2024 Iowa Arts Festival in downtown Iowa City -- June 7 through 9.
Friday, June 7, through Sunday, June 9
Downtown Iowa City IA
A tradition of 40-plus years that has attracted more than 25,000 people each summer to downtown Iowa City, the Iowa Arts Festival, from June 7 through 9, will showcase a wide array of visual artists from local and national levels, and also feature a beverage garden, a variety of culinary delights, children’s activities, and thrilling live-music performances, including a Saturday-night set with Grammy-winning festival headliner Terrance Simien.
The 2024 Iowa Arts Festival opens on Friday, June 7, at 5 p.m., with the Art Fair showcasing more than 100 national visual artists and the Culinary Delights, Beverage Garden, and Fun Stops stations all providing plenty of early-evening entertainment. At 6 p.m., the Weary Ramblers hit the stage, the Iowa folk duo of Chad Elliott and Kathryn Fox showcasing multi-instrumental performances with tight harmonies and great storytelling. Then at 8 p.m., the Friday-night headliners of Pert Near Sandstone bring their infectious energy to downtown Iowa City. Festival favorites in both the U.S. and Europe, their live performances are praised as "a frenzied string shredding spree that takes audiences under its spell."
On Saturday, June 8, the Main Stage performances kick off at noon with the Iowa City Community Band, whose music includes a mixture of marches, music from Broadway musicals, and old favorites. Iowa powerhouse performers Subatlantic follow at 1:30 p.m. with a sound that ranges from sonorous dream-pop to crisp, danceable post-punk. Electric-powered blue-roots duo Joe and Vicki Price plays next at 4 p.m., followed by three-time Juno Award nominee Alysha Brilla starting the evening performances at 6 p.m. Headliner Terrance Simien and his ensemble the Zydeco Experience then take over the stage at 8 p.m.
Simien takes his audiences on a multicultural tour of the world inspired by the many countries he’s visited on tour which have informed his musical language. He creates a hypnotic blend of New Orleans funk-reggae-flavored-world-blues-American zydeco roots music that beckons you to your feet and into the groove. Leading his Zydeco Experience band, Simien has become one of the most respected and accomplished artists in American roots music today. He and his bandmates have performed in excess of 7,000 concerts, and have toured millions of miles to over 45 countries during their eventful career.
Sunday June 9 brings both familiar and fresh faces to the Summer of the Arts stage. Anne Savage and the Lorch Sisters will open the festival’s final day at noon. Members of the Gimenez Voice Academy then take the stage at 1 p.m., followed by the Iowa City Flute Choir at 2 p.m. Forró Fo Sho, the premier Wisconsin-based band playing Brazilian Forro dance music, closes out the festival at 3 p.m., concluding the weekend with a high-energy party.
Also featured throughout the weekend are various street performers, sure to bring out joy and wonder in attendees of all ages, with 100-plus visual artists on Washington and Clinton and an Emerging Artist Area featuring student and youth work on display Saturday and Sunday in the Old Capitol Mall. There will be performances and kids’ activities on the Ped Mall Stage Saturday and Sunday, and with the layout for the 2024 Iowa Arts Festival different from previous years, a map of this year’s layout will be posted at the event's Web site along with additional information regarding the Ped Mall Stage entertainment.
Admission to downtown Iowa City's 2024 Iowa Arts Festival taking place from June 7 through 9 is free, and more information is available by visiting SummerOfTheArts.org/2024-iowa-arts-festival.
