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X-WR-CALNAME:Iowa City UNESCO City of Literature
X-ORIGINAL-URL:https://www.iowacityofliterature.org
X-WR-CALDESC:Events for Iowa City UNESCO City of Literature
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TZID:America/Chicago
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TZOFFSETFROM:-0600
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TZNAME:CDT
DTSTART:20260308T080000
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DTSTART:20261101T070000
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20260221T100000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20260221T100000
DTSTAMP:20260619T174417
CREATED:20230119T174519Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260206T160259Z
UID:2317-1771668000-1771668000@www.iowacityofliterature.org
SUMMARY:Trains!
DESCRIPTION:Full steam ahead for Lego and BRIO train fun with Dan Daly. Stop in at MERGE on the pedmall and play all day! (136 S. Dubuque Street Iowa City\, next to the library and playground) \n🚂 Calling all train lovers & helpers! 🚂\nWe need 4 awesome volunteers to make Trains! at One Book Two Book extra magical. This is the event where kids get to explore a whole room full of Brio & LEGO train fun\, and YOU can help make it happen! \n✨ Volunteer roles we need:\n🔹 2 Track Builders — Help design & set up the tracks on Friday\, Feb. 20\n🔹 2 Train Assistants — Help kids\, keep things moving\, and spread the train joy on Saturday\, Feb. 21 \nNo experience necessary — just energy\, teamwork\, and a love of trains (or a willingness to learn 😉). \n🚆 Sign up to volunteer!\n \n  \n  \n  \n  \n 
URL:https://www.iowacityofliterature.org/event/trains/
LOCATION:MERGE\, 136 S Dubuque St\, Iowa City\, IA\, 52240\, United States
CATEGORIES:One Book Two Book Festival
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.iowacityofliterature.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/trainset-scaled.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20260221T100000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20260221T100000
DTSTAMP:20260619T174417
CREATED:20231206T153801Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260205T190252Z
UID:3340-1771668000-1771668000@www.iowacityofliterature.org
SUMMARY:Book Fair at One Book Two Book
DESCRIPTION:At FilmScene at The Chauncey \nJoin us for a celebration of children’s literature and writing! Books\, author readings\, writing workshops\, film screenings\, crafts\, costume characters\, and more! \nCoralville Public Library | Iowa City Public Library | Midwest Chinese Academy | PaperPie | Scattergood Friends School | Sidekick Coffee & Books | The Book End | The Iowa Children’s Museum | Toadally Awesome Pets | Willowwind School\n \n  \n\nSponsored by FilmScene
URL:https://www.iowacityofliterature.org/event/one-book-two-book/
LOCATION:FilmScene at The Chauncey\, 404 E College St\, Iowa City\, IA\, 52240\, United States
CATEGORIES:One Book Two Book Festival
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://www.iowacityofliterature.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Book-Fair-18.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20260221T100000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20260221T100000
DTSTAMP:20260619T174417
CREATED:20260202T182703Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260202T183327Z
UID:5345-1771668000-1771668000@www.iowacityofliterature.org
SUMMARY:Jacqueline Briggs Martin: Turtles Heading Home
DESCRIPTION:Version 1.0.0\nThe waters around Cape Cod used to cool off gradually\, signaling to sea turtles that it was time to swim south. But now\, due to climate change\, the water stays warm too long and cools off too quickly\, making the turtles too cold to migrate. \nJoin author Jacqueline Briggs Martin as she reads from her latest book\, Turtles Heading Home. Learn about the efforts of conservationists as they rescue the turtles\, nurse them back to health\, and release them into warmer waters. The operation involves hundreds of people\, from the volunteers patrolling beaches\, to the veterinarians in the hospital\, to the pilots who fly the turtles south. All of them share the goal of helping save the Kemp’s ridley sea turtle—the most endangered sea turtle in the world. \nNote – There will be two readings at 10-10:30 a.m.\, and again 10:30-11 a.m. \n 
URL:https://www.iowacityofliterature.org/event/jacqueline-briggs-martin-turtles-heading-home/2026-02-21/
LOCATION:FilmScene at The Chauncey\, 404 E College St\, Iowa City\, IA\, 52240\, United States
CATEGORIES:One Book Two Book Festival
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.iowacityofliterature.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/Turtles-Heading-Home.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20260221T100000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20260221T120000
DTSTAMP:20260619T174417
CREATED:20240213T144945Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260202T163833Z
UID:3423-1771668000-1771675200@www.iowacityofliterature.org
SUMMARY:Drop-in Illustration Workshop with Matt Laux
DESCRIPTION:Join an all-ages free draw with Iowa City artist Matt Laux. Matt is a father\, chef\, and artist\, inviting everyone to be creative and joyful. We will provide the paper and drawing tools\, you provide the creativity!
URL:https://www.iowacityofliterature.org/event/drop-in-illustration-workshop-with-matt-laux/
LOCATION:MERGE\, 136 S Dubuque St\, Iowa City\, IA\, 52240\, United States
CATEGORIES:One Book Two Book Festival
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.iowacityofliterature.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/IMG_6175-scaled.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20260221T100000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20260221T150000
DTSTAMP:20260619T174417
CREATED:20260127T155715Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260127T155856Z
UID:5273-1771668000-1771686000@www.iowacityofliterature.org
SUMMARY:Snapshots Cover Contest
DESCRIPTION:Kids\, this is your chance to make snapshots extra special! Everyone’s art will get a spot in the magazine\, but one person will get to be our cover — and it could be you! \nsnapshots is the University of Iowa’s literary magazine for children! The journal is written\, produced\, edited\, and published by undergraduate/graduate students enrolled at the University of Iowa. \n\n \n 
URL:https://www.iowacityofliterature.org/event/snapshots-cover-contest/
LOCATION:MERGE\, 136 S Dubuque St\, Iowa City\, IA\, 52240\, United States
CATEGORIES:One Book Two Book Festival
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.iowacityofliterature.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/Snapshots.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20260221T103000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20260221T103000
DTSTAMP:20260619T174417
CREATED:20260202T182703Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260202T182703Z
UID:5353-1771669800-1771669800@www.iowacityofliterature.org
SUMMARY:Jacqueline Briggs Martin: Turtles Heading Home
DESCRIPTION:Version 1.0.0\nThe waters around Cape Cod used to cool off gradually\, signaling to sea turtles that it was time to swim south. But now\, due to climate change\, the water stays warm too long and cools off too quickly\, making the turtles too cold to migrate. \nJoin author Jacqueline Briggs Martin as she reads from her latest book\, Turtles Heading Home. Learn about the efforts of conservationists as they rescue the turtles\, nurse them back to health\, and release them into warmer waters. The operation involves hundreds of people\, from the volunteers patrolling beaches\, to the veterinarians in the hospital\, to the pilots who fly the turtles south. All of them share the goal of helping save the Kemp’s ridley sea turtle—the most endangered sea turtle in the world. \nNote – There will be two readings at 10-10:30 a.m.\, and again 10:30-11 a.m. \n 
URL:https://www.iowacityofliterature.org/event/jacqueline-briggs-martin-turtles-heading-home/2026-02-21/2/
LOCATION:FilmScene at The Chauncey\, 404 E College St\, Iowa City\, IA\, 52240\, United States
CATEGORIES:One Book Two Book Festival
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.iowacityofliterature.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/Turtles-Heading-Home.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20260221T103000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20260221T113000
DTSTAMP:20260619T174417
CREATED:20260123T154039Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260129T183620Z
UID:5254-1771669800-1771673400@www.iowacityofliterature.org
SUMMARY:Slither\, Stick\, and Scribble: Writing with Reptiles
DESCRIPTION:  \nHave you ever wondered what it’s like to chase your dinner up a wall? Or see heat? Or smell with your tongue? Join us to interact with live reptiles\, learn how they experience the world\, then explore your ideas through the very human act of creative writing. Prepare to slither and scribble with a bearded dragon\, a black and white tegu\, a Russian tortoise\, some crested geckos\, and a couple of snakes! \nRecommended for grades 1-6. Please register ahead if your child plans to attend so we can get a sense of numbers. Walk-ins are always welcome! Only children who will participate need to register—parents or caregivers attending do not need to register. \nLoading… \nBrought to you by Extant Relatives and Iowa City Poetry in partnership with the One Book Two Book Festival.
URL:https://www.iowacityofliterature.org/event/reptiles/
LOCATION:FilmScene at The Chauncey\, 404 E College St\, Iowa City\, IA\, 52240\, United States
CATEGORIES:One Book Two Book Festival
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.iowacityofliterature.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/lizard-1.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20260221T110000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20260221T110000
DTSTAMP:20260619T174417
CREATED:20230217T192654Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20251231T170108Z
UID:2397-1771671600-1771671600@www.iowacityofliterature.org
SUMMARY:Sing-Along
DESCRIPTION:The Iowa Children’s Museum Sing Along will feature creature sounds\, animal songs and dancing for the whole family!
URL:https://www.iowacityofliterature.org/event/sing-a-long/
LOCATION:FilmScene at The Chauncey\, 404 E College St\, Iowa City\, IA\, 52240\, United States
CATEGORIES:One Book Two Book Festival
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.iowacityofliterature.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Sing-Along-1.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20260221T110000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20260221T110000
DTSTAMP:20260619T174417
CREATED:20260202T164949Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260202T165031Z
UID:5339-1771671600-1771671600@www.iowacityofliterature.org
SUMMARY:The Big Picture show presents: ICE AGE
DESCRIPTION:Free for Kids! Adult Admission $5!  \nTwenty-thousand years ago\, Earth is a wondrous\, prehistoric world filled with great danger\, not the least of which is the beginning of the Ice Age. To avoid really bad frostbite\, the planet’s majestic creatures—and a few small\, slothful ones—begin migrating south as we follow our sub-zero heroes: a woolly mammoth (Ray Romano)\, a saber-toothed tiger (Dennis Leary) \, a sloth (John Leguizamo) and a prehistoric combination of a squirrel and rat that is known as Scrat (Chris Wedge). \nAbout the Series \n\nThe Picture Show family and children’s series is an ongoing series featuring the best in all ages programming\, selected from the past century of cinema. Parents can revel in beloved classics and kids make new discoveries. On weekends\, each film is preceded by a media literacy lesson to help children understand the images and sounds they encounter every day. Kids can pick up their Picture Show Passport to collect stickers at every show and redeem them for concessions treats or a free t-shirt!
URL:https://www.iowacityofliterature.org/event/the-big-picture-show-presents-ice-age/
LOCATION:FilmScene at The Chauncey\, 404 E College St\, Iowa City\, IA\, 52240\, United States
CATEGORIES:One Book Two Book Festival
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.iowacityofliterature.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/ice-age-poster-1080x1600-1.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20260221T110000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20260221T150000
DTSTAMP:20260619T174417
CREATED:20260114T194130Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260219T190557Z
UID:5221-1771671600-1771686000@www.iowacityofliterature.org
SUMMARY:Local Children’s Book Author Fair
DESCRIPTION:Join us as local children’s book authors share their newest stories\, answer questions\, and sign books. Explore each author’s table\, where a variety of books for young readers will be available for purchase. \nSandra Rhea | Allison Ward | Michelle Gillitzer | Ashlyn Solinsky | Breanna Ferry | Nalina Siva\n\n\n\n\n\n 
URL:https://www.iowacityofliterature.org/event/local-childrens-book-author-fair/
LOCATION:MERGE\, 136 S Dubuque St\, Iowa City\, IA\, 52240\, United States
CATEGORIES:One Book Two Book Festival
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.iowacityofliterature.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/Local-Author-Book-Fair.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20260221T120000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20260221T120000
DTSTAMP:20260619T174417
CREATED:20230119T171055Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20251231T170940Z
UID:2312-1771675200-1771675200@www.iowacityofliterature.org
SUMMARY:Book Character Meet & Greet
DESCRIPTION:Bring your camera and snap a picture with Clifford and Frog & Toad
URL:https://www.iowacityofliterature.org/event/book-character-meet-greet-2/
LOCATION:FilmScene at The Chauncey\, 404 E College St\, Iowa City\, IA\, 52240\, United States
CATEGORIES:One Book Two Book Festival
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.iowacityofliterature.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/characters-2026-II.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20260221T123000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20260221T150000
DTSTAMP:20260619T174417
CREATED:20260128T175511Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260128T175511Z
UID:5288-1771677000-1771686000@www.iowacityofliterature.org
SUMMARY:Toadally Awesome Pets Presents An Amphibian Open House
DESCRIPTION:Hop on over to meet some of the coolest frogs\, toads\, and salamanders around! Join Toadally Awesome Pets’ Mobile Amphibian Education Center for a hands-on open house where kids and families can explore the amazing world of amphibians up close. You’ll get to see and touch a variety of live amphibians on display\, learn fun facts about what makes each species special\, and discover why these creatures are so important to our ecosystems.
URL:https://www.iowacityofliterature.org/event/toadally-awesome-pets-presents-an-amphibian-open-house/
LOCATION:FilmScene at The Chauncey\, 404 E College St\, Iowa City\, IA\, 52240\, United States
CATEGORIES:One Book Two Book Festival
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.iowacityofliterature.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/South-Union-Toad-Day-1-26-26-.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20260221T130000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20260221T133000
DTSTAMP:20260619T174417
CREATED:20230217T191935Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260121T153754Z
UID:2394-1771678800-1771680600@www.iowacityofliterature.org
SUMMARY:Storytime
DESCRIPTION:Join your favorite librarians for a very special storytime! \n 
URL:https://www.iowacityofliterature.org/event/libraries-storytime/
LOCATION:FilmScene at The Chauncey\, 404 E College St\, Iowa City\, IA\, 52240\, United States
CATEGORIES:One Book Two Book Festival
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.iowacityofliterature.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Library-storytime.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20260221T133000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20260221T133000
DTSTAMP:20260619T174417
CREATED:20260220T165737Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260220T165901Z
UID:5395-1771680600-1771680600@www.iowacityofliterature.org
SUMMARY:Lunar New Year Storytime
DESCRIPTION:Join Midwest Chinese Academy for a festive Lunar New Year storytime! Enjoy a heartwarming Chinese New Year story about family reunion and learn how to say “Happy New Year” in Mandarin. Perfect for curious young learners and families!
URL:https://www.iowacityofliterature.org/event/lunar-new-year-storytime/
LOCATION:FilmScene at The Chauncey\, 404 E College St\, Iowa City\, IA\, 52240\, United States
CATEGORIES:One Book Two Book Festival
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.iowacityofliterature.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/istockphoto-2217546349-612x612-2.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20260221T140000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20260221T143000
DTSTAMP:20260619T174417
CREATED:20230119T170816Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20251231T171241Z
UID:2309-1771682400-1771684200@www.iowacityofliterature.org
SUMMARY:Book Character Meet & Greet
DESCRIPTION:  \n \nBring your camera and snap a picture with Clifford and Frog & Toad!
URL:https://www.iowacityofliterature.org/event/book-character-meet-greet/
LOCATION:FilmScene at The Chauncey\, 404 E College St\, Iowa City\, IA\, 52240\, United States
CATEGORIES:One Book Two Book Festival
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.iowacityofliterature.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/characters-2026-II.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20260222T130000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20260222T140000
DTSTAMP:20260619T174417
CREATED:20230112T164042Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20251231T165720Z
UID:2296-1771765200-1771768800@www.iowacityofliterature.org
SUMMARY:Write Out Loud Student Award Ceremony
DESCRIPTION:Students in grades 1 through 8 in Corridor area districts have been invited to submit writing to One Book Two Book! Those submissions are evaluated by a team at ACT in Iowa City. Grade-level winners will be selected in two categories: \n\nThe Write Stuff\, which is judged based on language\, clarity\, structure\, and emotional impact.\nFrom the Heart\, judged based on creativity\, passion\, and expressiveness.\n\nRecognized students will read their winning submissions at “Write Out Loud\,” a special award ceremony Sunday\, February 22\, at 1 p.m. in Macbride Auditorium\, on the campus of the University of Iowa. In addition\, a percentage of all students whose submissions were deemed to be of outstanding quality also will be honored with a “certificate of distinction.” All recognized students will receive certificates and prizes at the event. The grade-level prize winners will have their work published in a booklet available at the festival.
URL:https://www.iowacityofliterature.org/event/write-out-loud-student-award-ceremony/
LOCATION:Macbride Auditorium\, 17 N. Clinton St.\, Iowa City\, IA\, 52240\, United States
CATEGORIES:One Book Two Book Festival
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.iowacityofliterature.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/TheWriteStuff-3-used.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20260430
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20260503
DTSTAMP:20260619T174417
CREATED:20260430T161107Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260430T161107Z
UID:5500-1777507200-1777766399@www.iowacityofliterature.org
SUMMARY:MusicIC Presents: THE BLACK ANGEL: Music\, Myth\, and Memory
DESCRIPTION:MusicIC\, Iowa City’s premiere chamber music festival exploring the connections between music and literature\, presents THE BLACK ANGEL: Music\, Myth\, and Memory\, a three-day festival examining how composers across centuries have engaged with themes of mortality\, symbolism\, and the unseen\, while also drawing inspiration from Iowa City’s own Black Angel legend. Now entering its 16th season\, MusicIC continues its long-standing mission of innovative\, text-driven programming rooted in Iowa City’s identity as a UNESCO City of Literature. \nAt the heart of this year’s festival is George Crumb’s Black Angels\, “Thirteen Images from the Dark Land\,” (1971)\, a landmark work for amplified string quartet\, marking the 55th anniversary of its publication in 2026. Crumb has called his seminal work “a kind of parable on our troubled contemporary world.” The piece incorporates poetic epigraphs\, symbolic numerology\, and images of darkness and transformation. Crumb’s score also directly quotes Franz Schubert’s Death and the Maiden\, forging a powerful musical and philosophical link between Romantic-era meditations on death and a 20th-century response shaped by war and rupture. \nThe festival further connects this repertoire to Iowa City’s Black Angel statue in Oakland Cemetery\, a landmark that has inspired generations of local storytelling and provides a powerful\, place-based lens for this exploration of music\, literature\, and memory. \nFestival Events All events are free and open to the public\nThursday\, April 30\, 2026 – 7:30 p.m.\nPreview Event “Looking at the Black Angel”\nLocation: The Black Angel Restaurant\, 630 Iowa Ave.\, Iowa City\nSelections and written responses to Franz Schubert’s Death and the Maiden and George Crumb’s Black Angels. \nFriday\, May 1\, 2026 – 7:30 p.m.\nLocation: Masonic Building\, 312 E College St\, Iowa City\nConcert Program will include: \n\nFranz Schubert: String Quartet No. 14 in D minor\, Death and the Maiden\nGeorge Crumb: Black Angels for amplified string quartet\n\nSaturday\, May 2\, 2026 – 10:30 AM\nFamily Concert\nIowa City Public Library \nA 40-minute family concert introducing young audiences to chamber music as storytelling through sound\, symbol\, and place. \nThe festival is made possible by support from sponsors including the University of Iowa\, Dunn Investment Co\, the Iowa City Public Library\, and Iowa Public Radio. \nPerformers include MusicIC Founding Artistic Director Tricia Park\, violin and Kenny Lee\, cello\, (University of Iowa School of Music\, Director of Orchestral Studies) alongside guest artists and University of Iowa faculty.
URL:https://www.iowacityofliterature.org/event/musicic-presents-the-black-angel-music-myth-and-memory/
LOCATION:Downtown Iowa City
CATEGORIES:General
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.iowacityofliterature.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Pages-from-MusicICprogram2026-1.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20260523T140000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20260523T153000
DTSTAMP:20260619T174417
CREATED:20260507T143638Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260511T150611Z
UID:5533-1779544800-1779550200@www.iowacityofliterature.org
SUMMARY:Page Against the Machine
DESCRIPTION:Iowa City UNESCO City of Literature & the Iowa City Public Library co-present: \nPage Against the Machine is a global reading event that encourages people of all ages and backgrounds to take a break from screens\, pick up a book\, and enjoy a well-deserved reading detox in a beautiful spot in their city. \nThis annual event was founded in Norwich\, England in 2019 and spread to other Cities of Literature over the years. 2026 marks the first time Iowa City will participate\, and we’ll be joining thousands of others across the globe who stop to read a book in public on this day. \nWe hope to gather a crowd of book lovers on the Pentacrest to read silently and explore the world of ideas in resistance to our culture of doomscrolling and disengagement. Bring a blanket or chair and any book you like\, but bonus points go to novels and nonfiction that explore things like politics\, human rights\, and contemporary culture. \nRain location: Old Capitol Museum Senate Chamber (no food or drink inside\, please) \nRegistration is optional to receive an email reminder. You’re welcome to drop in and out anytime during the scheduled event. See you there! \n\nOpen to the public \n\nIf you need disability-related accommodations in order to participate in this event\, please contact the Library.
URL:https://www.iowacityofliterature.org/event/page-against-the-machine/
LOCATION:Pentacrest\, (at Clinton St and Washington St)\, Iowa City\, IA\, 52240\, United States
CATEGORIES:General
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.iowacityofliterature.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Page-Against-the-Machine.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20260618T153000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20260618T153000
DTSTAMP:20260619T174417
CREATED:20260618T161759Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260618T162110Z
UID:5585-1781796600-1781796600@www.iowacityofliterature.org
SUMMARY:Reading and Signing with Author Frances Mei Hardin
DESCRIPTION:Hosted by Sidekick Coffee and Books \nJoin Sidekick for an afternoon with Frances Mei Hardin\, MD\, as she reads from and signs her debut memoir\, Surgeon on the Edge. \nPart reckoning\, part reinvention\, the book pulls back the curtain on medical training: the burnout\, the unwritten rules\, and what it means to reclaim your own voice inside one of the most demanding professions in the world. \n 
URL:https://www.iowacityofliterature.org/event/reading-and-signing-with-author-frances-mei-hardin/
LOCATION:Sidekick Coffee & Books\, 1310 1/2 Melrose Avenue\, Iowa City\, IA\, 52242\, United States
CATEGORIES:General
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20260622T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20260622T190000
DTSTAMP:20260619T174417
CREATED:20260618T172140Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260618T172740Z
UID:5593-1782154800-1782154800@www.iowacityofliterature.org
SUMMARY:Prairie Lights Reading: Karen Parkman – The Jills
DESCRIPTION:Iowa Writers’ Workshop graduate Karen Parkman will read from her new novel\, The Jills. Listed by both PEOPLE Magazine and CrimeReads as a “best book of February\,” The Jills is praised by Chloe Benjamin\, New York Times bestselling author of The Immortalists\, as “a nuanced\, incisive exploration of the world of NFL cheerleading—and the complex power of sisterhood\, both familial and chosen\,” while Andrea Bartz\, New York Times bestselling author of The Last Ferry Out and We Were Never Here\, says: “Parkman’s character-driven mystery comes roaring out of the gate with all the poise and power of an NFL athlete. With its nuanced character work\, propulsive prose\, and intricate web of secrets and lies\, The Jills is an unforgettable debut. I couldn’t put it down.” \nKaren Parkman holds an MFA from the Iowa Writers’ Workshop. Her work has been supported by MacDowell\, Yaddo\, the Sozopol Fiction Seminars\, Virginia Center for the Creative Arts\, and the Vermont Studio Center. Karen’s stories have appeared in Michigan Quarterly Review\, Joyland\, and elsewhere. She has taught writing at the University of Iowa\, the Iowa Young Writers’ Studio\, and Kirkwood Community College. The Jills is her debut novel.
URL:https://www.iowacityofliterature.org/event/karen-parkman-the-jills/
LOCATION:Prairie Lights Books\, 15 S. Dubuque St.\, Iowa City\, IA\, 52240\, United States
CATEGORIES:General
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20260626T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20260626T190000
DTSTAMP:20260619T174417
CREATED:20260611T163528Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260611T163712Z
UID:5565-1782500400-1782500400@www.iowacityofliterature.org
SUMMARY:Rooftop Music & Reading Series
DESCRIPTION:Join the Porchlight Literary Arts Center on the deck of Market House for an evening of music\, poetry\, and prose. The Rooftoop Music & Reading Series brings together some of Iowa’s most exciting artists for a one-of-a-kind collaborative program. Bring a buddy\, date\, or come alone. Stay for the gorgeous views\, drinks and good company. \nVisit Porchlight Literary Arts Center for tickets and more information.
URL:https://www.iowacityofliterature.org/event/rooftop-music-reading-series/
LOCATION:Market House\, 202 N. Linn St.\, Iowa City\, IA\, 52240\, United States
CATEGORIES:General
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://www.iowacityofliterature.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Rooftop-Reading-Series-6-26-2026.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20260709T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20260709T190000
DTSTAMP:20260619T174417
CREATED:20260618T172536Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260618T173242Z
UID:5596-1783623600-1783623600@www.iowacityofliterature.org
SUMMARY:Prairie Lights Reading: Susan McCarty – 2008
DESCRIPTION:Susan McCarty will read from her new novel\, 2008. The University of Chicago Press offers this summary of 2008: \n“It’s 2008: the age of the blog\, the dawn of social media\, and the birth of the smartphone. Obama is running for president on a slogan of hope\, while in the shadows\, an opioid crisis emerges\, and the housing market teeters. Stevie and Sam\, two old high school flames who have grown up and grown apart\, are brought back together in the aftermath of a tragedy that throws them off the tracks of their lives. Sam\, a struggling realtor\, is determined to solve a mystery at any cost. Stevie hits on a plan for a “redo” that involves abandoning her adult life to relive her teenage glory days. As both struggle inside the mediocrity of their early adulthoods\, the disenchanted world begins to reveal itself\, and secrets threaten to overwhelm them. On the cusp of a new era of uncertainty\, these old friends must find ways to reconcile their past and find their way home” (press.uchicago.edu). \nForeward Reviews praises 2008 as “a layered novel in which teenage friendship leads to chain reactions that continue years into the future\,” while Aaron Burch\, author of Year of the Buffalo\, says: “2008 pulled me in from its very first pages and then never let me go.” \nSusan McCarty is the author of the story collection Anatomies. Her essays have appeared in Creative Nonfiction\, Ecotone\, Lit Hub\, Juked\, Zone 3\, and other journals. She is an associate professor of English and creative writing at Oakland University in the metro Detroit area.
URL:https://www.iowacityofliterature.org/event/prairie-lights-reading-susan-mccarty-2008/
LOCATION:Prairie Lights Books\, 15 S. Dubuque St.\, Iowa City\, IA\, 52240\, United States
CATEGORIES:General
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20260712T143000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20260712T143000
DTSTAMP:20260619T174417
CREATED:20260618T160813Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260618T162144Z
UID:5582-1783866600-1783866600@www.iowacityofliterature.org
SUMMARY:Self Published Book Fair
DESCRIPTION:Hosted by Sidekick Coffee and Books \nThis fun-filled event highlights local authors and features several genres\, from childrens to adult fiction and non-fiction. This event is a great way to support local authors and maybe even find a new favorite writer!
URL:https://www.iowacityofliterature.org/event/self-published-book-fair/
LOCATION:Sidekick Coffee & Books\, 1310 1/2 Melrose Avenue\, Iowa City\, IA\, 52242\, United States
CATEGORIES:General
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20260717T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20260717T190000
DTSTAMP:20260619T174417
CREATED:20260618T173146Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260618T173146Z
UID:5601-1784314800-1784314800@www.iowacityofliterature.org
SUMMARY:Prairie Lights Reading: Will Swain – Certainly Uncertain
DESCRIPTION:Will Swain will read from his new book\, Certainly Uncertain: The Limitations of Knowledge and the Uncertainty of Belief. Renee Zukin\, Educator\, Entrepreneur\, & Author of Every Day\, I’m Brave\, praises Certainly Uncertain as “down to earth and subtly radical\,” while Sean Strain\, editor and former vice president of Entrepreneur Press\, says: “The book was as thought-provoking and clever as it was charming. Swain’s ideas and arguments are intellectual\, inclusive\, and refreshingly insightful . . . and I learned more about Bigfoot than I ever expected!” \nWill Swain is a science educator with over 30 years of experience teaching students across a wide range of ages and settings. He taught undergraduate courses such as Human Biology\, Evolutionary Biology\, and Principles of Animal Biology at The University of Iowa\, where he also administered research programs for undergraduate students\, precollege students\, and science teachers. At the high school level\, he taught Physics\, Geology\, Astronomy\, Chemistry\, Biology\, Environmental Science\, and Human Biology. He also served as the regional director of the Iowa Junior Science and Humanities Symposium and as a member of the National JSHS Regional Director’s Executive Council. His interest in the relationship between science and religion began early in life and has followed him ever since. Growing up surrounded by family and friends with differing views on faith and science sparked a lifelong curiosity about belief formation. These questions ultimately led him to write Certainly Uncertain\, a research-informed and personal exploration of how beliefs\, and knowledge itself\, take shape—and how understanding their limits and tentative nature can lead to more thoughtful and compassionate conversations (waggledancebooks.com/about-the-author/).
URL:https://www.iowacityofliterature.org/event/prairie-lights-reading-will-swain-certainly-uncertain/
LOCATION:Prairie Lights Books\, 15 S. Dubuque St.\, Iowa City\, IA\, 52240\, United States
CATEGORIES:General
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20260720T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20260720T190000
DTSTAMP:20260619T174417
CREATED:20260618T173614Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260618T173614Z
UID:5604-1784574000-1784574000@www.iowacityofliterature.org
SUMMARY:Prairie Lights: Meg Richardson in conv with Claire Lombardo – Paradise Pawn
DESCRIPTION:Meg Richardson will read from her debut novel\, Paradise Pawn\, and will be joined in conversation with Iowa Writers’ Workshop graduate and summer Writers’ Workshop visiting lecturer\, Claire Lombardo. Tin House/Zando describes Paradise Pawn as a “dazzling debut novel about best friends\, adolescent longing\, and the Florida pawn shop that promises to make their dreams come true—if it doesn’t break them apart first.” It’s praised by Gary Shteyngart\, author of Vera\, or Faith\, as “A lovely book that captures the rhythms and travails of working-class life\,” while Charlee Dyroff\, author of Loneliness & Company\, says: “Brilliant and bighearted\, Paradise Pawn transported me back to the electrifying intensity of young friendship. It beautifully captures the feeling of slowly waking up from childhood and emerging into the adult world only to realize it’s often not what we thought it would be. A total gem of a debut!” \nMeg Richardson is a writer\, translator\, and cartoonist from Iowa. She currently lives in Vermont. She holds a BA from Williams College and an MFA in fiction writing from Columbia University. Her debut novel\, Paradise Pawn (Tin House/Zando)\, is based on her experiences working behind the counter of a pawn shop. \nClaire Lombardo is the author of the nationally-bestselling novel Same As It Ever Was. Her debut\, The Most Fun We Ever Had\, was an instant New York Times bestseller and a Reese’s Book Club pick. Her novels have been translated or are forthcoming in over a dozen languages. Claire is a graduate of the University of Illinois-Chicago and the Iowa Writers’ Workshop. Prior to publishing The Most Fun We Ever Had\, Claire spent several years working with homeless children and families in Chicago. She has taught fiction writing at the Iowa Writers’ Workshop and Grinnell College and worked as a bookseller at Prairie Lights Books. She lives in Minneapolis. ​
URL:https://www.iowacityofliterature.org/event/prairie-lights-meg-richardson-in-conv-with-claire-lombardo-paradise-pawn/
LOCATION:Prairie Lights Books\, 15 S. Dubuque St.\, Iowa City\, IA\, 52240\, United States
CATEGORIES:General
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20260721T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20260721T190000
DTSTAMP:20260619T174417
CREATED:20260618T173903Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260618T173903Z
UID:5607-1784660400-1784660400@www.iowacityofliterature.org
SUMMARY:Prairie Lights: Sarah Minor in conv with Melissa Febos – Carousel: An Essay on Seeing
DESCRIPTION:Sarah Minor will read from her new book Carousel: An Essay on Seeing\, and will be joined in conversation with fellow Iowa Nonfiction Writing Program professor and award-winning author Melissa Febos. Yale University Press gives this description of Carousel : \n“Across short\, immersive sections masterfully fusing the slide lecture and the lyric essay\, Minor invites us to see across time as a professor-narrator tying the Bayeux Tapestry to surrealist paintings\, Instagram reels\, and drone warfare. Blending art history with memoir\, close looking with confession\, Carousel considers how the pursuit of panoramic vision frames power\, distorts reality\, and implicates contemporary viewers and subjects. In language that captures the disorientation of the whirling ride\, Minor shows us how the more we strive to see\, the more we ultimately reveal ourselves” (sarahceniaminor.com/carousel). \nBarbara Browning\, author of The Miniaturists\, praises Carousel as “A dizzying ride past images stabbed into time\,” while fellow Iowa NWP professor Tisa Bryant\, author of recently published Residual\, says: “Carousel invites us into the interior horizons of war\, media\, confinement\, and creative impulse\, (un)framed\, artfully rendered in taut\, resonant prose. A gaze-changer.” \nSarah Minor is a writer and interdisciplinary artist.​ She’s the author of Carousel: An Essay on Seeing from Yale University Press (2026)\, Slim Confessions: The Universe as a Spider or Spit (Noemi Press\, 2021)\, Bright Archive (Rescue Press\, 2020)\, and the chapbook The Persistence of The Bonyleg: Annotated (Essay Press\, 2016). Minor’s prose and visual poems have been collected in places like Best American Experimental Writing\, A Harp in the Stars\, and Welcome to the Neighborhood. She is the recipient of a Research Fellowship to Iceland from the American Scandinavian Foundation\, a 2019 Ohio Arts Council Individual Excellence Award\, and her essay “Something Clear” was awarded the 2018 Barthelme Prize in Short Prose. Minor serves as the Video Essay and Cinepoetry Editor at Brink Magazine and on the Nonfiction editorial team at TriQuarterly Review. She holds a PhD from Ohio University\, an MFA from the University of Arizona\, and is an Assistant Professor at the University of Iowa’s Nonfiction MFA Program. In addition to her writing practice\, Sarah is one half of the collaborative duo Haag Cykell—an ongoing performance series with the artist Johanna Winters that explores modes of storytelling through shadow theater and language (sarahceniaminor.com/about). \nMelissa Febos is the national bestselling author of five books\, including Girlhood—winner of the National Book Critics Circle Award in Criticism\, Body Work: The Radical Power of Personal Narrative\, and a new memoir\, The Dry Season. She is the recipient of awards and fellowships from the Guggenheim Foundation\, the National Endowment for the Arts\, MacDowell\, LAMBDA Literary\, the Black Mountain Institute\, the British Library\, and others. Her work has appeared in The Paris Review\, The New Yorker\, The Best American Essays\, Vogue\, and The New York Times Magazine. She is a Professor at the University of Iowa\, where she teaches in The Nonfiction Writing Program (melissafebos.com).
URL:https://www.iowacityofliterature.org/event/prairie-lights-sarah-minor-in-conv-with-melissa-febos-carousel-an-essay-on-seeing/
LOCATION:Prairie Lights Books\, 15 S. Dubuque St.\, Iowa City\, IA\, 52240\, United States
CATEGORIES:General
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20260722T183000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20260722T183000
DTSTAMP:20260619T174417
CREATED:20260617T154207Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260617T154207Z
UID:5580-1784745000-1784745000@www.iowacityofliterature.org
SUMMARY:Rogue Workshops Faculty Reading
DESCRIPTION:Join Prairie Lights Books for a special faculty reading of the inaugural “Authors at Large” Iowa City Rogue Workshops! (You can learn more about this program and the faculty here.) \nXu Xi will read from her new collection of short stories\, Horizon Hong Kong. \nKelly Dwyer will read from her recent novel\, Ghost Mother. \nRobin Hemley will read from his latest essay collection\, How to Change History. \nMary Allen and Hugh Ferrer will read from works in progress. \nNote: To accommodate these writers and their readings\, this event will start a bit earlier than usual\, at 6:30 PM instead of seven.
URL:https://www.iowacityofliterature.org/event/rogue-workshops-faculty-reading/
LOCATION:Prairie Lights Books\, 15 S. Dubuque St.\, Iowa City\, IA\, 52240\, United States
CATEGORIES:General
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20261019
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20261026
DTSTAMP:20260619T174417
CREATED:20260507T150646Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260507T150646Z
UID:5537-1792368000-1792972799@www.iowacityofliterature.org
SUMMARY:Iowa City Book Festival
DESCRIPTION: The Iowa City Book Festival is happening October 19–25\, 2026! Join us for a week of literary events\, author talks\, readings\, and more at various locations throughout downtown Iowa City. Mark your calendars. More information coming soon.
URL:https://www.iowacityofliterature.org/event/iowa-city-book-festival-2/
LOCATION:Downtown Iowa City
CATEGORIES:General
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://www.iowacityofliterature.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/ICBF-featured.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20261023T193000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20261023T193000
DTSTAMP:20260619T174417
CREATED:20260601T162606Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260601T162606Z
UID:5549-1792783800-1792783800@www.iowacityofliterature.org
SUMMARY:An Evening with Pulitzer Prize Winner Yiyun Li
DESCRIPTION:Internationally acclaimed author Yiyun Li won the 2026 Pulitzer Prize for her resonant memoir\, Things in Nature Merely Grow\, a deeply moving account of losing her younger son to suicide a little more than six years after her older son died in the same manner. \nThe Princeton University professor is the author of 12 books—and was a finalist for the 2024 Pulitzer Prize in Fiction. In addition\, she is the recipient of the PEN/Faulkner Award\, a PEN/Malamud Award\, a PEN/Hemingway Award\, a PEN/Jean Stein Book Award\, a MacArthur Fellowship\, and a Windham-Campbell Prize. Time Magazine also included Li on its list of 100 Most Influential People for 2026. \nMelissa Febos\, director of the University of Iowa Nonfiction Writing Program\, will join Li in conversation. Febos is the national bestselling author of five books and the recipient of a Guggenheim Fellowship\, a National Endowment for the Arts Fellowship\, and the National Book Critics Circle Award in Criticism. \nThis event is possible due to generous support from Linda Maxson\, professor emerita and former dean of the UI College of Liberal Arts and Sciences\, and her husband\, Rick. It is being held in conjunction with the Iowa City Book Festival. \nLiterary Legends represents a special collaboration among the UI Nonfiction Writing Program\, Iowa Writers’ Workshop\, UI Lecture Committee\, University of Iowa Center for Advancement\, and Iowa City UNESCO City of Literature
URL:https://www.iowacityofliterature.org/event/an-evening-with-pulitzer-prize-winner-yiyun-li/
LOCATION:TBD
CATEGORIES:Iowa City Book Festival
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://www.iowacityofliterature.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Yiyun-Li.png
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END:VCALENDAR