ia: The best of Iowa arts and culture

A festival called Beat the Bitter offers all kinds of fun ways to warm up over the next few weeks. Photo: beatthebitter.com

Set the winter on fire in North Liberty

North Liberty is doing its best to entice you out of your cozy hibernation with Beat the Bitter, a series of indoor and outdoor activities to liven up the winter.

First up, the 5K-ish Glow Run on Friday follows an illuminated trail at Liberty Centre Pond. The Fire & Ice extravaganza on Sunday features fire-breathers and ice sculptures before a fireworks show to cap off the night.

The following weekend, on Feb. 3, participants in the Snuggie Crawl can wear their as-seen-on-TV finest to visit a handful of local bars. Tickets include appetizers at each stop and, of course, a Beat the Bitter Snuggie. Check the full schedule of events through February.

Sawing logs: There's no snoozing allowed at the log-sawing contest during Amana’s Winterfest. Photo: Amana Colonies

Have some old-fashioned fun in Amana

Just because it’s cold outside doesn’t mean you have to freeze your social calendar. Amana’s annual Winterfest begins Saturday with a jam-packed schedule in and around the Market Barn in Main Amana, with various competitions like a ham shot-put, a snowman relay, best beard contest and the Freezer 5K fun run. (Yes, you read that correctly: ham shot-put.)

Winners and losers alike can enjoy the all-day Wine & Beer Walk, where a $5 punch card gets you samples at each brewery and winery in town. For food, grab a bowl of chili from the fire department or visit the Ox Yoke Inn for happy hour. Find the full schedule on the Amana Colonies website.

Hop in: We're going to Davenport tonight. Photo: jessemccartney.com

Jesse McCartney is ‘right where you want him’

The heartthrob of many Millennials’ tween dreams will serenade all the “beautiful souls” tonight in Davenport. Over five albums, Jesse McCartney has produced a stack of hits, including Leona Lewis’ “Bleeding Love.” So hustle up and head to the Rhythm City Casino Resort. Because as his fans could tell you, he might be “leavin' and never lookin’ back again.”

Bundle up for the annual BRR Ride on Feb. 3. Photo: City of Perry

Brrrrrave the BRR Ride from Perry to Rippey

This year’s BRR Ride, the 47th annual Bike Ride to Rippey, may be bigger than usual because it starts and ends in Perry. That’s the regular 24-mile route, but online chatter suggests that cyclists want to show up to support the community in the wake of this month’s school shooting.

Hosted by the Perry Chamber of Commerce, the ride on Feb. 3 starts and ends at the Hotel Pattee. Riders often stop to eat lunch and warm up at the Methodist church in Rippey, and this year, Hy-Vee is sponsoring a hot chocolate pit stop along the road.

The ride will happen rain or shine (or snow or sleet or hail …), and pre-registration ends today at midnight. If you’d rather wait until you see the weather forecast, you can sign up at the last minute, right at the hotel.

When the lakes freeze over, the real anglers come out to play. Photo: Travel Iowa

Ice fishing is nice fishing, if you don't mind the cold

If you’re idea of good time involves sitting on a frozen lake and waiting for the fish to bite, well, have we got some good news for you! The season of ice fishing derbies is upon us.

Check out the Frostbite Olympics Ice Fishing Derby on Feb. 3 on Smith Lake in Algona, or the Lake Meyer Ice Fishing Derby on Feb. 4 in Fort Atkinson, up near Decorah. Or try the noncompetitive ice fishing clinic on Feb. 7 at Briggs Woods Park in Webster City, where you can retreat to the old Hickory Cabin when you’re ready to warm up.

Ice boating - where "breaking the ice" takes on a whole new meaning. Photo: Iowa PBS

This winter, go play outside

Looks like the snow from this month's blizzards may vanish by next weekend. Before it does, here are a few frosty activities that Travel Iowa recommends you should try while you still can.

Ice Boating
Winter’s strong winds paired with a frozen Clear Lake make for prime ice boat sailing conditions. This surprising winter activity welcomes adrenaline-seeking ice boaters as they look for open spaces where winds sweep across miles of frozen water to take boats up to 60 miles an hour. The ice must be at least four inches thick and free of holes, heaves and fissures.

Wildlife Tracking
In daylight, follow animal tracks in the snow to find their watering holes, where they’ve slept—even what they’ve eaten by trailside scat. Look for wing prints in the snow, as well as hoof, feet and paw prints.
Night walks are about sounds. You’ll likely hear hoots of owls as they warn others to avoid claimed hunting grounds. Hear coyote calls to gather the family pack. As they gather, more voices join with yips, yelps, barks and whines. If you get too close to a deer family bedded for the night, one will snort to warn others. Bobcats have a low-pitched growl and high-pitched scream—rare to hear—as their great night vision and hearing allows them to vacate long before you near.

Winter Camping
No bugs and no poison ivy — just two advantages of winter camping. With a four-season tent to shed snow and wind, a mummy bag, an insulating, closed-cell foam ground pad and a fleece hat while asleep, winter camping can be comfortable—with great star viewing.

Yellow River State Forest in Harpers Ferry offers year-round camping at non-electric sites. The Paint Creek Unit has equestrian accommodations, fishing, hunting and more than 25 miles of trails for hiking, equestrian, cross-country skiing and snowmobiling. Ski the Luster Heights Unit’s groomed trails or backcountry ski through forest.

Find more winter camping at Scott County Park, Wildcat Den State Park, Eden Valley Wildlife Refuge and Pikes Peak State Park.

Read the full list of icy activities on traveliowa.com