Weekender, July 29: Soul & Blues Festival, Billy Idol, Cirque Italia
IT’S THE 20TH ANNIVERSARY OF LITTLE VILLAGE.
Your weekly art compendium curated by editors
If you can’t find music to indulge in this weekend, maybe it is time to broaden your horizons! With everything from Nikki Lunden’s Natural Habits to the Soul & Blues Festival to Billy Idol (!), You certainly won’t be dancing with yourself. Venture a little further to Cedar Falls to see enemy Charlie Parr. In addition, art offers, a personal terrace reading from “Nightbitch”, online events and more! Enjoy it all in midsummer.
The weekender is sponsored by:
Coral Ridge Shopping Center
Cirque Italia water circus
July 29th – August 1st –
Have you ever dreamed of going on an epic pirate adventure and discovering buried treasure? With its brand new show, Cirque Italia offers you the opportunity to take part in this exciting quest.
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Wilson’s apple orchard
Jordan Sellergren (full band!)
July 29th – 5:30 pm
Wilson’s Orchard & Farm presents Thursday Night Farm Sessions: a free, socially distant, outdoor concert series that supports local musicians! This week: Jordan Sellergren & her curse.
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Tin roost
Party on the terrace: Dr. Z’s experiment
July 29th – 6:00 p.m.
Dr. Z’s Experiment plays Tin Roost’s weekly free outdoor summer music series.
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The ArtiFactory
Phil Dorothy drawing studio
July 29th – 6:30 pm
Thursday night life drawing
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Willow Creek Park
Willow Creek Party in the Park with Natural Habits!
July 29th – 6:30 pm
Iowa City’s Party in the Park series “travels” through our city parks in June, July, and August. This week: Nikki Lunden’s natural habits!
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Wild Culture Kombucha taproom
Kerak with John William Watkins
July 29th – 7:00 pm
Kerak is the violinist Tara McGovern and the mandole player Nielo Gaglione. They are joined by the singer-songwriter John William Watkins.
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Dr. Percy and Liliah Harris Public Health Building
Create mosaic tiles for public art
July 30th – 5:30 pm
The Linn County Public Art Commission invites the public to participate in the creation of a mosaic that will be installed in the Harris Building when completed.
More information >>
Downtown Iowa City
Soul & Blues Festival
July 30th – 6:00 p.m.
Visit Summer of the Arts on July 30th and 31st at the Soul & Blues Festival! You can experience fabulous soul and blues music, author panels and a black entrepreneur panel.
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NewBo City Market
Rock the Block 2021: Soul Sherpa
July 30th – 6:00 p.m.
Enjoy Free Music at NewBo City Market Yard!
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Hotel Chauncey
NIGHTBITCH by Rachel Yoder outdoor reading and book publishing party
July 30th – 7:00 pm
Prairie Lights features Iowa City’s debut author Rachel Yoder on the Patio on Nov.
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Octopus College Hill
Charlie Parr with Joel Sires
July 30th – 8:00 p.m.
Folk blues legend and Charlie Parr from Duluth, MN makes his Octopus debut! Joel Sires opens.
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Dr. Percy and Liliah Harris Public Health Building
Create mosaic tiles for public art
July 31 – 10:00 a.m.
The Linn County Public Art Commission invites the public to participate in the creation of a mosaic that will be installed in the Harris Building when completed.
More information >>
Willow Creek Park
Iowa City Community Band
July 31 – 4:00 p.m.
ICCB offers an afternoon of marches and medleys. New Horizons Band opens.
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Sanctuary Pub
The Feralings
July 31 – 8:00 p.m.
Ralph Waldo Emerson. Diesel. Morning glory. AM radio. All of this influences the acoustic Americana trio The Feralings from Iowa, as does the gently sloping landscapes of the Iowa countryside.
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On-line
Funny girls rule the world (personally sold out!)
July 31 – 8:00 p.m.
Stand-up, improvisation, and sketch comedy from some of the funniest women in Corridor and Milwaukee! Take part virtually or grab a personal ticket for the socially distant basement of The Bohemian in CR.
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Big Grove Brewery & Taproom
FREE SHOW: Big Grove Summer Jam Concert Series | Blake Shaw
August 1st – 1:00 p.m.
Big Grove’s Summer Jam Concert Series is proud to present Blake Shaw for a free show on the deck of Big Grove Brewery & Taproom in Iowa City.
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Public space one
47 missile exhibition opening reception
August 1st – 2.30pm
47 Rockets combines science and speculation into a condensed visual summary of mankind’s complex relationship with the moon and our centuries-old fixation on space travel.
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Sutliff Cider Company
Jordan Sellergren (full band!) At Sutliff Cider
August 1 – 3:00 p.m.
Full band! Free demonstration! Live music, food and cider in a lovely barn.
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McGrath Amphitheater
Billy Idol
August 1st – 8:00 p.m.
Pioneer and icon Billy Idol meets Cedar Rapids with the power punk trio from Nashville at the Foxies opening.
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On-line
Nickolas Butler and Benjamin Percy
August 2 – 7:00 p.m.
Prairie Lights presents a reading by Nickolas Butler and Benjamin Percy to celebrate the release of their books “Godspeed” and “The Ninth Metal”. Free; Registration required.
More information >>
Cedar Rapids seeks artists for social and racial justice mural
by Izabela Zaluska, July 28th
The city of Cedar Rapids and Advocates for Social Justice (ASJ) are looking for a local artist to paint a mural highlighting issues of social and racial justice and celebrating the city’s diverse community. The mural will be painted on the Five Seasons Parking Ramp at 400 1st Ave NE.
Improvisation, politics, and charitable law collided to spark a minor scandal in Cedar Rapids
by Izabela Zaluska, July 27th
“Taylor, this is Brad Hart,” began a voicemail from the Mayor of Cedar Rapids to the director of CSPS regarding a planned event with Hart’s political opponent Amara Andrews. “This is total bullshit, and if you don’t know you’ve violated your 501 (c) (3) status, you shouldn’t be in the role you are in.”
