X-Mas Escape offers a chance to dance off dinner on Christmas night

Looking for something to do on Christmas evening? Ready to get away from the press of familial duties? X-Mas Escape: Island of Misfit Toys is your way out. On Sunday, Dec. 25 at 4 p.m. at Iowa Fusion and Mermaid Lounge (821 3rd Ave SE, Cedar Rapids), an assortment of area DJs, comedians and craftsmen will gather to offer a night of entertainment.

“I wished to find a project to spread the joy as far and wide as possible after such a tumultuous year for the community,” organizer Zaimus Dzewan’Dee said in an email. “Then as if by sheer providence an old bar man by the name of RJ introduced me to the Mermaid, and they were eager to line up an event, and everything just clicked. It has proven to be a major challenge to book people for Christmas one month in advance, but over the course of three weeks the plan has gone from it being just a one man show, to being something of real substance with a dozen major players, and dozens more behind the scenes.”

Iowa Fusion and Mermaid Lounge is a new restaurant and bar in Cedar Rapids, owned by Jawad and Sienna Nawaz. “The building, which was originally a mansion built in the 1800’s for the Carpenter family, was at one time a mortuary and apparently is haunted,” Dzewan’Dee said.

OVERSOUL, from Iowa City, headlines the event. Founder of Future History Productions, the psytrance DJ has recently been working with DJ Redscare on Deepdharma Technologies, founded this year, which hosts psychedelic trance-dance events and artistic and spiritual gatherings.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c0fgITBB6xA

The comedy headliner is Tom Garland, Cedar Rapids resident and alum of Xavier High School and the University of Iowa. Garland has toured with the cast of Jackass, Tom Green and the WWE’s Rob Van Dam. He’s a regular on the Chicago and Las Vegas comedy scenes. His website claim is, “There’s only one ‘unknown’ act with a resume so robust.”

Dzewan’Dee notes that it was the Nawazes who were keen on including comedy in the event. “[I]nitially,” he said, “they had mentioned they would love to get comedy in the place, and as soon as I had been put in touch with the right people it seemed like having a comedy show would be a perfect feature and complement to the upstairs dancing with progressively spacey music.”

In addition to music and comedy, there will also be artisans creating on the scene, including Mega Good Vibes Art and Willy’s Wonder Glass (featuring on-site glass blowing). There will also be a 50/50 raffle during the event, to benefit the Willis Dady Emergency Shelter.

Iowa Fusion will be offering drink and food specials throughout the evening. “To offer something more joyful than the traditional Happy Hour, we have decided to up the bar with ‘Merry’ Hour,” Dzewan’Dee said. “All mixed drinks from wells, shots and mystery mixology drinks will be $1 off. Resident mixologist Selina Mally has been busy preparing an assortment of new and original cocktails that will debut at that time! The actual list is classified however, so everyone has to wait and see what she comes up with. After ‘Merry Hour’ drinks will still be on special at $3 for mixed drinks from wells, $4 top shelf shots and $4 mystery mixology drinks.” The Indian-American restaurant will also have $5 appetizers available.

X-Mas Escape is an all-ages event, although certain areas of the venue will be restricted to 18+ or 21+. They are committed, however, to making certain that there is plenty of age-appropriate fun for all throughout the evening. There is no cover charge for the event.

“At its core design,” said Dzewan’Dee (who will also be DJing himself, repping his non-profit, Iowa Active Meditation), “this is psychedelia arranged into digestible forms for a general audience; little zones of intensely fascinating and meaningful artistic expression and a celebration to usher out the year and bring the mind into peace for a serene New Year.”