Dennis Green was present for the very first July 4 fireworks display in downtown Cedar Rapids, which over the past 40 years has grown into the 3-week Freedom Festival celebration. Freedom Festival celebrates its big birthday with the return of some old favorite events, plus some new ones, including Jazz on 2nd, the Festival’s first …
With Cedar Rapids Municipal Band director Steve Shanley still on vacation, Linn-Mar’s Jen Tiede is guest directing this week. Her guest is bassist and singer Blake Shaw, who took this opportunity to do his first-ever arranging for concert band, which is much larger than a jazz big band, and even more so than Blake’s usual …
Husband and wife art collectors Dan Shogren and Susan Meyer from the Twin Cities have spent decades building a collection of art, all surrounding urban life in the 1930s. The Cedar Rapids Museum of Art hosts their first-ever exhibit, entitled “Work and Society in the 1930s: American Paintings and Photographs.” Dan and Susan, working folks …
Two exhibits are up at Gilded Pear Gallery, with a reception to see them and meet the artists on June 9 from 5-7:30pm. “Welcome: New Artists” is just what it says, debut exhibits from seven artists, most from the local area. “By Design” displays ideas from four area design firms on different ways to incorporate …
Prairewoods’ annual Garden Party takes place on the Prairiewoods grounds for the first time in several years. Executive Director Leslie Wright says there will be tasty food and drink, music from Friend of the Culture Crawl Jonny Lipford, and a chance to explore the serene Prairiewoods grounds. Proceeds go toward supporting and expanding Prairiewoods’ beautiful …
Iowa playwright Mary Swander’s new work “Squatters on Red Earth” tells the story of the unique relationship between the Mesqwaki nation and the Inspirationists, the original settlers in the Amana Colonies. The two groups mingled and supported each other, so much so that years later, when the Mesqwaki wanted to return to their homeland in …
Culture Crawl 820 “Quiet Quitting” Cedar Rapids Municipal Band director Steve Shanley opens the 2023 season by… leaving. Steve is traveling in Europe with the Coe bands for the first couple weeks of the season, so the first two concerts will be with guest director’s Aaron Nuss is up first. Aaron is a past Muni …
The History Center brings back a unique piece of Eastern Iowa history with the new exhibit “Bruce & Nola Bucknell – Partners in Puppetry.” The Bucknells toured all over the United States and Canada with their marionettes, each one handmade by Bruce and costumed by Nola. The Hy-Vee slogan, “A helpful smile in every aisle” …
