July 2: Linn County Fair, 201 Central City Rd., Central City. With 4-H and FFA exhibits, entertainment, vendors, grandstand music, races and contests. thelinncountyfair.com/
JULY events in Eastern Iowa
July 1-4: Coralville 4thFest, S.T. Morrison Park, 1513 Seventh St. With 5K run/walk, carnival, entertainment, contests, food, free concert July 3, 10 a.m. parade July 4, fireworks. coralville.org/310/4thFest
July 3: Fireworks and Fireflies, 6 p.m., Lowe Park, 4500 N. 10th St., Marion. cityofmarion.org/recreation/parks-recreation/events/fireworks-fireflies
July 3 & 4: Celebrate Indee, RiverWalk Parks, various sites, Independence. Music, games, food, parade, fireworks. celebrateindee.com/
July 7-9: Lake Red Rock Balloonfest, Lake Red Rock, 393 Baseline Dr., Pella. Hot air balloons, live music and more. redrocklakeballoonfest.com/
July 8: Kinderfest, Amana. Games, special events. amanacolonies.com/things-to-do/events/themed-weekends/kinderfest/
July 8 & 9: Reflections of the Civil War, Seminole Valley Farm Museum, 1400 Seminole Valley Rd. NE, Cedar Rapids. Encampments, music., canon fire; $5 adults, free ages 12 and under. seminolevalleyfarmmuseum.net/reflections-of-the-civil-war.html
July 10-16: Delaware County Fair, 200 E. Acers St., Manchester. Exhibits, entertainment, food, rides and more. delawarecofair.com/
July 13-15: Walcott Truckers Jamboree, Iowa 80 Truckstop, 755 W. Iowa 80 Rd., Walcott. Antique truck display, fireworks, music and more. iowa80truckstop.com/trucker-jamboree/
July 13-16: Snake Alley Festival of Film, Burlington Capitol Theater, 211 N. Third St., Burlington. Celebration of short films from around the world. snakealleyfestivaloffilm.com/
July 15: Des Moines Water Lantern Festival, Riverview Park Amphitheater, 710 Corning Ave., Des Moines. waterlanternfestival.com/desmoines.php
July 19-23: Great Jones County Fair, 800 N. Maple St., Monticello. Concerts, rides, exhibits, food and more. greatjonescountyfair.com/
July 19-23: Allamakee County Fair, Allamakee County Fairgrounds, 705 Allamakee St., Waukon. allamakeecountyfair.org/
July 21 & 22: Solon Beef Days, Solon. Food, live entertainment and family-friendly activities. beefdays.com/
July 22: Iowa Cornbread Festival, Des Moines. cornbreadiowa.com
July 22 to 29: RAGBRAI, Annual bicycle ride across Iowa, Sioux City to Davenport. Overnight stops in Storm Lake, Carroll, Ames, Des Moines, Tama-Toledo, Coralville. ragbrai.com/
July 23-26: Johnson County Fair, 4261 Oak Crest Hill Rd. SE, Iowa City. Watch for details at thejohnsoncountyfair.com/
July 27-29: Nordic Fest, 507 W. Water St., Decorah. Celebration of Scandinavian heritage, culture and food. nordicfest.com/
July 28 & 29: Walker Pickle Days, City Park, Walker. Celebrating town’s 150th anniversary; 5K and fun run, fireworks and more. facebook.com/pickledays
July 28-Aug. 5: National Balloon Classic, National Balloon Classic Memorial Balloon Field, 15335 Jewell St., Indianola. View more than 100 hot air balloons, balloon competitions, balloon rides and more. nationalballoonclassic.com/
AUGUST things to do in Eastern Iowa
August 1-6: Great Mississippi Valley Fair, Mississippi Valley Fairgrounds, 2815 W. Locust St., Davenport. Rides, shows, 4-H exhibits, music and more. mvfair.com/
August 4 & 5: Hoover’s Hometown Days, West Branch. Hoover-Ball championships, music, entertainment, rides, games, food, parade and more. hooverdays.org/
August 4-6: Iowa Irish Fest, Lincoln Park area, downtown Waterloo. iowairishfest.com/
August 4-6: Pufferbilly Days, 903 Story St., Boone. Family-friendly activities and entertainment celebrating the city’s railroad history. boonecountychamber.com/pufferbilly-days/
August 10-20: Iowa State Fair, Iowa State Fairgrounds, 3000 E. Grand Ave., Des Moines. Food, entertainment, livestock shows and more. iowastatefair.org/
August 11-13: St. Jude Sweet Corn Festival, St. Jude Catholic Church, 50 Edgewood Rd. NW, Cedar Rapids. Watch for details: judes5.wixsite.com/judesweetcornfest
August 12: J40 Farm Crawl, Route J40, 18517 Country Road J40, Keosauqua. Farm tours, wagon rides, Amish School breakfast, glass blowing, and more. villagesofvanburen.com/calendar.html
August 17-19: Sauerkraut Days, Lisbon. facebook.com/lisbonsauerkrautdays
August 18-20: Czech Days, Holy Trinity Parish of Protivin. Contests, music, antique tractor and car show, food, Saturday parade 10:30 a.m., Sunday Polka Mass 10:30 a.m. christourhopecluster.com/holy-trinity.html
August 19: Bourbon and Blues Festival, McGrath Amphitheatre, Cedar Rapids. lcbs.org/bourbon-and-blues-festival
August 19 & 20: World War II Remembered, Seminole Valley Farm Museum, 1400 Seminole Valley Rd. NE, Cedar Rapids. Visit with veterans, see artifacts, weapons demonstration or skirmish, and more; free admission, donations accepted for Honor Flight. seminolevalleyfarmmuseum.net/world-war-ii-remebered.html
August 18 & 19: Model A Day, Amana. Features 80 to 100 Model A vehicles, food, entertainment. amanacolonies.com/things-to-do/events/themed-weekends/model-a-day/
August 26: Independence BrewBQ, RiverWalk Parks, Independence. Barbecue vendors, live music, craft brew zone, bike ride. brewbq.org/
August 26: Boomtown Vinton. Boom-Fest 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. downtown; Boomtown opens 4 p.m. for evening fireworks grand display at the fairgrounds. vinton.info/boomfest/ and vintonboomtown.com/
August 31-Sept. 4: Midwest Old Threshers Reunion, 405 E. Threshers Rd., Mount Pleasant. Steam engines, antique cars, trucks, tractors, gas engines, Cavalcade of Power, horses, grandstand concerts and entertainment, food from the North Village to the Log Village. oldthreshers.org/reunion/
SEPTEMBER events in Eastern Iowa
September 1: FRYfest, Celebration of all that is Hawkeye, Iowa River Landing, Coralville. Collectors Showcase, kids activities, food trucks, outdoor concert, panel discussions, pep rally. details to come: fryfest.com/
September 2: Castalia Revival, 5 p.m., Castalia City Park. Car/tractor show; golf cart, lawn mower and UTV parade; food trucks; fireworks at dusk. Rain date: Sept. 3.
September 6-9: Tri-State Rodeo, 2103 303rd Ave., Fort Madison. Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association Great Lake Circuit, with competitions, entertainment, including Alabama concert Sept. 8. tristaterodeo.org
September 9: Fall Into Marion Parade, 10 a.m., north on 15th Street, then west on Sixth Avenue to Ninth Street. Floats, bands and more. cityofmarion.org/recreation/things-to-do/festivals/fall-into-marion
September 10: Intercultural Festival, Noon to 5 p.m., Lowe Park, 4500 N. 10th St., Marion. Stories and food from different cultures, cricket, Zumba and music. Free admission. cityofmarion.org/recreation/things-to-do/festivals/fall-into-marion
September 12: Amana Festival of the Arts, Market Barn area, 707 46th Ave., Amana. Juried fine art, folk art displays, demonstrations, sales, performances, food, kids’ activities. amanaartsguild.com/artfest/
September 15: BrewNost, National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library, 1400 Inspiration Place SW, Cedar Rapids. International beer festival, with food, drink, vendors, auction, raffle. ncsml.org/ncsml-events/brewnost/
September 16: Oktoberfest, noon to 3 p.m., Seventh Avenue, Uptown Marion. Beer samplings, music, games and more. Tickets: $40 or $60 for early access at 11 a.m. marioncc.org/oktoberfest.html
September 16: Festival Latino, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., McGrath Amphitheatre, 475 First St. SW, Cedar Rapids. Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month with a variety of local Latin-American music and entertainment; ethnic foods for purchase; local business vendors and non-profit organizations displaying their services and products. Free admission. creventslive.com/events/2023/2023-festival-latino
September 29 & 30: Kalona Fall Festival, Kalona Historical Village, 715 D Ave., Kalona. Local food, live entertainment, local artisans, quilt displays and more. kalonaiowa.org/fall-festival/
September 29-Oct. 1: Oktoberfest, 622 46th Ave., Amana. Annual tradition in the Amana Colonies. Food, beer, music and more. amanacolonies.com/things-to-do/festivals/oktoberfest/
OCTOBER things to do in Eastern Iowa
October 7: Ryan Norlin Giant Pumpkin Weigh-Off & Pumpkinfest, 203 E. Main St., Anamosa. Food, vendors, games, a parade, and giant pumpkins. anamosapumpkinfest.com/
October 7 & 8: Fall Iowa Renaissance Festival, Middle Amana Community Park, 801 27th Ave, Middle Amana. Comedy, swordplay, music, magic, horseback jousting, marketplace, food and drink. iowarenfest.com/
October 7 & 8: Fall Fest, West Branch, Main Street and Village Green Park. Games, food, sidewalk sales, Saturday night outdoor movie. mainstreetwestbranch.org/fallfest
October 7 & 8: Waverly Oktoberfest, Kohlmann Park, 212 First St. NW, Waverly. Music, food, craft beer, games and more. waverlyoktoberfest.com/
October 13-15: Scenic Drive Festival, Villages of Van Buren County, 100 Van Buren St., Keosauqua. Countywide festival with events and activities in most villages. villagesofvanburen.com/calendar.html
October 14: Arts and Antiques in Amana, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Amana Colonies. Vintage stroll through six antiques shops, plus “Amana Art Through the Generations” exhibit at Amana Heritage Museum, 705 44th Ave., Amana. Free admission.
October 14 & 15: Madison County Covered Bridge Festival, Winterset Courthouse Square, 73 Jefferson St., Winterset. Annual celebration of Madison County’s history, heritage and covered bridges. Music, food, arts and craft vendors, antique car show and more. madisoncounty.com/covered-bridge-festival-2/
October 14 & 15: Osborne Heritage Days, Osborne Pioneer Village, 29862 Osborne Rd., Elkader. Living history demonstrations, contests and other activities. claytoncountyconservation.org/heritage-days
October 14 & 15: Bentonsport RiverFest, 21964 Hawk Dr., Bentonsport. Antiques, crafts, art, food, wine tasting, music and more. villagesofvanburen.com/calendar.html
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