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Three things
To do this weekend

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Prairiewoods’ Garden Party

Saturday, June 6

Prairiewoods has already established itself as a truly unique spot for spiritual growth in the Corridor. This weekend, the center is hosting a fundraiser downtown Cedar Rapids for anyone interested in “growing the spirit.” Prairiewoods’ Garden Party will be held in the Hallagan Education Center at Mercy Medical Center on Saturday and will feature a silent auction, music, a buffet dinner a selection of local wines and artisan cheeses and plenty of time to socialize. Tickets can be purchased for $35 each and all proceeds from the event go towards the Prairiewoods Endowment Fund to support the future of the organization’s dedication to enhancing body, mind and spirit.

Prairiewoods’ Garden Party
4 p.m. Saturday (6/6), Mercy Medical Center Hallagan Education Center, 701 Tenth St. SE, Cedar Rapids, $35, www.prairiewoods.org

 

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Riverside Theatre Shakespeare Festival’s Tenth Birthday

Saturday, June 6

Shakespeare has been inspiring audiences and thespians for generations. And for the 10th consecutive summer, Riverside Theatre will carry on his legacy with its annual Shakespeare Festival. Come celebrate the festival’s birthday in Iowa City this Saturday. The event – held at Riverside Theatre downtown – will offer refreshments, prizes and even a sneak peek at the costume and set renderings for the upcoming summer festival. This season’s productions will include “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” and “Richard III.” A 10percent discount will also be offered on any festival tickets purchased that day. The performances will be held throughout June and July and it all starts Saturday!

Riverside Theatre Shakespeare Festival’s 10th Birthday
Noon to 4 p.m. Saturday (6/6), Riverside Theatre, 213 North Gilbert St., Iowa City, Free, www.riversidetheatre.org

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Blues & BBQ at Bloomsbury Farm

Saturday, June 6

If you’ve never been to Bloomsbury Farm in Atkins, then the Blues & BBQ event this weekend is a good excuse to check it out. The event showcases a distinctive mix of Midwest blues and funk performances, food and beverages and a silent auction. Bryce and Billy Lee Janey and Friends of Cedar Rapids will be performing in the early afternoon, followed by Bill Lupkin and the Workers. Biscuit Miller and the Mix caps the night as the soulful headliner. Enjoy the music while browsing the silent auction items in the Bloomsbury barn. So eat, drink, buy and enjoy the entertainment – the proceeds from this family-friendly event benefit the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation International.

Blues & BBQ at Bloomsbury Farm
4 to 10 p.m. Saturday (6/6), Bloomsbury Farm, 3260 69th St., Atkins, $10 for adults, $5 children ages 6 to 12, children under 6 are free, www.bloomsburyfarm.com  

 
Three Other Things

Sylvia Schuster Drawings
5 to 8 p.m. Friday (6/5)
West Bank on the corner of Dubuque and Burlington Streets, Iowa City, Free

SPT Theatre Company’s “Tales of Wonder”
7:30 p.m. Friday & Saturday (6/5 & 6/6)
Cedar Rapids Museum of Art, 410 Third Street SE, Cedar Rapids, $20, www.spttheatre.org

Perry and Burroway open summer ‘Live from Prairie Lights’ series
7 p.m. Thursday & Friday (6/4 & 6/5)
Prairie Lights bookstore, 15 South Dubuque Street, Iowa City, Free

Three Things to do this Memorial Day weekend

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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