Local Kids and Family Events
Have the little ones with you? These things to do are kid-friendly and family oriented! From community meet ups to educational outings at museums, outdoors, or sports and recreation activities.
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982
Kids and Family
events in Eastern Iowa
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Sensory Story Time
<p>This story time is designed for attendees with multi-sensory needs including low lights, reduced sounds, and opportunities for social interaction and play. Designed for children ages 2-5 years, but all ages welcome. This story time will happen each Thursday this fall at the Downtown Library except for Thanksgiving, Nov. 23.</p> 2023-11-30 10:30:00 -0600
11/30/23 @ 10:00 a.m.Cedar Rapids Public Library FoundationCedar Rapids -
Cedar Rapids Area Genealogy Library
<p>The Cedar Rapids Area Genealogy Library is open for visitors Tuesday through Saturday from 10:00 am until 4:00 PM. Research your family tree with help from library volunteers. Located in the lower level of the Masonic Library at 813 1<sup>st</sup> Avenue SE. Parking is available in the rear and enter through the back door. Admission is free but donations are welcome.</p> 2023-11-30 16:00:00 -060011/30/23 @ 10:00 a.m.Cedar Rapids Area Genealogy LibraryCedar Rapids -
Surprise! The New Curator’s Surprise Finds in the Collection
<p>Surprise! The New Curator’s Surprise Finds in the Collection<br><br>September 30, 2023—January 21, 2024<br><br>In July 2023, Julia Jessen joined the CRMA staff as Curator of Collections and Exhibitions. While change can be challenging, it can also be exciting. A new curator means a new set of eyes on the collection and a new batch of ideas—in short, a new vision. One of the first things Jessen was charged with was getting to know the museum’s permanent collection. A museum’s collection is part of its identity, and she wanted to become familiar with the collection right away. This exhibition features some of the finds Jessen discovered while looking through the collection. By sharing those surprises with the public, she allows visitors to see how a curator thinks about and reacts to works in the collection.<br><br></p> 2023-11-30 20:00:00 -0600
11/30/23 @ 12:00 p.m.Cedar Rapids Museum of ArtCedar Rapids -
Adam Rake: World Lines
<h5>Adam Rake: World Lines</h5><p>September 9, 2023 – January 7, 2024</p><p>Iowa City artist Adam Rake explores the complex ways in which the meaning of a work of art changes over time as technology and culture evolve. To convey this theme, Rake draws on the precedent of historical artworks but filters them through his own unique lens. He utilizes his printmaking experience to distort, alter, and augment the original images into something entirely new. Through these works, he considers the ever-changing relationship between contemporary culture and the work of art. </p> 2023-11-30 20:00:00 -0600
11/30/23 @ 12:00 p.m.Cedar Rapids Museum of ArtCedar Rapids -
Noelridge Greenhouse Lights and Blooms
<p>The City of Cedar Rapids Parks & Recreation Department’s Noelridge Greenhouse staff and the Friends of Noelridge volunteers invite you to “Noelridge Greenhouse Lights and Blooms: A Tropical Holiday Adventure,” on Thursday, November 30, and Friday, December 1 from 5-8 p.m. at Noelridge Greenhouse, 4900 Council Street NE. Enjoy hot cider, punch, cookies, and popcorn while basking in the warmth and beauty of the greenhouse and its permanent collection of tropical plants, and shopping for winter plant décor and unique holiday gifts. Admission to this event is free with the donation of a non-perishable food item for HACAP. </p> 2023-11-16 20:00:00 -0600
11/30/23 @ 5:00 p.m.Noelridge GreenhouseCedar Rapids -
Free Thursday Evening at the CRMA
<p>Every Thursday evening the CRMA has free admission from 5:00 PM-8:00 PM. Scavenger hunts are available for kids and adults at the visitor services center. Join us!</p> 2023-11-30 20:00:00 -0600
11/30/23 @ 5:00 p.m.Cedar Rapids Museum of ArtCedar Rapids -
Gardening Series With Linn County Master Gardeners: Gentle Yoga for Gardeners
<p>Get the most out of your garden with helpful tips and tricks.</p><p>Nov. 9: A Few of My Favorite Things with Wil Carew, LCMG</p><p>The inspiration behind this talk was “My Favorite Things” from "The Sound of Music." Join Master Gardener Will Carew with many pictures and discussion of plants and varieties that brighten days through the year and inspire because of their unique characteristics. From azaleas thru weigela and beyond, there are lots of pictures of each of his growing in his yard. You will leave inspired to consider adding to your favorite things too.</p><p>Nov. 16: Easy Fall Clean Up for Your Perennial Gardens with Wanda Lunn, LCMG</p><p>Get a jump on next spring by doing most of your flower garden cleanup this fall.</p><p>Nov. 30: Gentle Yoga for Gardeners with Diane Weisenfeld, LCMG</p><p>Gardening can cause wear and tear on the body, but simple yoga can help. No special clothing or equipment is needed for this chair yoga class. You'll receive instruction and participate in gentle movement to help you take care of yourself and your garden.</p> 2023-10-05 19:30:00 -0500
11/30/23 @ 6:30 p.m.Ladd LibraryCedar Rapids -
“Tart Cherry,” by Emma Beatrez
<ul><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr"><p dir="ltr">Drawing on a range of influences including psychoanalysis, contemporary fashion, and human belief systems, Beatrez’s work involves ritual, the recontextualization of materials, and aspects of the body. Her recent paintings and multimedia installations explore core psychoanalytic notions of the symbolic and the real, and the emergence of new meanings through distortion of established iconography. By manipulating the physical data of the gallery with lighting, scent, display, and other interdisciplinary processes, Beatrez hopes to encourage transference of unconscious associations in the viewer. Gallery hours are Monday–Friday, 9 a.m.–4 p.m., and Sunday 2–4 p.m. (Closed Saturdays.)</p></li></ul> 2023-12-01 16:00:00 -0600
12/01/23 @ 9:00 a.m.Peter Paul Luce Gallery, Cornell CollegeMount Vernon -
Hey Buddy, I'm Bill
<p>On display now in the Main Library Gallery, University of Iowa Libraries:</p><p><a href="https://www.lib.uiowa.edu/gallery/exhibit/hey-buddy-im-bill/"><em>Hey Buddy, I’m Bill </em></a>tells the story of Bill Sackter, the namesake of Wild Bill’s (formerly Wild Bill’s Coffee Shop) in the University of Iowa School of Social Work. From his early life in Minneapolis to his 44-year institutionalization for an intellectual disability to his years of friends and fame in Iowa City, the exhibit shares a glimpse into Bill’s life and legacy. The exhibit also acknowledges some of Iowa’s own history with institutionalization and progress with disability rights, and places Bill’s story in the context of the historic treatment of people with disabilities. The exhibit not only tells how Bill’s life embodied the disability practices and perspectives of his time, but also how the national prominence of his life story helped America make progress toward better understanding and treatment of people with disabilities.</p><p>Curated by Jen Knights and Brad Ferrier, the exhibit features artifacts, documents, and ephemera from Bill’s life as well as ways for visitors to contribute stories about their own experiences with disability.</p><p><strong>MAIN LIBRARY GALLERY HOURS:</strong></p><p><strong>Monday: </strong>9 a.m. – 6 p.m.<br><strong>Tuesday:</strong> 9 a.m. – 8 p.m.<br><strong>Wednesday:</strong> 9 a.m. – 6 p.m.<br><strong>Thursday: </strong>9 a.m. – 6 p.m.<br><strong>Friday:</strong> 9 a.m. – 6 p.m.<br><strong>Saturday:</strong> 1 p.m. – 5 p.m.<br><strong>Sunday:</strong> 1 p.m. – 5 p.m.</p><p><strong>Admission is always FREE. The exhibition will be open August 21 - December 19, 2023.</strong><br>Please note that the Main Library Gallery will be closed on the following University of Iowa holidays during the fall: Sept. 4 (Labor Day), Nov. 23-24 (Thanksgiving)</p><p><em>Because the Main Library Gallery is an educational space on campus, there may occasionally be classes visiting during open hours. Thank you for your understanding.</em></p><p>The easiest way to access the Main Library Gallery is via the north entrance of the Main Library. Find parking options here: <a href="http://lib.uiowa.edu/locations/main/parking">lib.uiowa.edu/locations/main/parking</a></p><p><em>Individuals with disabilities are encouraged to attend all University of Iowa–sponsored events. If you are a person with a disability who requires a reasonable accommodation in order to participate in this program, please contact Sara Pinkham in advance at 319-467-1805 or sara-pinkham@uiowa.edu</em> </p> 2023-12-01 18:00:00 -0600
12/01/23 @ 9:00 a.m.Main Library Gallery, University of Iowa LibrariesIowa City -
Sanctuary
<p>Artist Zuzka Vaclavik presents a series of paintings on wood panels in <em>Sanctuary</em> which takes inspiration from Slovak folk art patterns.</p><p>Zuzka Vaclavik is a dual citizen of the United States and Slovakia as her parents escaped from Communist Czechoslovakia in the early 1980s. She grew up in Germany where she took art lessons from a Czech painter. Her passion and curiosity for new experiences led her to pursue her development as an artist in the Far East. Zuzka lived in Phnom Pehn, Cambodia for two years before beginning her graduate school studies. Vaclavik has exhibited her work in New York, California, Cambodia, Germany, Austria, and across the United States.</p><p>Cost: $0-10</p> 2023-12-01 16:00:00 -0600
12/01/23 @ 9:30 a.m.National Czech & Slovak Museum & LibraryCedar Rapids -
Noah Breuer – Reclamation
<p>This exhibit investigates early twentieth-century domestic textile design in Europe and the Jewish-owned textile printing companies in Czech Bohemia and Moravia. The textiles used are from Carl Breuer and Sons (CB&S), the artist’s family’s former textile printing business, founded 1897 in Bohemia. In 1939 the company was seized and sold to Nazi-approved owners along with all other Jewish-owned property in German-occupied areas. Through research trips to the company’s archive of fabric samples and designs held at The Museum of Decorative Arts in Prague, Noah Breuer has amassed a rich collection of primary source material in the form of digital scans depicting designs, and printed fabric and letters of correspondence. He creates an array of printed works which not only tell his family’s story of persecution and emigration, but also raise questions about labor, authorship, and appropriation. </p> 2023-12-01 16:00:00 -0600
12/01/23 @ 9:30 a.m.National Czech & Slovak Museum & LibraryCedar Rapids -
Brilliant Bohemian Garnets Exhibit
<p>The <em>Brilliant Bohemian Garnets</em> exhibit is making only one stop in America—and it’s at the National Czech and Slovak Museum and Library! Don’t miss this one-of-a-kind exhibition of priceless antique and modern garnets from the National Museum in Prague. Marvel at nearly two-hundred pieces featuring fiery red garnets while you learn about this precious gemstone’s history. After this special showing, the garnets will return to the Czech Republic, never to leave again.</p><p>Admission:<br>General: $10<br>Members: Free</p> 2023-12-01 16:00:00 -0600
12/01/23 @ 9:30 a.m.National Czech & Slovak Museum & LibraryCedar Rapids -
Mauricio Lasansky: Portraits from the Permanent Collection
<p>For more than forty years, Jon Fasanelli-Cawelti served as assistant to the world renowned printmaker Mauricio Lasansky - head of Printmaking in the School of Art and Art History at the University of Iowa. The Muscatine Art Center’s permanent collection includes over 40 prints by Lasansky, some of which were produced with assistance from Fasanelli-Cawelti. The influence of the master’s portraits is evident in his students’ work, including that of Fasanelli-Cawelti.</p><p><br></p> 2023-12-01 17:00:00 -0600
12/01/23 @ 10:00 a.m.Muscatine Art CenterMuscatine -
Jon Fasanelli-Cawelti: The Man Filled with Music
<p>In this first major exhibition of Fasanelli-Cawelti’s work since his passing in 2021, the artist’s love of music, playing the trumpet, and performing with the Muscatine Symphony Orchestra and Mad Creek Mudcats permeate into this body of work. A true Renaissance man, art, music, philosophy, literature, and history were part of his everyday life. </p><p>For more than fourteen years, Fasanelli-Cawelti served as assistant to the world renowned printmaker Mauricio Lasansky. A selection of Lasansky’s portraits from the permanent collection will be on view on the second floor of the gallery from September 21, 2023 through January 28, 2024.</p><p><br></p> 2023-12-01 17:00:00 -0600
12/01/23 @ 10:00 a.m.Muscatine Art CenterMuscatine -
Tannenbaum Forrest
<p>Come to Amana to see the Tannenbaum Forest! Over 50 Christmas trees decorated by local businesses, organizations and residents. Free will donation at the door, with proceeds going to Stead Family Children's Hospital in Iowa City and other local charities. See our Nativity scene and our 17' tall German Christmas Pyramid made by local craftsmen. Santa and his reindeer will also make a guest appearance!</p> 2023-03-13 16:00:00 -0500
12/01/23 @ 10:00 a.m.Festhalle BarnAmana -
Prelude to Christmas in the Amana Colonies
<p>A magical weekend with special events and food/beverage sampling in the shops, carolers on the street, and the town decked out in Christmas finery that's Prelude to Christmas in the Amana Colonies. The streets of Amana come alive with old world charm at no time more than Prelude to Christmas. The fences and store fronts sport pine boughs, there's red ribbons fluttering in the breeze, and an occasional melody from beloved Christmas Carols in the air.</p> 2023-03-10 17:00:00 -060012/01/23 @ 10:00 a.m.Amana ColoniesAmana -
Cedar Rapids Area Genealogy Library
<p>The Cedar Rapids Area Genealogy Library is open for visitors Tuesday through Saturday from 10:00 am until 4:00 PM. Research your family tree with help from library volunteers. Located in the lower level of the Masonic Library at 813 1<sup>st</sup> Avenue SE. Parking is available in the rear and enter through the back door. Admission is free but donations are welcome.</p> 2023-12-01 16:00:00 -060012/01/23 @ 10:00 a.m.Cedar Rapids Area Genealogy LibraryCedar Rapids -
25th Annual Cedar Rapids Nativity Celebration
<p>Come see the Armstrong -Smulekoff Nativity -a tradition for over 50 years - as well as hundreds of beautiful and unique nativity sets on display. There will also be children's activities and live music.</p> 2023-11-13 21:00:00 -0600
12/01/23 @ 11:00 a.m.The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day SaintsCedar Rapids -
Surprise! The New Curator’s Surprise Finds in the Collection
<p>In July 2023, Julia Jessen joined the CRMA staff as Curator of Collections and Exhibitions. While change can be challenging, it can also be exciting. A new curator means a new set of eyes on the collection and a new batch of ideas—in short, a new vision. One of the first things Jessen was charged with was getting to know the museum’s permanent collection. A museum’s collection is part of its identity, and she wanted to become familiar with the collection right away. This exhibition features some of the finds Jessen discovered while looking through the collection. By sharing those surprises with the public, she allows visitors to see how a curator thinks about and reacts to works in the collection<br><br><br></p> 2023-12-01 16:00:00 -0600
12/01/23 @ 12:00 p.m.Cedar Rapids Museum of ArtCedar Rapids -
Adam Rake: World Lines
<h5>Adam Rake: World Lines</h5><p>September 9, 2023 – January 7, 2024</p><p>Iowa City artist Adam Rake explores the complex ways in which the meaning of a work of art changes over time as technology and culture evolve. To convey this theme, Rake draws on the precedent of historical artworks but filters them through his own unique lens. He utilizes his printmaking experience to distort, alter, and augment the original images into something entirely new. Through these works, he considers the ever-changing relationship between contemporary culture and the work of art. </p> 2023-12-01 16:00:00 -0600
12/01/23 @ 12:00 p.m.Cedar Rapids Museum of ArtCedar Rapids -
Mauricio Lasansky: Master Printmaker
<p>The Museum is fortunate to be able to dedicate four galleries to the work of consummate printmaker, Mauricio Lasansky. Making prints for more than 65 years--first in his native Argentina, then in New York City, and for more than 55 years in Iowa City, Iowa--Lasansky's generous gift of prints in the 1980s and 1990s made it possible for the Museum to present a wide range of the artist's works, changing all four galleries every six months. Best known for large-scale prints in which he uses multiple plates and full ranges of color, Lasansky combines a spectrum of graphic techniques including etching, drypoint, aquatint, and engraving. Throughout his stylistic evolution, he created eloquent figural statements that are colorful, fresh, and spontaneous.</p> 2023-12-01 16:00:00 -0600
12/01/23 @ 12:00 p.m.Cedar Rapids Museum of ArtCedar Rapids -
Grant Wood: From Farm Boy to American Icon
<p><em>Grant Wood: From Farm Boy to American</em> Icon offers an expansive look at Wood’s life and career though his art. Housed in one of our largest first-floor galleries, this installation reflects the depth of the CRMA’s Grant Wood collection as well as the great breadth of Woods’ career, cut tragically short by his death in 1942.</p> 2023-12-01 16:00:00 -0600
12/01/23 @ 12:00 p.m.Cedar Rapids Museum of ArtCedar Rapids -
Death Café Dec 1
<p><strong>Fridays, Nov 3, Dec 1, 2-3 pm</strong></p><p><strong>Location: Room 302 </strong></p><p><br></p><p><strong>Mondays, Nov 13, 27, Dec 11, 12-1 pm </strong></p><p><strong>Location: Room 308</strong></p><p><strong> </strong></p><p>A Death Café is a safe place for people to talk about death in order to make the most of life. New people are encouraged to join anytime. This is not a bereavement support group or grief counseling session. For more information on the purpose of this group, visit <a href="https://iowacityia.prod.govaccess.org/Admin/Components/Calendar/Event/Review/deathcafe.com" target="_blank">deathcafe.com</a> or contact Michelle Buhman at 319-356-5222. This is open to people of all ages, no membership or registration required.</p> 2023-10-27 15:00:00 -0500
12/01/23 @ 2:00 p.m.Iowa City Senior CenterIowa City -
Reception for “Tart Cherry,” by Emma Beatrez
<ul><li aria-level="1">Drawing on a range of influences including psychoanalysis, contemporary fashion, and human belief systems, Beatrez’s work involves ritual, the recontextualization of materials, and aspects of the body. Her recent paintings and multimedia installations explore core psychoanalytic notions of the symbolic and the real, and the emergence of new meanings through distortion of established iconography. By manipulating the physical data of the gallery with lighting, scent, display, and other interdisciplinary processes, Beatrez hopes to encourage transference of unconscious associations in the viewer. Gallery hours are Monday–Friday, 9 a.m.–4 p.m., and Sunday 2–4 p.m. (Closed Saturdays.)</li></ul> 2023-10-05 18:00:00 -0500
12/01/23 @ 4:00 p.m.Peter Paul Luce Gallery, Cornell CollegeMount Vernon -
"Seasons, Times & Places" Art Exhibit, Reception and Artist Talk
<p>Opening reception for "Seasons, Times & Places,” an exhibit of paintings by Andrea Smisek Gage, with a talk by the artist. on Friday December 1 from 5-7:30 pm. Inspired by the natural beauty of the outdoors, Gage creates landscapes of both delicacy and vigor in several media—oil, pastel, and watercolor. In addition to her accomplished plein air work, a number of skillful copies of works by great painting masters are also on display. The exhibit is free and open to the public. Gallery hours are Saturday 1-3 p.m. or by appointment. </p> 2023-11-21 19:30:00 -0600
12/01/23 @ 5:00 p.m.The ArtiFactoryIowa City -
Noelridge Greenhouse Lights and Blooms
<p>The City of Cedar Rapids Parks & Recreation Department’s Noelridge Greenhouse staff and the Friends of Noelridge volunteers invite you to “Noelridge Greenhouse Lights and Blooms: A Tropical Holiday Adventure,” on Thursday, November 30, and Friday, December 1 from 5-8 p.m. at Noelridge Greenhouse, 4900 Council Street NE. Enjoy hot cider, punch, cookies, and popcorn while basking in the warmth and beauty of the greenhouse and its permanent collection of tropical plants, and shopping for winter plant décor and unique holiday gifts. Admission to this event is free with the donation of a non-perishable food item for HACAP. </p> 2023-12-01 20:00:00 -0600
12/01/23 @ 5:00 p.m.Noelridge GreenhouseCedar Rapids -
Art & Write Night
<p>Make our museum your muse! Tell a friend, grab a notebook, and join us on the <strong>first Friday of each month</strong>. We'll provide a new inspo prompt for each session and will sometimes move about the Museum but we'll always <strong>start in the Hageboeck Hall of Birds (Bird Hall) on the third Floor of Macbride Hall</strong>. Join anytime between 6-8 p.m. and feel free to participate in a themed creation challenge or work on your own project with our exhibits as inspiration. We'll save the last 15-30 minutes of each session to share what we've been working on, connecting with others (optional, of course!).</p> 2023-09-06 20:00:00 -0500
12/01/23 @ 6:00 p.m.University of Iowa Museum of Natural HistoryIowa City -
Christmas in Kalona
<p>Take the time to enjoy the Holiday season on Saturday, December 2nd. During our Christmas in Kalona Celebration, downtown will be teeming with activities for all ages. Musicians like Lee Klett, Pennies on the Rail and Banjoy will be playing on the sidewalks by campfires.</p><p>Stop by the live nativity display to feed the animals, visit with Mary & Joseph, or take your photo with the angels and shepherds.</p><p>Kids can fill Walking Stockings at businesses all around Kalona. Make a wish with Santa and decorate your own ornament or cookies. Find treasures and gifts when you shop from 40 vendors at our Christmas Market. Take home treats from the Cookie Walk, watch a movie at the Library, and enjoy spirits from wine tastings at local retailers.</p><p>Need a some fresh air? Take a moment to stretch your legs just a few minutes outside of town at our country stores too!</p><p>Poured Painting classes for kids and adults alike are in the afternoon at Kalona Brewing Co. Throughout the day, kids 12 and under can enter to win one of four sleds given away by the Kalona Optimist Club. Child must be present to win. Wagon rides, carolers, smores, Lighted Golf Cart parade, and the Christmas Tree Walk will carry on through the evening at the Kalona Historical Village.</p> 2023-11-16 19:00:00 -0600
12/02/23 @ 9:00 a.m.Kalona Area Chamber of Commerce`Kalona -
Christmas Cookie Walk and Crafts
<p>Delicious Homemade Cookies and Candies are Personally Selected by the Customers. This is a kid friendly event! The Lutheran Women's Missionary Guild sponsors this event and all proceeds go to supporting local, national, and international missions. Most items are $8 per pound, cash or check only. There will also be a few local vendors with crafts and gifts to purchase.</p> 2019-11-14 11:00:00 -0600
12/02/23 @ 9:00 a.m.Our Redeemer Lutheran ChurchIowa City -
Old World Christmas Market
<p>Old World Christmas Market is inspired by traditional European markets, but with our own Midwest magic. Experience a delightful market with local handcrafted items, delicious treats, entertainment, and activities for people of all ages. This year will feature a new pop-up restaurant featuring authentic Czech and Slovak foods! This enchanted celebration of culture, community, and holiday cheer is free to visit for the entire weekend, including admission to NCSML galleries. </p><p>Join us for extended hours on Saturday, December 2 from 9:30 a.m. - 8 p.m. and 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. on Sunday, December 3. Visit NCSML.org/OWCM for the most up-to-date details.</p> 2023-10-11 20:00:00 -0500
12/02/23 @ 9:30 a.m.National Czech & Slovak Museum & LibraryCedar Rapids