Packed weekend, from ‘Carmina Burana’ to Houby Days

It’s a big week for springing into performing arts, festivals and a fundraiser.

‘CARMINA BURANA’

CEDAR RAPIDS — Orchestra Iowa Maestro Timothy Hankewich has been looking forward all year to presenting “Carmina Burana.” This piece, with its famous, bombastic opening, features the orchestra plus more than 100 choir singers and three soloists, and will be performed at 7:30 p.m. Saturday at the Paramount Theatre in Cedar Rapids and at 2 p.m. Sunday at Voxman Concert Hall in Iowa City.

“That will be fun,” Hankewich said earlier in the season. “The big challenge with that is figuring out how to fit everybody on stage.”

If the title doesn’t ring a bell, “O Fortuna,” the opening to Carl Orff’s cantata, has made its way into pop culture in films like “Excalibur” and “The Hunt for Red October,” television shows from “Glee” to “Britain’s Got Talent” and in a Domino’s 2015 Super Bowl commercial as well as a commercial for Gatorade. Regardless of where you heard it — even at Brucemorchestra in 2009 — it will make the hairs on your arms stand on end.

Soloists are soprano Estelí Gomez, tenor Ben Gulley and baritone Norman Garrett.

The first half of this 2023-24 Masterworks Series finale is Barber’s Symphony No. 1, described as another “profound work known for its emotional depth and intricate melodies,” with themes that “wax and wane through darkness and light.”

Tickets are $19 to $62 in Cedar Rapids and $20 to $49 in Iowa City, all available at artsiowa.com/tickets/concerts/carmina-burana/ Student discounts also are available at the Arts Iowa Ticket Office, 119 Third Ave. SE, Cedar Rapids.

Insights discussions will be at 6:45 p.m. Saturday at the Paramount’s Encore Lounge, and at 1 p.m. Sunday at Voxman Concert Hall. Admission is free for ticket holders.

Houby Days in C.R.

CEDAR RAPIDS — Get happy like Hannah when University of Iowa women’s basketball’s hometown star, Hannah Stuelke, is the Grand Marshal for the Houby Days Parade. The event, limited to 100 entries, begins at 10 a.m. Saturday on the southeast side staging area, crossing the Bridge of Lions and continuing through Czech Village along 16th Avenue SW to C Street SW. Stuelke will be joined by Cedar Rapids Mayor Tiffany O’Donnell.

This year’s celebration, which runs from Friday through Sunday, is dedicated to the memory of Mary Kay McGrath, for her love for Czech Village and efforts to breathe new life into the village, its spirit, businesses and buildings.

According to czechvillagecedarrapids.com: “Houby (pronounced hoo-bee) is the Czech word for mushrooms. Hunting them is a major activity of the Czechs and Slovaks and they gather them by the basket full. ... Here in Cedar Rapids, we celebrate the tradition and all that it means to the Czech and Slovak. Houby are not only a source of food but they are also a fun family activity. At our Houby festival, we are also striving to bring a fun family day, filled with food, music, games, activities and Czech-Slovak heritage.” And if you’re really lucky, head to 81 16th Avenue SW early enough, and you might be able to buy some morel mushrooms to take home and savor. Details: czechvillagecedarrapids.com

The National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library is offering $5 admission during the festival, where visitors can see the blockbuster new exhibit, “Alphonse Mucha: Master of Art Nouveau,” as well as other exhibits. The museum also will have a beer garden, kolach sales, a kolach eating contest, and entertainment; ncsml.org/event/houby-days-2024/2024-05-17/

MARION ARTS FESTIVAL

MARION — Uptown Marion will be hopping from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, for the annual Marion Arts Festival: Art on the Avenue. The juried art show and sales booths will line Seventh Avenue between 10th and 12th streets this year, moving out from the park.

The day begins with a half marathon 5K fun run and walk from 7:30 to 11 a.m., followed by hands-on clay activities, food court, live music in the North Plaza and more activities in the Uptown Artway.

For details, go to marionartsfestival.com/

Other events this weekend include:

• May 17: Syttende Mai, Decorah: Vesterheim Norwegian-American Museum area, 502 W. Water St., Decorah, 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, music. vesterheim.org/program/syttende-mai-2024/

• May 18: Coralville Asian Festival: Noon to 7 p.m., S.T. Morrison Park, 1513 Fifth St.; free. Music, arts and crafts, food, activities, performances and more. Search Coralville Asian Festival in facebook.com

• May 18: Marion Community Kite Festival: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Baseball all Diamonds at Lowe Park, 4401 Irish Dr., Marion. With giant kits from Great American Kites. Free; bring seating; outside food and drink allowed. Calendar link at cityofmarion.org/

• May 18: Plunging for a Purpose: 9 a.m. to noon, NewBo City Market, 1100 Third St. SE, Cedar Rapids. Participants ages 12 and over can take cold plunge in 5-minute ice baths to raise funds for Waypoint, a nonprofit to help move people forward through programs addressing homelessness, poverty and violence. For details on signing up and fundraising goals, go to waypointservices.org/events/plunging-purpose

Comments: (319) 368-8508; diana.nollen@thegazette.com