The results are in! Browse the winners of Little Village’s 2021 Best of the CRANDIC competition in the Community category, representing readers’ favorite organizations, attractions and services in the Cedar Rapids-Iowa City area.
Best Art Gallery or Museum
Cedar Rapids Museum of Art
410 3rd Ave SE, Cedar Rapids, 319-366-7503, crma.org
Best Arts Nonprofit
Public Space One
229 N Gilbert St, Iowa City, 319-855-1985, publicspaceone.com
““I love a good, solid art museum experience, but PS1 has been kicking ass over the past 24 months with buying their space(s), expanding programming, adapting beautifully to pandemic life (virtual classes! VR exhibit!) and then thoughtfully reopening.”
—Andrea T.
““It serves the community by offering classes for the non-artist. They bring joy and art into this community!”
—Rebekah D.
“It’s hard to walk by the Close House and not feel the urge to peek inside its huge, dome-topped windows. The idea of throwing open the doors to the community is certainly attractive to Public Space One’s board. “You don’t have to pretend like you’re buying a fancy sofa,” [Executive Director John] Engelbrecht said of a PS1-owned Close House. “If you want to come and walk around our gallery, it will be open and free to visit.”
(From the article “Public Space One purchases historic Iowa City mansion” by Emma McClatchey, published Oct. 4)
Best Community Advocate
Iowa Freedom Riders
Facebook: @iowafreedomrider
Twitter: @IAFreedomRiders
Instagram: @iowafreedomriders
United Action for Youth
1700 S 1st Ave #14, Iowa City, 319-338-7518, unitedactionforyouth.org
Best Elected Official
Mayor Bruce Teague
Best Environmental Advocate
100 Grannies
100grannies.org
Best Historic Building
Old Capitol Building
University of Iowa Pentacrest, Iowa City
Best Local Facebook Page
Corridor Community Action Network
Facebook: @CorridorCAN corridorcan.com
““For derecho relief, housing assistance, public actions and more, nothing beats it.”
—Jane S.
Best Local Hero
Willie Ray Fairley, Willie Ray’s Q Shack
288 Blairs Ferry Rd NE, Cedar Rapids, 319-206-3806, willieraysqshack.com
““I’m not necessarily sure if I can consider myself a master, but I like to think I am,” Fairley said. His barbecue restaurant, located at 288 Blairs Ferry Rd NE, serves food through its drive-up and walk-up windows. Various smoked meats and sides are on the menu, along with daily specials. Fairley said he plans to give out the free meals for three to four more weeks “until everyone’s back on their feet.” If people are still in need after that, he said he’ll make sure they get food.
(From the article “Willie Fairley plans to feed derecho victims ‘until everyone’s back on their feet’” by Izabela Zaluska, published Sept. 3, 2020)
Best Local Twitter Account
Iowa City Police Log
@IC_ActivityLog
Best Nonprofit Director
Andre Perry, The Englert Theatre
““More than a decade of leadership helping build the greatest small city for the arts.”
—Nick B.
Best Nonprofit for Community Access
CommUnity Crisis Services and Food Bank
1121 S Gilbert Ct, Iowa City, 319-351-2726, builtbycommunity.org
Best Place for a Kid’s Birthday Party
Iowa Children’s Museum
Coral Ridge Mall, Coralville, 319-625-6255, theicm.org
Best Place to Volunteer
CommUnity Crisis Services and Food Bank
““CommUnity really cares about its volunteers. Even in the height of the pandemic, staff were finding ways to deliver vital services while still keeping volunteers safe. They really stepped up to the plate during an impossible situation.”
—Aiden R.
Best Public Restroom
Iowa City Public Library restrooms
““Downtown’s public restroom. Convenient and clean with a drinking fountain that has a bottle filler right outside.”
—Susan C.
Best Science or History Museum
University of Iowa Museum of Natural History
Macbride Hall, UI Pentacrest, Iowa City, 319-335-0480, mnh.uiowa.edu
Best Shopping District
Downtown Iowa City
Best Tourist Attraction – TIE!
The Amana Colonies
amanacolonies.com
Devonian Fossil Gorge
2850 Prairie du Chien Rd NE, Iowa City (off Coralville Lake)
Best View
Mount Trashmore
2250 A Street SW, Cedar Rapids
Best Yard/Garden
Johnson County Historic Poor Farm
4811 Melrose Ave, Iowa City, 319-356-6000, jchistoricpoorfarm.com
Best Youth Nonprofit
United Action for Youth
Hardest Fightin’ Union
SEIU Local 199, the union of Iowa’s caregivers
332 S Linn #12, Iowa City 319-341-0112, seiu199.org
Most Trusted Funeral Home
Lensing Funeral and Cremation Service
605 Kirkwood Ave, Iowa City 319-338-8171, lensingfuneral.com
Lensing’s Oak Hill
210 Holiday Rd, Coralville, 319-351-9362
Little Village’s Best of the CRANDIC is presented by City of Iowa City.
