About Iowa City's Downtown Iowa City

I know how much readers of my blog like Arts & Crafts shows. There's always an enormous amount of traffic whenever I write posts about them. This weekend - ALL weekend - we all have another opportunity to find that perfect gift for that special someone at the Iowa City Eastside Artist Holiday Show & Sale. "Local Art from Hand and Heart." Cool slogan, don't you think?

Apart from this being the perfect opportunity to find a unique gift, this is also an opportunity to support local artists in the season of sharing and caring.

Schedule for Iowa City Eastside Artist Holiday Show & Sale

Friday December 9, 10.00am - 8.00pm

Saturday December 10, 10.00am - 5.00pm

Sunday December 11, 10.00am - 5.00pm

Where? At the Iowa City Masonic Lodge #4, 312 E College St, Iowa City (Click the link for directions). If you'd like an idea of some of the items you're likely to find for sale, just check out their Facebook Page. There some really awesome photos there! (My favorite is of the puppets).

Originally posted @ denisehamlin.com

Annual Puppet Festival Saturday October 29, 2011 10.15am - 1.15pm at the Iowa City Public Library

There's so much going on this Halloween weekend it's hard to choose what to write about! As it happens I'm a sucker when it comes to puppet shows so this one was a no brainer for me. Some of my favorite memories involve watching my two boys enraptured faces as they watched puppet shows in Germany. They're pretty popular over there and we went to A LOT of them.

Popo's Puppet Festival is this Saturday in Meeting Room A at the ICPL Here's a full schedule of performances

10:15-10:45: "Shiver Me Timbers: A Pirates Tale with Kidspectacular
11:00-11:30: "Popo's Spooky Fun" with Deanne Wortman and Dave Panther
11:30-11:45: Giant Puppet and Pickle Bucket Band Parade
11:45-12:15: Full Moon Puppet Show's Liz Schacterle performs "Three Vignettes": "An Afternoon Nap,"The Hug" and "Snow."
12:45-1:15: "Bony Legs" with Buffy Quintero

Popo's Puppet Festival this year at the Iowa City Public Library features Liz Schachterle, a professional puppeteer and theatre artist from Minneapolis. Popo, the star of the show will appear with Magic Dave in "Popo's Spooky Fun." Althogether there will be five performances to choose from, starting at 10.15am and finished at 1.15pm.

This event is free and open to all ages.

originally posted @ denisehamlin.com

Halloween Weekend is coming up. Here are links to some of the popular venues in downtown Iowa City for live entertainment and good food... With a couple of them vying for the position of pulling the best draft beer in town. I'm a Guiness gal myself. (Which I'm guessing won't come as a surprise to anyone reading this who knows anything about me).

The Mill has its annual Halloween Cover Show at 9.00pm Friday October 28. The idea is that local bands play music from great bands of the past. On Saturday October 29 Wyle Nept will be playing original Celtic pub tunes.

The Blue Moose Tap House has a full program for Halloween weekend. MayDay kicks it off on Friday October 28 at 5.30pm. The band Lydia will also be playing on Friday. Saturday October 29 it's the Middleleagers from Mars and Sunday October 30 Slim Cessna's Auto Club will be taking the stage. Here's a link that takes you directly to their online calender with a full schedule of events for October with pricing info and more info on the bands.

There's more live music at Gabe's in Iowa City Halloween Weekend and on Monday October 31 it's Night of the Living Dub'd with DJ Solo. (Not quite sure what to make of that one. You'll need to click on the link and figure it out for yourself).

The Yacht Club is another popular venue for live entertainment so be sure to check out that link too. On Friday October 28 Amanda Miller and the Super Secretswill be playing there. I'm sure they'll update their website soon with what's going on the rest of the weekend.

And then there's The Wildwood Smokehouse & Saloon, another popular place for great food and entertainment. On Saturday October 29 the Robby Michael Bandwill be taking the stage.

Rounding things off. If you're looking for costume parties. Both Brothers Bar Bar & Grill and Deadwood have a costume contest on Saturday October 29.

And finally. I can't finish a post about Halloween without at least mentioning scary movies at least once. They obviously get plenty of attention around Halloween. The Englert will have a showing of the Rocky Horror Picture Show running through the witching hour on Saturday October 29.

Do you have an event to add to this list? I'm sure other readers will appreciate it if you let us know in the comments.

Originally posted @ denisehamlin.com

Halloween Parade and Carnival, Iowa City, October 28, 2011 - 6.00pm - 8.00pm

It's everyone's favorite time of the year again. Children and their parents and caregivers can get ready for a fun time organized by the Iowa City Parks & Recreation Department at this year's Halloween Parade and Carnival.

The fun kicks off Friday October 28 between 6.00pm - 6.15pm. That's when children and their caregivers meet at the Weatherdance Fountain in Iowa City for the parade to the Robert A. Lee Community Recreation Center.

At 6:15pm the parade begins with the route heading east on College Street to the Recreation Center.

After the parade the fun continues at the Recreation Center until 8.00pm with Halloween themed activities including cookie decorating, crafts, face painting, dancing and much more.

There is no charge and no need to register beforehand. All you need to do is show up - Dressed for the occasion of course and with a bag of treats in hand. All children will need to be accompanied by an adult. Don't forget the camera. There will be plenty of photo opportunities!

*The parade may be canceled if bad weather prevails. The fun activities at the Recreation Center will take place come rain or shine.

Originally posted @ denisehamlin.com

One of the highlights of the summer in downtown Iowa City this 4th of July weekend is upon us - Iowa City Jazz Festival.

The Main Stage is in front of the Old Capitol and performances start there at 4.30 pm Friday. The final performance will be at 8.00 pm on Sunday and right after that at 9.45 pm you can make your way to Hubbard Park for the 4th of July Fireworks that will be launched from Hubbard Park. (Yes, the 4th of July Firework Display is scheduled for July 3 - Make sure you don't miss it!)

While you're listening to all the good music you're going to need sustenance. Vendors on Culinary Row will provide cuisine from around the world. They'll be set up along Iowa Ave. John's JazzFest Beer Tent offers a great view of the Main Stage. And to round it off and make it a truly family affair, for kids there's FUN Zone, (located at the south end of Clinton St)

Schedule Of All Day Events + Main Stage Performances
Iowa City Jazz Festival July 1 - July 3, 2011

Friday July 1

3:00 – 10:00 pm Culinary Row Open
3:00 - 11:00 pm John's Jazz Fest. Bier Garden Open
4:00 – 8:30 pm FUN Zone Open -- FREE and paid activities for kids of all ages!

Main Stage
4:30 pm United Jazz Ensemble
6:00 pm DePaul Jazz Ensemble
8:00 pm Carmen Bradford with the Iowa Jazz Orchestra

Saturday July 2

11:00 a.m. – 10:00 pm Culinary Row Open
11:00 a.m. - 11:00 pm John's Jazz Fest. Bier Garden Open
12:00 – 8:30 pm FUN Zone Open -- FREE and paid activities for kids of all ages!

Main Stage
2:00 pm North Corridor Jazz All Stars
4:00 pm Elsie Parker and The Poor People of Paris
6:00 pm Kneebody
8:00 pm Josh Roseman Unit

Sunday July 3

11:00 a.m. – 10:30 pm Culinary Row Open
11:00 a.m. - 11:00 pm John's Jazz Fest. Bier Garden Open
12:00 – 8:30 pm FUN Zone Open -- FREE and paid activities for kids of all ages!

Main Stage
2:00 pm Kevin Hart and the Vibe Tribe with David Hoffman
4:00 pm John Ellis and Double-Wide
6:00 pm Ambrose Akinmusire Quintet
8:00 pm Randy Weston’s African Rhythms Trio

9.45 pm Firework Display at Hubbard Park, across the road from IMU.

The Iowa City Jazz Festival is part of the Summer of the Arts Project and is all about promoting the Arts in the area. You can expect to see big names like Carmen Bradford and talented musicians from local high schools at the save venue. Pretty cool when you think about it. The main stage is in front of the Old Capitol. There are three side stages so you really won't be able to miss hearing some good music if you're anywhere in the vicinity of Iowa Ave and Clinton St!

originally posted @ ichomesforsale.com