ia Season Preview

Hello there,

Welcome to the first edition of our ia Season Preview, a digital complement to the printed ia magazine we publish every fall.

Consider this your exclusive guide for making the most of the next few months in Iowa, when the whole state perks up after its long winter nap. Scroll down and you’ll find dozens of festivals, performances, dining recommendations and other reasons to text your friends, haul yourself off the couch and hit the road for a day trip or weekend getaway.

Two quick notes:

This list isn’t comprehensive. Like helpful neighbors after last month’s blizzard, our staff shoveled through a mountain of options to clear a path just for you. All the listings that made the cut are "worth the drive."

The following listings steer clear of Central Iowa. For the goings-on around Des Moines, we encourage you to subscribe to our dsmWeekly newsletter and our quarterly dsm Season Preview.

Thanks for reading — and keep in touch,

Michael Morain
Editor, dsm and ia

The Julien Dubuque International Film Festival lights up venues throughout downtown Dubuque. Photo: Ronald Tigges

Around Iowa

Three film festivals, coming to screens near you

Iowans have loved movies ever since pictures started moving. The State Theatre in Washington, Iowa, started screening movies in 1897 and is now the world’s oldest operating cinema. A Sioux City man named Oscar Micheaux became the first Black filmmaker to produce a feature film, “The Homesteader,” in 1919, and a Keokuk native named Conrad Nagel co-founded the Oscars in 1929.

This season, you can tap into that long tradition at three upcoming film festivals.

Oneota Film Festival, Feb. 29 through March 3 in Decorah. Enjoy four days of documentaries, fiction, student films and animation, and a chance to chat with their creators. All of the films are family-friendly, and the screenings are free.
Cedar Rapids Independent Film Festival, April 5-7 in Marion. Since 2001, this festival has showcased films with Iowa connections, both real and fictional. It spotted the talent of Scott Beck and Bryan Woods long before they produced "The Final Season."
Julien Dubuque International Film Festival, April 24-28 in Dubuque. Every year, hundreds of filmmakers from across the United States and several other countries gather at Iowa’s biggest film festival for screenings, workshops and lively parties. Last year “Game of Thrones” creator George R.R. Martin joined the festivities.

More Festivals

Winter Arts Snow Sculpting Festival, Feb. 15-18, Dubuque. Watch hardy artists carve massive blocks of snow into art. The sculptures last only a few days, so it's a race against the clock, the sun and the weather.

Color the Wind Kite Festival, Feb. 17, Clear Lake. Giant kites and inflatables fill the winter sky over the lake. When you’re ready to warm up, head for downtown’s coffee shops, cafes and the Clear Lake Art Center. The event was featured a few years ago on CBS Sunday Morning.

Maple Syrup Festival, March 23-24, Cedar Rapids. At the 41st annual event, take a whiff of sweet steamy cauldrons of sap in the old-fashioned sugar house, then feast on a stack of pancakes at the Indian Creek Nature Center.

Mission Creek Festival, April 4-6, Iowa City. The citywide bonanza of music and literature features creative folks from Iowa City and beyond, including Indigo de Souza and the Blake Shaw Big(ish) Band.

Tulip Time, May 2-4, Pella. Four hundred years after tulip mania shook things up in the Netherlands, Pella's Dutch descendants throw a party with more than 300,000 tulips and a whole lot of Dutch food, music and cultural activities.

Chalk the Walk, May 4-5, Mount Vernon. Iowa’s largest chalk art festival, based on the 16th century Italian Madonnari tradition, invites artists to cover downtown’s streets in color.

"Come From Away," about a Canadian town that hosted airplane passengers after 9/11, makes four stops in Iowa this spring. Photo: Matthew Murphy

Arts & Culture

Broadway connects to Interstates 80 and 35

Is Broadway quiet these days? So many national tours are crisscrossing Iowa this spring that you have to wonder if any actors are still working in New York. Just take your pick:

“Come From Away,” Feb. 9-10 at the Gallagher Bluedorn Performing Arts Center in Cedar Falls; April 23 at the Adler Theatre in Davenport; April 24 at the Orpheum in Sioux City; and June 4-6 at Hancher Auditorium in Iowa City.

“Jesus Christ Superstar,” Feb. 10 at the Paramount Theatre in Cedar Rapids; Feb. 13 at the Orpheum in Sioux City; and Feb. 14 at the Adler in Davenport.

“Hairspray,” Feb. 23-25 at Hancher Auditorium in Iowa City and Feb. 28 at North Iowa Community College in Mason City.

“The Book of Mormon,” March 26 at the Paramount in Cedar Rapids; March 27-28 at the Orpheum in Sioux City; and March 29-30 at the Adler in Davenport.

“Mean Girls,” April 11 at Stephens Auditorium in Ames.

“Chicago,” May 3-5 at Hancher in Iowa City; May 14 at Stephens Auditorium in Ames; and May 15 at the Adler Theatre in Davenport.

More Arts & Culture

“Ravenous: Food in Art,” through May 5, Cedar Rapids. This appetizing show features foodie art from the permanent collection, from Rembrandt’s portrait of “The Pancake Woman” to work by notable Iowa artists like Grant Wood, Marvin Cone and Joan Liffring-Zug Bourret.

Dave Eggers, March 7, Iowa City. The popular, prolific novelist visits the Englert Theatre in support of the Iowa City Public Library.

Kyiv Virtuosi Symphony Orchestra, March 10, Cedar Falls. The Ukrainian musicians are touring the United States while concerts are still scarce back home.

“Swan Lake,” March 9, Cedar Rapids, and March 21, Ames. The World Ballet Series tour features updates to the original 1895 choreography by Marius Petipa, at Stephens Auditorium and the Paramount Theatre.

“The National Collection: 50 Years of NCSML,” March 16-Jan. 12, 2025, Cedar Rapids. Check out garnet jewelry, porcelain, glass, a motorcycle, an Andy Warhol silkscreen print and much more from the permanent collection at the National Czech and Slovak Museum and Library.

Martha Graham Dance Co., March 29, Iowa City. The troupe that transformed American dance is celebrating its upcoming centennial with a national tour that visits Hancher Auditorium.

Chanticleer, April 5, Ames. The Grammy-winning “orchestra of voices” show off their famous precision and versatility in a program of classical, jazz, gospel — you name it — at Stephens Auditorium.

“Sculpture Garden,” April 6-June 23, Davenport. A gallery at the Figge Art Museum becomes an indoor “garden” to showcase hefty sculptures from the permanent collection, with a slate of meditative programming.

Indigo Girls, April 17-18, Iowa City. Amy Ray and Emily Saliers visit the Englert, still going strong 35 years after their first major album’s debut.

Emanuel Ax, April 27, Davenport. The Quad City Symphony Orchestra hosts the world-famous pianist for a gala concert at the Adler.

Keith Haring, opening May 4, Iowa City. The University of Iowa’s Stanley Art Museum is currently gathering stories from the late Pop artist’s visit to Iowa City in the ‘80s, when he created a mural for a local elementary school.

Prost! Why not sip a bit of local flavor in the Amana Colonies? Photo: Amana Colonies.

Food & Dining

Wine and dine in the historic Amana Colonies

Who says you need to jet off to Europe to learn about wine? The businesses in the Amana Colonies are hosting two event series this spring for folks to sample wine, learn about food pairings and — we’ll just say it — feel a little fancy sipping wine in the picture-postcard setting of a traditional German village.

The Vintner’s Dinner series is a themed five-course meal at the Ox Yoke Inn, complete with wine pairings from White Cross Cellars. The themes are kept secret until each event but could be inspired by anything from the Mediterranean to the Mississippi River. Mark your calendars for the next two dinners on March 16 and April 13. Be sure to register in advance.

For something more in-depth, certified wine specialist David Rettig leads hourlong Food and Wine 101 classes that feature a sampling of seven food and wine pairings. The first class begins April 27, with others following throughout the summer. Book in advance to secure a spot.

More Food & Dining

Dubuque on Ice Brewfest, Feb 24, Dubuque. At the 12th annual showcase event, sample a variety of craft beer, liquor, wine and locally roasted coffee from more than 60 vendors at the Grand River Center. Tickets are on sale now, and all proceeds benefit three nonprofits.

Iowa Eats Food & Drink Festival, April 6, Waterloo. Find Iowa food, drinks, chefs and authors all under one roof at the Waterloo Convention Center. Enjoy samples and demos from various special guests, including Taufeek Shah of Lola’s Fine Hot Sauce.

Pizza on the Prairie, Fridays in the summer, Orient. This popular series at the Wallace Farm features scratch-made pizza with ingredients fresh from the property, live music, yard games and a walkable prairie path speckled with art — oh, and did we mention sunset views? Reservations fill up fast, so keep an eye on the website for when tickets go on sale this spring.

Go full throttle this month at the Midwest Sled Fest in Clear Lake. Photo: Midwest Sled Fest

Around Iowa

Go for the gold (and cold) at the Iowa Winter Games

It's that time of the year when Iowans brave the cold for some good-natured competition and camaraderie. The annual Iowa Winter Games give Iowans a chance to compete in various Olympic-style events, and the best of the best qualify to represent Iowa at the State Games of America in San Diego this July (where snow is scarce, but an indoor ice rink hosts figure skating).

This year’s events started a few weeks ago, but there are still plenty to come. Ottumwa turns into an archery battleground on Feb. 10, Waterloo hosts fat-tire cycling and snowshoeing on Feb. 17, and various cities in eastern Iowa host basketball, figure skating, table tennis, and indoor track and field Feb. 24 and 25. Finally, things wrap up in Dubuque with a pickleball tournament March 9 and 10.

And hey, if you’re up for it, you can still throw your hat in the ring. You can still register for a few events and find the full schedule online. Good luck!

More Outdoor Recreation

Midwest Sled Fest, Feb. 10, Clear Lake. Rev your engines for a day on the ice and watch vintage and modern snowmobiles tear it up.

Cedar Valley Winter Fest, Feb. 16-17, Waterloo. Join a guided snowshoe hike and chili cook-off on Friday, before a full day of Iowa Winter Games.

Dann Schultz Memorial Snow Disc Tournament, Feb. 17, Cedar Falls. Heads up: Discs fly all over the place in this 39th annual tournament, which raises money for cancer research.

Mount Trashmore Challenge, April, Cedar Rapids. Walk, run or hike to the peak of Linn County’s highest point, built on a capped former landfill. Download the app to track each time you summit the hill; the more times you make it to the top, the more you can win.

Iowa Trail Run Series, April 13, North Liberty. Go off-road and get a little messy in one of the first of eight races across the state. You can enjoy scenic routes through Iowa’s state parks, free races for kids and commemorative swag.

Spend a night in style at the old Black Hawk Hotel in downtown Cedar Falls. Photo: Experience Waterloo

Destinations

Weekend getaway: Cedar Falls and Waterloo

By Karla Walsh

STAY: The historic Black Hawk Hotel in Cedar Falls is one of the oldest continuously operating hotels in the country. Originally built as a stagecoach hotel and used for housing during the Civil War, the building was rebuilt after a fire in the 1860s and still stands strong today, with lots of intricate woodwork and exposed brick. But it also has plenty of modern amenities, like a fitness center, a speakeasy, complimentary breakfast, and local coffee and tea. There are just 43 guest rooms, so be sure to book in advance.

EAT: Waterloo’s historic downtown has undergone significant updates and investment over the past decade, and there’s no better way to start a day than diner-style at Newton’s Paradise Cafe in a beautiful Art Deco building. The menu features plenty of pancakes, biscuits and gravy, and breakfast pizza, but we recommend the Iowa Toast, a luscious riff on French toast that comes with bacon, ham or homemade sausage. For lunch, snag a sandwich or wood-fired Neapolitan pie from Basal Pizza, also downtown.

Come dinnertime, relax over local beers and upscale bar food including the Iowa Taco (topped with corn, bacon and ranch) at SingleSpeed Brewing. Once home to a 1927 Wonder Bread factory, the hot spot offers tasty bites, beer flights and areas for the kids to play or for you to store your bike once the weather warms up. Otherwise, for old-school Italian, check out the Brown Bottle in the lobby of a former historic hotel. It’s been a downtown institution since 1974 and serves classics like lasagna.

DO: Make the most of your sightseeing and the fresh spring air by renting wheels at Waterloo Bicycle Works, in the 1912 Kistner Building. Tool around both Waterloo and Cedar Falls on trails edging the Cedar River on a regular bicycle or an e-bike. In all, the sister cities boast more than 80 miles of trails. When you return to Bicycle Works after your ride, stock up on local souvenirs — the shop offers Iowa books, stickers, stationery and more.