Mission Creek Festival is a week-long experience that takes over the venues and spaces of downtown Iowa City—creating an easily navigated nexus of music, literature, food and art. As with past festivals, the upcoming event will feature a strong balance of national, international and regional musicians, writers and artists performing and exhibiting their work in downtown venues like the Englert Theatre, the Mill, Blue Moose Tap House, Public Space One, Gabe’s, the Yacht Club, Prairie Lights and many other traditional and non-traditional venues. Our event is not just a series of concerts, readings and shows: it is a happening — a gathering that brings together artists and culture-lovers in the cozy, intimate confines of Iowa City. Every venue is within five minutes of every other venue. The largest venues rarely hold more than 750 people and sometimes the smallest hold just 50 people. Whether it’s warm or cool outside, Iowa City remains a great walking town: in between events, go eat at the diner where presidential candidates vie for the ears of caucus voters or grab a beer where folks like Raymond Carver and Kurt Vonnegut used to hang out while working at the Iowa Writers’ Workshop or stroll by the Grant Wood artist-in-residence house. And then head back out to another show. Whatever you do, have a great time.
All-access passes are available for purchase as well as tickets to individual shows. Click here
Mission Creek Festival is supported by a small staff, a corps of volunteers, our title sponsor University of Iowa Community Credit Union, the City of Iowa City, and the sponsorships of local and regional donors, a dedicated and expanding audience and awesome musicians, writers and artists who believe in the cause. We are an endeavor of the Iowa City-based nonprofit organization The James Gang.
