ia Season Preview

Hello,

If you like to stock up on new school supplies, enjoy the next few weeks. And if you don't, we don't need to discuss it any further.

Either way, the next few months offer a bunch of fun events, even if you or your family has to head back to ... well, you know. Our team of calendar-scouring experts here at ia has assembled a statewide list of promising concerts, festivals, foodie destinations and outdoor adventures to help you squeeze the most juice out of late summer and early fall.

If you know of an event we've missed, please send your suggestions to editors@bpcdm.com. For more events in Central Iowa, subscribe to our dsm Weekly newsletter and quarterly dsm Season Previews.

Thanks for reading,

Michael Morain
ia Editor

It isn't every day you get to eat dinner suspended over the river, but it's still possible. (Photo: The District)

Food & Dining

Current event: Enjoy dinner over the Cedar River

Dinner on a patio is lovely, but dinner on a bridge? Even better.

At sunset on Sept. 11, the 16th Avenue Bridge of Lions in Cedar Rapids will fill up for an elegant Dinner on the Bridge, with live music and sweeping views of the city. The event starts with mingling, drinks and appetizers before a dinner of apple cider pork tenderloins, tacos, Philly cheesesteaks and more.

This annual fundraiser supports the area known as The District: Czech Village and New Bohemia, which offers cultural experiences, activities, shopping and dining opportunities year-round.

More Food & Dining

Pizza on the Prairie, every Friday through September, Orient. Start the weekend with a trip to the historic Wallace Centers of Iowa, where you can enjoy wood-fired pizzas made from ingredients grown right on the Wallace family’s historic farm. Walk the prairie path to see sculptures and natural beauty.

West Point Sweet Corn Festival, Aug. 7-10, West Point. A fun time for the whole family, the celebration offers free, steamed sweet corn throughout the festival. Grab some corn and a barbecue pork chop and enjoy the dancing, music and other festivities.

Adel Sweet Corn Festival, Aug. 9, Adel. Start fasting now: The 46th annual celebration features all the free sweet corn you can eat. Before and after the feast, enjoy the parade, concerts, a street party and more.

Montrose Watermelon Festival (pictured), Aug. 15-17, Montrose. For almost 80 years now, the riverside town in Iowa’s southeast corner has hosted a community festival with watermelon-eating contests, a carnival, a parade and plenty of live entertainment.

World Food & Music Festival, Aug. 22-24, Des Moines. Taste the flavors of the world in Western Gateway Park. This year’s festival features 56 food vendors from 23 countries, including 13 new vendors.

Food Truck Festival, Aug. 30, Waterloo. Food truck fanatics assemble as trucks take over the RiverLoop Expo Plaza. Vendors from across the Midwest feature a diverse selection, so you can fill up on food and fun.

Iowa Craft Brew Bash, Aug. 31, Amana. Millstream Brewing Co. hosts one of the biggest beer bashes in Iowa, with samples of beer, cider and other concoctions from more than 50 breweries and distilleries across the state.

Apfelfest (pictured), Sept. 13, Amana Colonies. It’s officially apple season in Iowa. Enjoy harvest-time specialties like caramel apples, cider and apple doughnuts along the Apfelfest Sampling Stroll through town. Folks from Allen’s Orchard of Marion will also be on hand with fresh fruit to take home.

BrewNost, Sept. 19, Cedar Rapids. Sample dishes from the city's best restaurants, local breweries and distilleries while supporting the National Czech and Slovak Museum and Library. The fundraising event includes music, auctions and raffles for various prizes, including a trip to Prague.

Tri City BBQ Fest, Sept. 19-20, Denison. Get ready for a smokin’ good time in uptown Denison, where you can enjoy food, music, a beer garden and various activities for all ages.

Harvest Gathering: Farm to Table Dinner, Sept. 20, Mediapolis. Celebrate the town’s sesquicentennial with a farm-to-table dinner under the lights of historic Main Street. Enjoy a locally sourced, five-course meal showcasing the best of the area’s farms and culinary talent.

Wednesday Addams is the center of attention in the musical comedy "The Addams Family," coming to Ames. (Photo: Meredith Mashburn Photography)

Arts & Culture

Stephens Auditorium announces new season lineup

Back-to-school season at Iowa State University means a new performing arts series at Stephens Auditorium. Leaders at the landmark venue recently announced the 2025-2026 lineup, which promises a dynamic mix of Broadway shows, music, dance and family entertainment just in time for the fall semester.

Oct. 9: “The Great Gatsby Ballet.” Presented by World Ballet Company, this Broadway-style ballet brings the glamour and heartbreak of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s classic novel to life through handcrafted costumes and Art Deco sets.

Oct. 17: “iLuminate.” The stage literally lights up for a high-energy dance performance that fuses illusion and high-tech LED costumes for a multi-sensory experience set to pop hits from the last 50 years.

Oct. 19: “The Addams Family.” Just in time for Halloween, the nationally touring musical tells the tale about the time young Wednesday Addams shocked her famously offbeat family by bringing home a perfectly normal boyfriend.

The new season features even more entertainment through next spring, including “Dolly Parton’s Smoky Mountain Christmas Carol” (Dec. 15), “Mrs. Doubtfire” (Feb. 4) and the Red Hot Chili Peppers (March 6). Check the full schedule for updates, showtimes and tickets.

Meanwhile, at Iowa’s two other state universities, Hancher Auditorium has a fresh lineup in Iowa City, and the Gallagher Bluedorn Performing Arts Center has booked a parade of shows for Cedar Falls.

More Arts & Culture

Princess City Carnival, Aug.16-17, Pocahontas. Check out carnival rides and gorge on carnival classics like funnel cakes, caramel apples, cotton candy and more when the Scott Amusement Carnival comes to town for the weekend. It’s the same weekend as the Princess City Car Show, where you can admire classic and vintage cars or show off your own.

Cedar Valley Pride Fest, Aug. 22-23, Waterloo. Make some noise for LGBTQ equity and inclusivity and during the two-day festival along West Fourth Street in downtown Waterloo. Ada Fox and Zee Machine headline the mainstage lineup, while more than 80 food, beverage, art and merchandise vendors line the block.

Onawa Harvest Festival, Sept. 4-7, Onawa. Enjoy food, music, artisan vendors and carnival rides during the annual Harvest Festival in Onawa. Other activities include a pie-eating contest (pumpkin, of course), a floral arranging class, and wine and charcuterie tasting.

Fiesta Cultural de Clarion (pictured), Sept. 13, Clarion. Folk dancers, mariachi bands, a petting zoo and food trucks. Find them all at Gazebo Park in a celebration of Latino culture, in the lead-up to Hispanic Heritage Month.

Festival Latino of Cedar Rapids, Sept. 13, Cedar Rapids. At the annual Latino heritage festival in and around the riverside McGrath Amphitheatre, guests can immerse themselves in art, music, dance and food from different Latin countries.

Lincoln Highway Arts Festival, Sept. 13, Mount Vernon. Dozens of artists, musicians and other creative folks showcase their work in the annual street fair hosted by the Mount Vernon Area Arts Council.

ArtSplash, Sept. 13-14, Sioux City. The Sioux City Art Center hosts its annual community festival with dozens of exhibitors, a full lineup of performances and the concurrent Sioux City International Film Festival.

Alley Art Festival (pictured), Sept. 20, Sioux City. Stroll through downtown to see more than 140 murals, old and new, during this family-friendly celebration of creativity.

AsianFest, Sept. 20, Cedar Rapids. This year’s Iowa Asian Alliance festival in the NewBo City Market celebrates the “50th Anniversary Ray of Freedom,” marking the Southeast Asian refugee resettlement in Iowa led by former Gov. Robert Ray. You’ll find food vendors, cultural performances, educational booths and more.

Pear Fair, Sept. 27, Cedar Falls. The 14th annual indie craft fair, organized by the Mohair Pear gallery, spills out from the corner of 22nd and College streets, right across the from University of Northern Iowa.

Okoboji Writers’ Retreat, Sept. 28-Oct. 1, Okoboji. There’s still time to enroll in the ever-evolving retreat for authors, journalists, poets, songwriters and various other creative wordsmiths. The annual event started in 2021 and has grown ever since, now with 70 workshops, 25 panels and more than 50 professional speakers.

Greater Quad Cities Renaissance Faire, Sept. 27-28, Oct 4-5, Davenport. Head out to Credit Island for two days of time-traveling fun for the whole family. Find throwback entertainment, plus a village marketplace.

Oktoberfest, Oct. 2-5, Amana Colonies. Celebrate the 60th anniversary of the local German heritage festival with a bounty of brats, brews and competitions like keg toss and log sawing. The musical lineup features Iowa’s Barefoot Becky & the Ivanhoe Dutchmen and the German folk group Alpensterne, plus a yodeling contest.

Harvest Festival Clear Lake, Oct. 4, Clear Lake. Spend the day shopping, snacking and enjoying the fall weather all day along Main Avenue where you’ll find a farmers market, food and beverage samples, merchandise, live music, hay rides and more autumnal activities.

PocaHAUNTus, Oct. 18, 24, 25, 31, Nov. 1, Pocahontas. Folks from the local chamber and fire department go above and beyond to host this event, which won a 2024 Iowa Tourism Award for an “outstanding niche market initiative.” The website promises (threatens) a “terrifying experience,” with strobe lights, fog machines and a mandatory signed waiver from all who enter. Yikes.

Cyclists cruise along the Wabash Trace Nature Trail that runs 62 miles from Council Bluffs to Blanchard. (Photo: Travel Iowa)

Around Iowa

If you're into bikes and beer, there's a trail for you

Here’s a little secret: You can enjoy some of the fun of RAGBRAI without committing to a full week of 400-some miles across the entire state. If you’d prefer a low-key bike ride with a few stops along the way, check out Travel Iowa’s list of five bike trails with breweries. It’s full of good suggestions for nearly every corner of the state.

Cedar Valley Trails: The trails are part of a 125-mile network of trails through urban and wooded areas. Along the way, try Second State Brewing in Cedar Falls and SingleSpeed’s historic taproom in Waterloo.

Heritage Trail: The scenic 26-mile trail follows a former railroad route, with handy breweries at both ends: Textile Brewing Co. in Dyersville and 7 Hills Brewing Co. in Dubuque’s historic Millwork District.

High Trestle Trail: The 25-mile trail between Ankeny and Woodward is part of a recently completed 120-mile loop on the Raccoon River Valley Trail. When you're ready for a break, try Fenders Brewing in Fenders Brewing in Polk City and the Flat Tire Lounge in Madrid.

Trout Run Trail: The loop around Decorah is just 11 miles, but they're hilly. You may need to rest for a bit at Pulpit Rock Brewing Co.

Wabash Trace Nature Trail: The 62-mile trail stretches from Council Bluffs down to Blanchard, on the Missouri state line. Start or finish at the Full-Fledged Brewing Co. in Council Bluffs and make a pit stop at Keg Creek Brewing Co. in Glenwood.

More Outdoor Recreation

Bike Trail & History Tour Ride, Aug. 17, Jewell. Learn a little local history and burn some calories along the way, during a guided bike tour. For bonus points, pedal on to Ellsworth for a 34-mile round trip.

Bike Van Buren XXXIX, Aug. 16-17, Keosauqua. The route through the scenic Villages of Van Buren County changes from one year to the next, so start in Keosauqua and pick up a map. From there, explore the towns that date to the 1840s, tucked in some of the most beautiful wooded hills in Iowa.

Trailside Tastings, Aug. 29, Cedar Rapids. Stroll through the prairie at the Indian Creek Nature Center, where local food vendors and musicians set up booths along the trail.

University of Okoboji Oktoberfest Bike Ride, Sept. 27, Okoboji. The tagline says it all: “Bikes. Beers. Boji. Barrels of fun!” Head back to “school” with an 18-mile ride on the scenic trails and roads near West Lake Okoboji. Afterward, enjoy live music and various competitive shenanigans that involve bean bags, beer kegs and rubber duckies.

Slow Sunday Drives, Sept. 21, Oct 19, Coon Rapids. Take advantage of the year’s only opportunities to drive ATVs through the woods and prairies at the beautiful Whiterock Conservancy.

Luminary Night Hike Hamilton County, Oct. 23, Fort Dodge. Follow the lanterns along the trail for a night-time hike through Briggs Woods Park. Naturalists will be on hand to share a few tips about the flora and fauna, including owls.

Iowa's Great Lakes offer adventures on and off the water. (Photo: Vacation Okoboji)

Destinations

Enjoy the lakeshore and more in Spirit Lake

The city of Spirit Lake, in the heart of the Iowa Great Lakes, makes the most of its local history and scenic natural surroundings. For an easy weekend getaway with family or friends, poke around town to enjoy great local food, shop for antiques, visit an apothecary and just spend some time walking along the lakeshore.

STAY: Big Spirit Resort offers a relaxing homebase for the whole crew. Each room is decked out with a kitchenette, and the resort is right across the street from Big Spirit Lake so bring your fishing poles (and fishing licenses). The resort has a boat launch and dock, and is near a bike trail, a public beach and a park.

EAT: Start the day with breakfast at The Well Coffeehouse and Eatery. Whether you want something hearty, light or in between, the Well has everything from scones to frittatas to avocado toast, plus a full menu of coffee drinks. For a mid-day boost, head to Ready Spaghetti, which makes a quick plate of pasta so you can get in, get out and keep exploring. For dinner, try McKeens Pub & Grill for a filling meal with sandwiches and entrees for the whole family.

DO: Step back in time at the Spirit Lake Antique Mall, which offers antiques from multiple dealers and has a wide variety of antique reference books. Check out the shelves upon shelves of dinnerware, teacups and gravyboats, and leave with a one-of-a-kind find. At Megan & Co. Herbal Apothecary, Megan Fuhrman-Wheeler serves tea and sells holistic products for whatever ails you. The kids will enjoy Memorial Park with its splash pad, walking trails and bike path.