ia: The best of Iowa arts and culture

Relax on an Iowa river cruise this fall and experience the state's vast beauty. (Photo: Grow Clinton)

Cruise through fall foliage along the Mississippi

Autumn is just getting started, but we’re already looking forward to the flood of colors on the horizon as the trees start to change. To get some of the best views, book a Fall Foliage Cruise down the Mississippi from Celebration River Cruises in eastern Iowa. Tours, which take place from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on various days throughout October, begin in Clinton, the Quad Cities and Muscatine, depending on your selection.

Along the way, you can enjoy music and a lunch buffet and take in the picturesque views of orange and yellow leaves. Tickets cover lunch and the round trip. Check dates and times online, or call 309-764-1952 to make your reservation.

Get ready for Oktoberfest in Iowa City, where beer and laughs are guaranteed. (Photo: Iowa City Downtown District)

Raise a glass to Oktober in Iowa City

Oktoberfest returns to Iowa City on Saturday with promises of beer and fun. The event features three sections: BrewFest, Bier Hall and SodaFest. BrewFest offers samples of beer and wine from vendors on the streets, but it usually sells out early, so consider buying your tickets before you go.

The Bier Hall, which you can visit with general admission, brings community and more beer. A ticket to Bier Hall comes with a free pour at the entrance, plus a mug to fill from street vendors.

And the kids? They can come, too. SodaFest provides plenty of fun activities, inflatables and soda samples.

Get out on the water even when the temps start to dip. You’ll need to bring your own boat after Labor Day. (Photo: Vacation Okoboji.)

Spend the weekend in Okoboji

Writer: Lisa Holderness Brown

If summer’s the life of the party in Okoboji, then fall is the candlelight dinner — serene, relaxing and intimate. The full-throttle bustle is gone, the daylight’s more fleeting, and the chain of five interconnected, glacier-carved lakes reflects the glowing autumnal colors in the lulled waters. Locals admit these days are a best-kept secret. The playing is far from over and the sunsets are some of the year’s most dramatic.

While some of the shops, restaurants and attractions close after the summer season, including Arnolds Park Amusement Park, there’s still plenty of shopping, dining and outdoor adventures to discover. Now’s the time to put a getaway on the calendar. We’ve done the planning for you, with a Boji-bests fall weekend itinerary that will appeal to both families and adults-only travelers.

Read our weekend guide to Okoboji here.

Filmmakers mix it up in Sioux City. (Photo: Sioux City International Film Festival)

Celebrate Independent Films in Sioux City

The Sioux City International Film Fest, a four-day film extravaganza, returns Oct. 3-6 to the ACX Promenade Cinema in Sioux City. Visitors can expect a variety of short films to watch, industry workshops to attend and filmmakers to meet.

The filmmakers come from around the world, bringing different genres and perspectives to the event. An awards ceremony for the best films in each category, including the people’s choice, is set for Oct. 5.

This annual event is one of more than a dozen Iowa film festivals throughout the year.

The Larrabees built their home in northeast Iowa in 1874. (Photo: Travel Iowa)

Destinations

Celebrate Montauk’s sesquicentennial in Clermont

One hundred and fifty years ago, William and Anna Larrabee hired a crew to build a stately brick mansion on a wooded hilltop overlooking Clermont, up in northeast Iowa. The couple named it Montauk, a nod to their early years back East, and raised their seven children there.

William Larrabee went on to serve as Iowa’s 13th governor (1886-1890). Ownership of the house passed on to the children and eventually to the state of Iowa, which maintains the historic site as a museum.

To celebrate Montauk’s 150th anniversary, the State Historical Society of Iowa is hosting a to-do from noon to 4 p.m. this Saturday and Sunday, with tours, wagon rides, a Civil War presentation, music, refreshments and a chance to meet a few Brown Swiss cows like the ones the Larrabees raised on the property. On Sunday, head down the hill to Clermont for a pipe organ concert at the Union Sunday School.

In Shenandoah, Shenfest includes a farmers market. (Photo: Shenandoah Chamber and Industry Association)

‘Wake Up, Little Susie!’ and head to Shenandoah

Shenandoah has some legit reasons to toot its own horn. It’s where seed salesman Earl May kick-started KMA Radio in 1925. A couple of decades later, the station hosted two local singing brothers, Don and Phil Everly, before they hit the big-time in Nashville.

This Saturday, during Shenfest, locals and visitors alike can celebrate everything Shenandoah has to offer. The annual to-do starts with a pancake feast and farmers market, followed by car and tractor shows, a run along the Wabash Trace Nature Trail, a parade, live music and a marching band award ceremony at the Everly Brothers’ childhood home.

Halloweenapalooza offers fun for spooky characters of all ages. (Photo: Halloweenapalooza)

Zombies welcome you to Ottumwa

Hold your breath: Halloweenapalooza returns to Ottumwa on Oct. 11 and 12. Iowa’s only horror film festival draws fans from across the Midwest and beyond. Each year, filmmakers from around the world submit their spooky entries.

Halloweenapalooza also features a costume contest, a zombie walk and live (or living dead) music to accompany the films. Halloween lovers will also have the opportunity to buy Halloween souvenirs from various vendors. A few stars from various horror movies will also be on hand to meet fans, sign autographs and discuss independent filmmaking. Kids can tag along, too, and make crafts and decorations to take home.