Blog Archives

Celebrate Christmas in the Amanas

Posted on by
Reply

AMANA — Celebrate Christmas in the Amanas from now through Dec. 18 . Visit the Tannenbaum Forest during these dates and stroll a twinkling wonderland of lights. Enjoy 40 live, decorated Christmas trees, a Nativity scene and 17-foot tall German-style Christmas pyramid, built by five local craftsmen. Visit Santa and a live reindeer, plus live music.

The proceeds from the Tannenbaum Forest benefit our 2011 Make-A-Wish child, Brandon, who suffers from cystic fibrosis. An energetic 5-year old, he was diagnosed as an infant. His wish is to go to the San Diego Zoo because he loves animals. Santa and the Make-A-Wish Foundation will be on hand Nov. 25 at 6 p.m. for a special candlelit luminary parade down Main Street Amana to kick off this year’s event, followed by a tree lighting ceremony, caroling and hot cocoa around a bonfire.

Each of our four weekends of celebration has a different theme for 2011. Thanksgiving weekend (Nov 25-27) features Moments in Time photo opportunities at numerous businesses in the Amanas. Bring your family and friends and take advantage of these great displays to photograph lasting holiday memories. The first weekend in December (12/2-4) is the traditional Prelude to Christmas, including special programming and demonstrations at many of our shops. The Amana Heritage Museum will perform its annual Glimpse of Amana Christmas Past, a program of song, poetry, and storytelling that lets you experience Christmas in communal-era Amana. The Amana Church has its annual Holiday Bazaar and Cookie Walk, and there will be a special Christkindlmarkt at Catiri’s Art Oasis.

From Dec. 9 to 11 is Kids & Crafts weekend. Bring the kids to the Amanas for some fun ‘kids time.’ Numerous businesses have opportunities for kids to create gifts like multi-colored Christmas trees, German paper ornaments, and dip their own candy canes. Santa will even have one of his reindeer at the Tannenbaum Forest on Dec. 10 from 1 to 4 p.m.

The Music and Holiday weekend on Dec. 16 to 18 wraps up the celebration of Christmas with great musical performances and theatre performances, including the Marengo Presbyterian Handbell Choir and a community caroling party for anyone who loves to sing.

Old Creamery Theatre is performing A Don’t Hug Me Christmas Carol, Raggedy Ann and Andy’s Yuletide Adventure, and Wooden Snowflake. The Iowa Theatre Artist Company will offer A Southern Exposure, a Great Blue Herons Christmas Concert, and Lynne Rothrock’s Christmas Cabaret.

The Tannenbaum Forest and Prelude to Christmas organizers are proud to present the Prelude to Christmas for over thirty years and to work with the Make-A-Wish Foundation for the last 11 years to sponsor an area child. These events draw over 20,000 visitors to the Amana Colonies. A complete listing can be found at Festivalsinamana.com.

Three Things:
To do this weekend

Posted on by
Reply

To Kill a Mockingbird
Thursday, July 9 to Saturday, July 11

0709_hoo_mockingbird

Like a summer staple, The Classics at Brucemore, returns this weekend with “To Kill a Mockingbird.” The natural outdoor amphitheater near the Brucemore pond becomes the backdrop of this Pulitzer Prize-winning tale by Harper Lee that addresses racial injustice in the 1930s South. Pack a blanket or lawn chairs, a picnic and your favorite bottle of wine. It’s a classic recipe for a magical evening under the stars at the Brucemore estate.

The Classics at Brucemore: To Kill a Mockingbird
8 p.m. Thursday (07/09) to Saturday (07/11) and Thursday (07/16) to Saturday (07/18), Brucemore, 2160 Linden Drive SE, Cedar Rapids, Advance tickets $15 or $18 at the gate, www.brucemore.org

 

Linn County Fair
Thursday, July 9 to Monday, July 13

0709_hoo_candlebox

It may not be the Iowa State Fair, but everyone’s into “staycations” this summer right? The Linn County Fair doesn’t disappoint. They’ve packed six days full of family friendly activities and fair favorites (think carnival rides, 4-H competitions, a truck and tractor pull and chuck wagon races.) Thursday is Youth Day followed by Heritage Day on Friday. There’s musical entertainment, too. Candlebox plays Thursday night at 7 p.m. followed up by the “Ultimate” Johnny Cash tribute artist Terry Lee Goffee on Friday night. Plus, the Linn County Fair is going “green” this year. Take that Polk County.

Linn County Fair
7 a.m. Thursday (07/09) to Monday (07/13), Linn County Fairgrounds, Central City, various ticket prices, www.thelinncountyfair.com

Tour De Brew
Saturday, July 11

0709_hoo_millstream

Need to warm up for RAGBRAI? Peddle on over to Millstream Brewery this Saturday for the annual Tour De Brew, where you’ll ride to various stops around the Amanas to taste hearty micro brewed beers (or root beer if you prefer.) Pick up poker cards along the way and try your hand at winning a door prize at the end of the ride. There also will be entertainment from 2 to 6 p.m. by Beatle’s tribute band Silver Wings in the Millstream Brewery biergarten. Ready, set, cheers!

Tour De Brew
10:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday (07/11), start and end at Millstream Brewery, $20, 835 48th Avenue, Amana, (319) 622-3672, www.millstreambrewing.com or www.bikeiowa.com

Three Other Things

Erin Bode in Concert
8 p.m., Saturday (7/11)
Campbell Steele Gallery, 1064 Seventh Avenue, Marion, $40, (319) 373-9211, www.campbellsteele.com

Turkey Creek Open Disc Golf Tournament
8 a.m., Saturday and Sunday (7/11, 12)
Turkey Creek (meet at the shelter house), Iowa City, various registration fees, (319) 470-6938

Dr. David Campbell presents The Crystal Desert: Summers in Antarctica
2 p.m., Sunday (7/12)
Science Station @ Lindale Mall, 4444 First Avenue, Cedar Rapids, Free, www.sciencestation.org

Three Things
To do this weekend

Posted on by
Reply

 0528_hoo_jasonreeves1

Jason Reeves
Friday, May 29

Iowa City’s native troubadour, Jason Reeves, returns to the Englert Theatre’s stage this weekend. Reeves, now a Warner Brothers recording artist, entertains audiences with his pop/folk melodies which have earned him both critical and popular acclaim including “Top Folk Album of 2007″ from iTunes. Don’t miss this concert, which promises to take the audience on a contemplative journey of love, hope, heartbreak and renewal.

Jason Reeves
8 p.m. Friday (05/29), Englert Theatre, 221 East Washington St., Iowa City, $17 in advance or $19 day of show, www.englert.org

0528_hoo_johnbuck

John Buck: Iconography
Saturday, May 30

Drop by the Cedar Rapids Museum of Art Saturday to check out the opening of their latest exhibition, John Buck: Iconography. Buck, originally from Ames and now living in Montana, is an internationally acclaimed printmaker and sculptor. The CRMA is the only Iowa stop for this nationally touring exhibit featuring more than 60 of Buck’s works including large-scale prints, sculpture, shadow boxes and more. While you have until August 16 to see Buck’s works  at the CRMA, there’s just one chance to meet the artist and hear him speak about his creations during the featured artist talk on Saturday afternoon.
John Buck: Iconography
1 p.m., Saturday (05/30), Cedar Rapids Museum of Art, 410 Third Ave. SE, Cedar Rapids, www.crma.org

0528_hoo_titantirechallenge

Ladies Tire Titan Challenge
Tuesday, June 2 through June 7

The Ladies Titan Tire Challenge is no ordinary charity golf tournament. And thanks to the hard work (and volunteer coordination) of Junior League of Cedar Rapids, this exciting professional sporting event is headed to your backyard. The Ladies Titan Tire Challenge is one of 17 stops — and the first-ever Iowa stop — on the LPGA’s official developmental tour known as the Duramed FUTURES Tour (Lorena Ochoa and Christina Kim began their professional careers on the tour and hometown-hero Zach Johnson got his start on the men’s equivalent) and will feature 144 professional female golfers (from 31 countries) vying for an LPGA membership card. Events include the 54-hole professional competition, teaching clinics, two Pro-Am tournaments and social events. Plus, event proceeds go to The Arc of East Central Iowa. Fore!
Ladies Titan Tire Challenge
Various times, Tuesday (06/02) through Sunday (06/07), Hunter’s Ridge Golf Course, 2901 Hunter’s Ridge Rd., Marion, $10 per day or $25 for three-day pass, www.titantirechallenge.com or www.juniorleaguecr.org

THREE OTHER THINGS

Barks in the Park
6:30 to 8 p.m. Thursday (5/28)
Squaw Creek Park (meet at Red Cedar Lodge), 4305 Squaw Ln., Marion, $5, http://wickiup.blogspot.com/

Free Family Night at the Iowa Children’s Museum
5 to 8 p.m., Friday (5/29)
Iowa Children’s Museum, 1451 Coralridge Ave., Coralville, Free, www.theicm.org

Beckster Fest
Various times Friday through Sunday (5/28 to 5/31)
Amana Colonies RV Park and Event Center, Amana, $10 to $12 daily or $25 three-day pass, www.barefootbecky.com

Three Things to do this Memorial Day weekend

Posted on by
3

0521_hoo_uptown 

Friday Night Concert Series and Uptown Friday Nights
Thursday, May 21, and Friday, May 22

Kick off your three-day weekend — and the start of a summer-long weekly event — by attending this year’s first Summer of the Arts Friday Night Concert Series on Thursday and Friday in Iowa City on the Ped Mall and Uptown Friday Nights Friday in downtown Cedar Rapids at Greene Square Park. In Iowa City, the Friday Night Concert Series starts Thursday with a special performance by the Iowa City High and West High jazz ensembles. It continues Friday night when Big Wooden Radio takes the stage. Check it out each Friday night from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. through August 28. In Cedar Rapids, perennial favorite The Swing Crew is on deck Friday at the Jaycees summertime staple, Uptown Friday Nights. Go back every Friday through the end of July from 5 to 8 p.m. Stay downtown afterward for specials from area bars and restaurants.

 

 

 

Friday Night Concert Series
6:30 to 9:30 p.m. Thursday (5/21) and Friday (5/22), Ped Mall, Iowa City, Free, www.summerofthearts.com

Uptown Friday Night
5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Friday (5/22), Greene Square Park, Cedar Rapids, $5, Must be 21 or older to attend, www.uptownfridaynights.com

LIBERTY CENTRE BLUES & BBQ

Liberty Centre Blues and BBQ
Sunday, May 24

There’s nothing like a little barbecue and blues to get in the mood for summer. And there’s no time like Memorial Day weekend to kick off the season. The annual Liberty Centre Blues and BBQ in downtown North Liberty is a  family-friendly event with all-day live music, a variety of local food vendors, kids’ activities ranging from fishing to carnival games and a beverage garden for the 21 and over crowd. The regional entertainment includes the music stylings of Wise Fools and Bob Dorr and the Blue Band. So bring your lawn chairs, blankets, big appetites and friends down to the celebration. P.S. It’s free!

Liberty Centre Blues and BBQ
Noon to 10 p.m. Sunday (5/24), Liberty Centre, North Liberty, Free, www.northlibertyiowa.org/bluesandbbq/

Iowa Renaissance Festival

Iowa Renaissance Festival
Saturday, May 23 through Monday, May 25

The 18th annual Iowa Renaissance Festival and Gathering o’Celts returns to Middle Amana this weekend with three days of festivities. New and returning classic acts will bring the large living history campment fields and entertainment to life. There will be comedy, street performers (nearly 200 from Iowa, Minneapolis, Chicago and Kansas City), traditional horseback jousting tournaments, Highland Games demonstrations, a beer garden and wine tasting and the military history exhibits. The merchant’s includes artisans and products that can only be found at a Renaissance faire. The children’s realm will also have new surprises and games, along with story-tellers and faerie greeters.
Iowa Renaissance Festival
11 a.m. to 6p.m. Saturday (5/23), Sunday (5/24), Monday (5/25), Middle Amana Park, Amana, single day admission $10 for adults, $5 children ages 6 to 14, children under six free,$15 two-day pass, $18 three-day pass www.iowarenfest.com

 

Kathleen’s Fave Five

Posted on by
Reply

Kathleen Pegg, 27, Cedar Rapids
Manager Communications & Research @ Priority One

Downtown Farmers Market
Kari Lammer took me to the first downtown Farmers Market post-flood, and I absolutely fell in love. We had a pretty impressive farmers market back home (in Detroit), but the quality and variety of produce, baked goods, flowers and crafts available here is unbelievable. My favorite booth by far is From Scratch. Their banana cupcakes? TO DIE FOR. Amazing. I took my husband and my dog to the downtown market a few weeks later and we had lemonade from Brewed Awakenings and breakfast burritos from Victors. We also picked up local honey and tons of local produce. It was a great way to learn about the area. I had no idea there were so many wineries in Iowa! Definitely a great place to start for people new in town.
Downtown Farmers Market
Downtown, Cedar Rapids
www.rebuilddowntowncr.org

Amana Colonies
My parents came to visit us over Labor Day weekend and we decided to check out the Iowa Festival of Beers at Millstream Brewery in the Amana Colonies. My parents now want to move to Iowa. We had a BLAST. Not only did we enjoy the live music, tasty snacks and amazing craft and home brews, but we decided to have dinner at the Ox Yoke Inn. It was some of the best food I’ve ever had.
Amana Colonies
www.amanacolonies.com

Helen G. Nassif YMCA
One of the first things my husband and I did when we moved here was join a gym. I wish we would have waited. The downtown Y is beautiful and has everything you need for a complete workout. I love that they have an indoor track, great equipment and classes. I can’t think of another place that gives you access to so many different options.
Helen G. Nassif YMCA
207 Seventh Ave. SE, Cedar Rapids
www.crmetroymca.org

Irish Democrat
Can you tell I like food? My first few weeks here, people in the office kept talking about the ID and these weird things called cheesy wontons. Finally, someone brought them in for an office party; the mystery was solved and I was hooked! My husband and I went to the ID that weekend and gorged ourselves on cheesy wontons. Now whenever one of us has a really bad day, the other one picks them up on the way home from work. Cheesy wontons always make the day better!
Irish Democrat
3207 First Ave. SE, Cedar Rapids
www.irishdemocrat.net

Cedar Rapids Kernels
About a week and a half after the flood, my husband and I visited Cedar Rapids so that I could do some interviews and we could look for a dog-friendly apartment. This was my first trip to Cedar Rapids, and on our second night in town we went to a Kernels game. I knew immediately I was going to like it here. The weather was beautiful, the game was great and the beer was cheap. What more could you ask for? I even bought a T-shirt and wore it proudly to my husband’s goodbye party the next weekend.
Cedar Rapids Kernels
950 Rockford Rd. SW, Cedar Rapids
www.kernels.com

Kelsey’s Fave Five

Posted on by
Reply

Kelsey Tumey, 24

Cedar Rapids, Business Systems Analyst @ Rockwell Collins

 

Hawkeye Football

We love visiting Iowa City during Hawkeye Football season for the contagious energy and atmosphere.  The city is filled with loyal Iowa Fans tailgating in black & gold.  The Iowa Hawkeye spirit not only fills Iowa City, but the entire Eastern Iowa area. 

Hawkeye Football

http://hawkeyesports.cstv.com/

 

 

Canoeing/Riverfloating down the Maquoketa River

This is a great opportunity to relax and enjoy the Iowa scenery along the Maquoketa River near Monticello.  The trip takes nearly half the day to travel, and then you have a chance to camp and enjoy the Iowa outdoors. 

Canoeing/Riverfloating down the Maquoketa River

http://www.mcdonoughcanoerentals.com/

 

 

Amana Colonies

Visits to the Amana Colonies, 17 miles southwest of Cedar Rapids on Hwy 151, for the great food and festivities are always enjoyable.  There are a number of different festivities that are held year round.  Amana also offers the local Millstream Brewery and many local wineries. 

Amana Colonies

http://www.amanacolonies.org/

 

61 Drive-In Movie Theater

Not just your ordinary movie setting, the 61 Drive-In, located five miles south of Maquoketa

of Hwy 61, is a great way to get outside and enjoy something unique.  This is a great activity for couples, groups and kids.

61 Drive-In Movie Theater

http://www.maquoketa.com/61drivein/

 

 

Sundown Mountain

As the closest destination for Iowa skiing, Sundown Mountain, 16991 Asbury Rd, outside Dubuque, offers hills for all levels.  A quick day trip is a great get-a-way over the weekend in the winter months. 

Sundown Mountain

http://www.sundownmtn.com/