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X-WR-CALDESC:Events for Iowa City UNESCO City of Literature
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DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20260430
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20260503
DTSTAMP:20260709T185006
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
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20260523T140000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20260523T153000
DTSTAMP:20260709T185006
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:20260709T185006
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:20260709T185006
CREATED:20260618T172140Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260630T172338Z
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
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.iowacityofliterature.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Book-PL.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20260626T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20260626T190000
DTSTAMP:20260709T185006
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:20260626T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20260626T190000
DTSTAMP:20260709T185006
CREATED:20260623T170535Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260623T170535Z
UID:5624-1782500400-1782500400@www.iowacityofliterature.org
SUMMARY:PorchLight: Season Pass to the Rooftop Music & Reading Series
DESCRIPTION:A Magical Melange of Music\, Words\, and Views \n\nJoin PorchLight Literary Arts Center on the deck of MarketHouse for an evening of music\, poetry\, and prose. The Rooftop Music & Reading Series brings together some of Iowa’s most exciting artists for a one-of-a-kind collaborative program.   \nBring a buddy\, date\, or go alone. Stay for the gorgeous views\, drinks\, and good company. \nTickets available for purchase on their website: https://www.porchlightliterary.org/event-details/season-pass-to-the-rooftop-music-reading-series-2026-06-26-19-00
URL:https://www.iowacityofliterature.org/event/porchlight-season-pass-to-the-rooftop-music-reading-series/
LOCATION:PorchLight Literary Arts Center\, 1019 E Washington St\, Iowa City\, 52240\, United States
CATEGORIES:General
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://www.iowacityofliterature.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Screenshot-2026-06-23-at-12.03.45-PM.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20260709T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20260709T190000
DTSTAMP:20260709T185006
CREATED:20260618T172536Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260630T172307Z
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
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.iowacityofliterature.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Book-pl-.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20260711T103000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20260711T103000
DTSTAMP:20260709T185006
CREATED:20260708T152842Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260708T152842Z
UID:5656-1783765800-1783765800@www.iowacityofliterature.org
SUMMARY:PorchLight: Poetry Exchange
DESCRIPTION:This writer guided critique group offers poets the chance to receive carefully considered feedback\, and find writerly community.  \nWriters share drafts of work in advance so readers have enough time to provide considered feedback. Feedback is mostly positive\, and descriptive\, but writers can ask for proscriptive feedback if they wish. This workshop model centers the writer\, and gives them control over the amount and type of feedback they receive. \nFor more information on how to join\, visit their website!
URL:https://www.iowacityofliterature.org/event/porchlight-poetry-exchange/
LOCATION:PorchLight Literary Arts Center\, 1019 E Washington St\, Iowa City\, 52240\, United States
CATEGORIES:General
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/avif:https://www.iowacityofliterature.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Porch.avif
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20260711T130000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20260711T130000
DTSTAMP:20260709T185006
CREATED:20260708T153803Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260708T153803Z
UID:5661-1783774800-1783774800@www.iowacityofliterature.org
SUMMARY:PorchLight: Queer Writers’ Check In
DESCRIPTION:Similar to their Long Project Check In\, this group is for queer writers looking to build literary community together. Each session will include free writing\, discussion of works in progress\, and general literary support. Occasionally\, there will be guests and opportunities for trading work. \nVisit their website to RSVP!
URL:https://www.iowacityofliterature.org/event/porchlight-queer-writers-check-in/
LOCATION:PorchLight Literary Arts Center\, 1019 E Washington St\, Iowa City\, 52240\, United States
CATEGORIES:General
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/avif:https://www.iowacityofliterature.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Porch1.avif
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20260711T150000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20260711T150000
DTSTAMP:20260709T185006
CREATED:20260708T154518Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260708T154518Z
UID:5667-1783782000-1783782000@www.iowacityofliterature.org
SUMMARY:PorchLight: The Prose Exchange
DESCRIPTION:Are you ready to get some eyes on your work? This group from PorchLight Literary Arts Center provides careful readings\, and positive\, descriptive feedback on works-in-progress. They meet twice a month and workshop two submissions of up to 20 pgs. at each meeting. \nOur critique process centers the writer. This means that\, as a writer\, you get to ask questions and determine the type of feedback you receive. \nThey advise sitting in on a session to determine if this is the workshop for you!
URL:https://www.iowacityofliterature.org/event/porchlight-the-prose-exchange/
LOCATION:PorchLight Literary Arts Center\, 1019 E Washington St\, Iowa City\, 52240\, United States
CATEGORIES:General
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/avif:https://www.iowacityofliterature.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Porch2.avif
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20260712T143000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20260712T143000
DTSTAMP:20260709T185006
CREATED:20260618T160813Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260630T172242Z
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
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://www.iowacityofliterature.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Screenshot-2026-06-17-at-11.33.10-AM.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20260717T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20260717T190000
DTSTAMP:20260709T185006
CREATED:20260618T173146Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260630T172213Z
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
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.iowacityofliterature.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Book-PL-1.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20260719T100000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20260719T100000
DTSTAMP:20260709T185006
CREATED:20260708T155437Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260708T155437Z
UID:5670-1784455200-1784455200@www.iowacityofliterature.org
SUMMARY:PorchLight: Writing Grief
DESCRIPTION:Grief Writing – A monthly exploration of loss and heartbreak \nJennifer New leads this monthly group that uses writing as a reflective tool to explore loss. Francis Weller’s Five Gates of Grief provides a backbone to consider grief from multiple angles\, e.g.\, death of loved ones\, loss of health or ability\, grief for the world. This is an ongoing group; you’re welcome to attend once or each time. No writing experience is needed.
URL:https://www.iowacityofliterature.org/event/porchlight-writing-grief/
LOCATION:PorchLight Literary Arts Center\, 1019 E Washington St\, Iowa City\, 52240\, United States
CATEGORIES:General
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/avif:https://www.iowacityofliterature.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Porch3.avif
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20260719T150000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20260719T150000
DTSTAMP:20260709T185006
CREATED:20260623T161424Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260623T161424Z
UID:5611-1784473200-1784473200@www.iowacityofliterature.org
SUMMARY:Sidekick: Conversation+Book Signing LT Thompson & Tatiana Scholate-Bonne
DESCRIPTION:Join Sidekick Coffee & Books for a free to attend reading by LT Thompson and Tatiana Schlote-Bonne as they discuss their new releases on Sunday\, July 19th at 2 pm. \nDevils We Know is the anxiously awaited sequel to Young Adult Fantasy Devils Like Us! Cas\, Remy\, and Finn are on the run from the Order of Lazarus\, a secret society that wants to use Cas’s prophetic powers to capture Death and ensure that only the “unworthy” and “immoral” meet their ends \nThe Mean Ones by Tatiana Schlote-Bonne is Midsommer meets The Final Girl Support Group in this horror novel about a woman who survived cult killings as a child and is striving to be “normal\,” but a spontaneous trip into the woods and the voices in her head keep pulling her to the dark side.
URL:https://www.iowacityofliterature.org/event/sidekick-conversationbook-signing-lt-thompson-tatiana-scholate-bonne/
LOCATION:Sidekick Coffee & Books\, 1310 1/2 Melrose Avenue\, Iowa City\, IA\, 52242\, United States
CATEGORIES:General
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://www.iowacityofliterature.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Screenshot-2026-06-23-at-11.13.00-AM.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20260719T173000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20260719T173000
DTSTAMP:20260709T185006
CREATED:20260707T172655Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260708T153006Z
UID:5648-1784482200-1784482200@www.iowacityofliterature.org
SUMMARY:Free Generative Writing Workshop for July: Leslie Pyo
DESCRIPTION:Co-sponsored by Iowa City Poetry and PorchLight Literary Arts Center  \nThe Free Generative Writing Workshops provide a space for career writers\, curious beginners\, writers of all levels and stages of life. Their goal is to make it easy to meet and learn from some of the most talented writer/teachers living in or passing through Iowa City. Every month a new writer leads a generative workshop\, presenting a prompt inspired by their own preoccupations\, passions\, or interests. \nLESLIE PYO received a Fulbright for Creative Writing in Korea in 2023-24. She is currently completing that project\, a surreal\, bilingual (Korean and English) picture book about the emotional dimensions of heritage language loss and reacquisition. \nFor more information visit the websites of Iowa City Poetry and/or PorchLight Literary Arts Center!
URL:https://www.iowacityofliterature.org/event/free-generative-writing-workshop-for-july-leslie-pyo/
LOCATION:PorchLight Literary Arts Center\, 1019 E Washington St\, Iowa City\, 52240\, United States
CATEGORIES:General
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.iowacityofliterature.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Free-gen-Leslie.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20260720T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20260720T190000
DTSTAMP:20260709T185006
CREATED:20260618T173614Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260630T172125Z
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
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20260721T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20260721T190000
DTSTAMP:20260709T185006
CREATED:20260618T173903Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260630T172033Z
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
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.iowacityofliterature.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Book-PL-3.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20260722T183000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20260722T183000
DTSTAMP:20260709T185006
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;TZID=America/Chicago:20260808T103000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20260808T103000
DTSTAMP:20260709T185006
CREATED:20260708T152842Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260708T152842Z
UID:5658-1786185000-1786185000@www.iowacityofliterature.org
SUMMARY:PorchLight: Poetry Exchange
DESCRIPTION:This writer guided critique group offers poets the chance to receive carefully considered feedback\, and find writerly community.  \nWriters share drafts of work in advance so readers have enough time to provide considered feedback. Feedback is mostly positive\, and descriptive\, but writers can ask for proscriptive feedback if they wish. This workshop model centers the writer\, and gives them control over the amount and type of feedback they receive. \nFor more information on how to join\, visit their website!
URL:https://www.iowacityofliterature.org/event/porchlight-poetry-exchange/2026-08-08/
LOCATION:PorchLight Literary Arts Center\, 1019 E Washington St\, Iowa City\, 52240\, United States
CATEGORIES:General
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/avif:https://www.iowacityofliterature.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Porch.avif
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20260808T130000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20260808T130000
DTSTAMP:20260709T185006
CREATED:20260708T153803Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260708T153803Z
UID:5663-1786194000-1786194000@www.iowacityofliterature.org
SUMMARY:PorchLight: Queer Writers' Check In
DESCRIPTION:Similar to their Long Project Check In\, this group is for queer writers looking to build literary community together. Each session will include free writing\, discussion of works in progress\, and general literary support. Occasionally\, there will be guests and opportunities for trading work. \nVisit their website to RSVP!
URL:https://www.iowacityofliterature.org/event/porchlight-queer-writers-check-in/2026-08-08/
LOCATION:PorchLight Literary Arts Center\, 1019 E Washington St\, Iowa City\, 52240\, United States
CATEGORIES:General
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/avif:https://www.iowacityofliterature.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Porch1.avif
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20260813T100000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20260813T100000
DTSTAMP:20260709T185006
CREATED:20260708T155437Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260708T155437Z
UID:5672-1786615200-1786615200@www.iowacityofliterature.org
SUMMARY:PorchLight: Writing Grief
DESCRIPTION:Grief Writing – A monthly exploration of loss and heartbreak \nJennifer New leads this monthly group that uses writing as a reflective tool to explore loss. Francis Weller’s Five Gates of Grief provides a backbone to consider grief from multiple angles\, e.g.\, death of loved ones\, loss of health or ability\, grief for the world. This is an ongoing group; you’re welcome to attend once or each time. No writing experience is needed.
URL:https://www.iowacityofliterature.org/event/porchlight-writing-grief/2026-08-13/
LOCATION:PorchLight Literary Arts Center\, 1019 E Washington St\, Iowa City\, 52240\, United States
CATEGORIES:General
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/avif:https://www.iowacityofliterature.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Porch3.avif
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20260816T173000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20260816T173000
DTSTAMP:20260709T185006
CREATED:20260707T173339Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260708T152948Z
UID:5652-1786901400-1786901400@www.iowacityofliterature.org
SUMMARY:Free Generative Writing Workshop for July: Griffin Rockwell
DESCRIPTION:Co-sponsored by Iowa City Poetry and PorchLight Literary Arts Center \nThe Free Generative Writing Workshops provide a space for career writers\, curious beginners\, writers of all levels and stages of life. Their goal is to make it easy to meet and learn from some of the most talented writer/teachers living in or passing through Iowa City. Every month a new writer leads a generative workshop\, presenting a prompt inspired by their own preoccupations\, passions\, or interests. \nGriffin Rockwell is a queer poet who often writes about gender\, science\, pop culture\, and unusual connections. Xe is the author of the chapbooks listen— (Interstellar Flight Press)\, body in motion (perhappened press)\, and Lexicon of Future Selves (VA Press). Their work has also appeared in AGNI\, Okay Donkey\, Santa Fe Review\, Poet Lore\, Whale Road Review\, HAD\, and elsewhere. They earned their MFA at the Iowa Writers’ Workshop and their MLitt at the University of Dundee \nFor more information visit the websites of Iowa City Poetry and/or PorchLight Literary Arts Center!
URL:https://www.iowacityofliterature.org/event/free-generative-writing-workshop-for-july-griffin-rockwell/
LOCATION:PorchLight Literary Arts Center\, 1019 E Washington St\, Iowa City\, 52240\, United States
CATEGORIES:General
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.iowacityofliterature.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Free-Gen-Griffin.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20260819T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20260819T190000
DTSTAMP:20260709T185006
CREATED:20260623T164532Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260623T164532Z
UID:5618-1787166000-1787166000@www.iowacityofliterature.org
SUMMARY:Sidekick: Reading\, Signing and Conversation with Naomi Kritzer
DESCRIPTION:Join Sidekick Coffee & Books for a reading from author Naomi Kritzer on Wednesday\, August 19th at 7 pm in conversation with author Katie Runde and Doctor Stephanie Radke. \nOne book purchase admits one person. \nAbout the book: Doctor Liz has just been acquitted for performing the last abortion in North Dakota when she’s kidnapped. \nThey’re not just any kidnappers\, but a fundamentalist cult\, deep in the rural west\, without respect for law or decency\, and in desperate need of an OB/GYN. \nGuarded\, isolated\, without access to the outside world\, Liz nevertheless is treated with respect as the only doctor on the compound\, but she is very aware of what happened to the last obstetrician they kidnapped. \nShe must escape\, and bring help to the girls trapped at the compound\, if it’s the last thing she does. \nAbout the Author: \nNaomi Kritzer has been re-reading favorite books since childhood\, and probably still has passages from A Wrinkle in Time memorized. She writes for both adults and teens\, including Catfishing on CatNet and Chaos on CatNet from Tor Teen and Liberty’s Daughter from Fairwood Press. Her writing has won the Hugo Award\, the Nebula Award\, the Edgar Award\, the Locus Award\, and the Minnesota Book Award. Naomi lives in St. Paul\, Minnesota\, with her family and three cats. The number of cats is subject to change without notice.
URL:https://www.iowacityofliterature.org/event/sidekick-reading-signing-and-conversation-with-naomi-kritzer/
LOCATION:Sidekick Coffee & Books\, 1310 1/2 Melrose Avenue\, Iowa City\, IA\, 52242\, United States
CATEGORIES:General
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://www.iowacityofliterature.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Screenshot-2026-06-23-at-11.44.38-AM.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20260906T100000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20260906T100000
DTSTAMP:20260709T185006
CREATED:20260708T155437Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260708T155437Z
UID:5673-1788688800-1788688800@www.iowacityofliterature.org
SUMMARY:PorchLight: Writing Grief
DESCRIPTION:Grief Writing – A monthly exploration of loss and heartbreak \nJennifer New leads this monthly group that uses writing as a reflective tool to explore loss. Francis Weller’s Five Gates of Grief provides a backbone to consider grief from multiple angles\, e.g.\, death of loved ones\, loss of health or ability\, grief for the world. This is an ongoing group; you’re welcome to attend once or each time. No writing experience is needed.
URL:https://www.iowacityofliterature.org/event/porchlight-writing-grief/2026-09-06/
LOCATION:PorchLight Literary Arts Center\, 1019 E Washington St\, Iowa City\, 52240\, United States
CATEGORIES:General
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/avif:https://www.iowacityofliterature.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Porch3.avif
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20260912T103000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20260912T103000
DTSTAMP:20260709T185006
CREATED:20260708T152842Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260708T152842Z
UID:5659-1789209000-1789209000@www.iowacityofliterature.org
SUMMARY:PorchLight: Poetry Exchange
DESCRIPTION:This writer guided critique group offers poets the chance to receive carefully considered feedback\, and find writerly community.  \nWriters share drafts of work in advance so readers have enough time to provide considered feedback. Feedback is mostly positive\, and descriptive\, but writers can ask for proscriptive feedback if they wish. This workshop model centers the writer\, and gives them control over the amount and type of feedback they receive. \nFor more information on how to join\, visit their website!
URL:https://www.iowacityofliterature.org/event/porchlight-poetry-exchange/2026-09-12/
LOCATION:PorchLight Literary Arts Center\, 1019 E Washington St\, Iowa City\, 52240\, United States
CATEGORIES:General
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/avif:https://www.iowacityofliterature.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Porch.avif
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20260912T130000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20260912T130000
DTSTAMP:20260709T185006
CREATED:20260708T153803Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260708T153803Z
UID:5664-1789218000-1789218000@www.iowacityofliterature.org
SUMMARY:PorchLight: Queer Writers' Check In
DESCRIPTION:Similar to their Long Project Check In\, this group is for queer writers looking to build literary community together. Each session will include free writing\, discussion of works in progress\, and general literary support. Occasionally\, there will be guests and opportunities for trading work. \nVisit their website to RSVP!
URL:https://www.iowacityofliterature.org/event/porchlight-queer-writers-check-in/2026-09-12/
LOCATION:PorchLight Literary Arts Center\, 1019 E Washington St\, Iowa City\, 52240\, United States
CATEGORIES:General
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/avif:https://www.iowacityofliterature.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Porch1.avif
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20261004T100000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20261004T100000
DTSTAMP:20260709T185006
CREATED:20260708T155437Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260708T155437Z
UID:5674-1791108000-1791108000@www.iowacityofliterature.org
SUMMARY:PorchLight: Writing Grief
DESCRIPTION:Grief Writing – A monthly exploration of loss and heartbreak \nJennifer New leads this monthly group that uses writing as a reflective tool to explore loss. Francis Weller’s Five Gates of Grief provides a backbone to consider grief from multiple angles\, e.g.\, death of loved ones\, loss of health or ability\, grief for the world. This is an ongoing group; you’re welcome to attend once or each time. No writing experience is needed.
URL:https://www.iowacityofliterature.org/event/porchlight-writing-grief/2026-10-04/
LOCATION:PorchLight Literary Arts Center\, 1019 E Washington St\, Iowa City\, 52240\, United States
CATEGORIES:General
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/avif:https://www.iowacityofliterature.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Porch3.avif
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20261010T130000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20261010T130000
DTSTAMP:20260709T185006
CREATED:20260708T153803Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260708T153803Z
UID:5665-1791637200-1791637200@www.iowacityofliterature.org
SUMMARY:PorchLight: Queer Writers' Check In
DESCRIPTION:Similar to their Long Project Check In\, this group is for queer writers looking to build literary community together. Each session will include free writing\, discussion of works in progress\, and general literary support. Occasionally\, there will be guests and opportunities for trading work. \nVisit their website to RSVP!
URL:https://www.iowacityofliterature.org/event/porchlight-queer-writers-check-in/2026-10-10/
LOCATION:PorchLight Literary Arts Center\, 1019 E Washington St\, Iowa City\, 52240\, United States
CATEGORIES:General
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/avif:https://www.iowacityofliterature.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Porch1.avif
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20261019
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20261026
DTSTAMP:20260709T185006
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:20260709T185006
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
END:VEVENT
END:VCALENDAR