ia: The best of Iowa arts and culture

Edna and Tracy Turnblad tear it up in the national tour of “Hairspray.” (Photo: Jeremy Daniel)

You can’t stop the beat …

… even if you wanted to. You can’t stop the motion of the ocean or the rain from above or, especially, the national tour of “Hairspray” that stops Feb. 23-25 at Hancher Auditorium in Iowa City and Feb. 28 at North Iowa Area Community College in Mason City.

The feel-good musical about some nice Baltimore kids who just wanna dance may be exactly what you need to pull through the end of February.

Margaret Douglas Hall lived at the Brucemore estate in Cedar Rapids for 75 years, alongside her beloved pet lions, German shepherds and a few monkeys (not pictured). (Photo: Brucemore)

Around Iowa

Walk in her footsteps at Brucemore

Since March is Women's History Month, consider taking a special tour of the historic Brucemore mansion in Cedar Rapids. The tour, "In Her Steps," on March 7, 14 and 21 highlights the women who helped build the mansion in the 1880s, preserved its legacy and adopted three generations of lions — all named Leo — that lived on the property over the decades. Fun fact: The lions were related to Jackie, whose famous roar can be heard at the beginning of MGM movies.

The three-story Queen Anne mansion is the only National Trust Historic Site in Iowa and is preserved with support from the National Trust for Historic Preservation.

Sample craft beers and support three great causes this weekend. (Photo: Dubuque on Ice Brewfest)

Food & Dining

Cheers to Iowa's brewers, distillers and winemakers

Expand your palate and your horizons at three booze-tasting events around Iowa.

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

Coon Rapids Wine Walk: Businesses in downtown Coon Rapids offer shopping deals and wine samples from 4-6 p.m. Feb. 29.

Guided whiskey tastings: The folks at Wildcat Distilling Co. in Webster City host whiskey tastings on the first Saturday of every month. The next one, on March 2, includes a presentation about the distillation process and the various products it yields. Each program lasts about an hour. Sign up for a time slot between noon and 2:30 p.m., then hang out afterward in the cozy tasting room to sample more cocktails or buy your favorite bottle.

Get help archiving your family's Civil War artifacts at this lecture in March. (Photo: Michael Huston)

Around Iowa

Meet the veterans of the past

For the last few years, local historian Michael Huston has led the charge to identify photos of Iowans serving in the Civil War, with the help from 2,100 of his closest Facebook friends. The group he created has shared more than 2,500 historic images, which he believes is the largest digital photo collection of Iowa’s Civil War soldiers.

On March 3, he’ll lead a free event at Grundy County Heritage Museum in Morrison. Guests can take part in a discussion about local Civil War history and share stories from their own families. And if you have any photos of your ancestors, Huston will be available to create archival scans of them.

Decorah’s 120-year-old Hotel Winneshiek is one of several hosts of the Oneota Film Festival. (Photo: Hotel Winneshiek)

Arts & Culture

Take in a movie or two up north

It’s always a good time to visit Decorah, but next weekend is especially good. During the annual Oneota Film Festival, Feb. 29 through March 3, all kinds of family-friendly movies — features, shorts, documentaries and purely imaginative — light up screens in makeshift venues scattered throughout downtown. This year’s eclectic hosts include the historic Hotel Winneshiek, Convergence CiderWorks and Driftless Yoga Center, so, really, just take your pick.

While you’re in town, be sure to stop by the Vesterheim, the Norwegian-American museum and folk school. If the weather cooperates, hike up to the waterfall at Dunning’s Spring Park, and finish off the day with a slice of Mabe’s Pizza.

This Model T hot rod is just one of the souped-up vintage cars you can see this weekend. (Photo: Digital Dubuque)

Around Iowa

Hit the road to see custom cars

Iowa's 55th annual O'Reilly Auto Parts Rod and Custom Car Show, featuring vintage street rods, custom cars, race cars and even custom motorcycles, returns Feb. 24 and 25 to the Berndes Center in Monticello.

Visitors can participate in competitions like the Model Car Contest and vote for the people’s choice winner. The family-friendly entertainment includes music from DJ Dave Palmer, free caricature drawings and balloon art. Bonus: Actor John Schneider from "The Dukes of Hazzard" will be around to sign autographs and take photos.

This virtual workshop series can help you connect the dots of your family's past. (Photo: Roman Kraft)

Around Iowa

Find your roots with Iowa PBS

Iowa PBS and the Iowa Genealogical Society are teaming up to offer a four-part virtual workshop. During each two-hour session, participants will learn how to search public records to learn about their ancestry.

Each session begins with a presentation on topics like vital records and state censuses. After each class, each guest receives a recording of the lecture and a homework assignment to help map out their own family tree. Register for the workshop online.