As the sun rose on Friday, the smiles on jack-o-lanterns went from welcoming or menacing to pointless or pensive. What is to be done with carved pumpkin now it’s November? Fortunately for puzzled pumpkin owners, the Iowa Children’s Museum (ICM) has an answer: splat them. On Saturday, the museum is bringing its annual Jack Splat […]
Recreation
Posted inCommunity/News
On the back of the ballot, Johnson County voters have a chance to continue funding conservation work
It’s understandable that the first choice on ballots in this year’s election — president and vice president — has gotten the most attention, but the last choice on the ballot is also important for Johnson County residents. On the back of the ballot, along with the judges up for a retention vote and beneath the […]
Posted inArts & Entertainment
80/35’s future ‘is not currently determined’ as the Des Moines Music Coalition shuts down
Three months after the last performers left the stage at this year’s 80/35, the organization behind the music festival has announced it is shutting down. “After nearly twenty years of volunteers and staff working passionately to grow central Iowa’s music scene, the non-profit Greater Des Moines Music Coalition (DMMC) has made the heartfelt decision to […]
Posted inArts & Entertainment
Almost too magical to be true, Lost Woods Festival brought stellar Iowa musicians, cozy furniture and spellbinding vibes in its second year
A mysterious secret location? Tick. A stunning line up of Iowa’s best bands? Tick. Delicious local food trucks? Tick. What’s not to love? With this in mind, I started the ninety-minute road trip from Iowa City to Cedar Falls with high expectations.
Posted inRecreation
Bumper Crops: You don’t have to bowl to ball at SpareMe, home of plentiful pinball machines and friendly competition
October Pinball TournamentSpareMe Bowling & Arcade, Wednesday, Oct. 9, 6 p.m. As an increasingly older, increasingly grumpy Iowa City townie, I have never been more hesitant to write a glowing review of a place. But my god, if you haven’t been hanging out at SpareMe, especially on Wednesdays, what are you even doing with your […]
Posted inArts & Entertainment
Iowa is steeped in cinema history — and historic cinemas. But keeping an indie theater ticking isn’t easy
In Tommy Haines’ and Andrew Sherburne’s 2017 documentary Saving Brinton, Iowa history teach Mike Zahs discovers a treasure trove of old film reels in a farm basement, including rare footage of Teddy Roosevelt and a never-before-seen film by Georges Méliès (A Trip to the Moon, The Impossible Voyage). Zahs then embarks on an international odyssey […]
Posted inCommunity/News
Phill the water buffalo is out of the hospital and reunited with his bovine best friend
Phill the water buffalo is out of the hospital and settling into life at his new home, the Iowa Farm Sanctuary (IFS), Shawn Camp announced in a video posted to the sanctuary’s Instagram page on Thursday. Camp, who founded and runs IFS with her husband Jared, said they picked up Phill yesterday and brought him […]
Posted inCommunity/News
Phill, the wandering water buffalo of Polk County, has a new home at the Iowa Farm Sanctuary. So do two of his friends.
Phill the domesticated water buffalo’s escape into the suburban streets of Pleasant Hill in late August captured the attention and imagination of people nationwide. It came to an end after five days when Phill was found, subdued with a tranquilizer dart and sent to Iowa State University’s Large Animal Hospital in Ames to receive medical […]
Posted inCommunity/News
Nestled in a Dubuque neighborhood, Convivium grows, cooks and shares a wealth of fresh food every week
Contributing a casserole to the potluck is basic Midwest manners. Casseroles are simple to heat, freeze, share and fill up on, not to mention a great vehicle for both healthy and tasty ingredients. Finding a neighbor at the door holding their famous tater-tot casserole can provide much-needed comfort during a time of grief or struggle. […]
Posted inArts & Entertainment
Hinterland 2024 had the hottest lineup yet. But has Iowa’s largest music festival gotten too big?
Live music was once the center of my young adult life. Road tripping from venue-to-venue. Mountains, gorges or rolling hills backdropping stages. Foggy memories of great music, and artists I’d forgotten by the time their sets ended.
Posted inCommunity/News
Animals get to live life as more than livestock in the Iowa Farm Sanctuary’s pastures
Henry the one-eyed turkey stands just inside the pasture gate, proud and handsome with his white feathers fanned in display. He may look regal, but he also appreciates a rub of his gnarly red head. At 3 years old, Henry is a senior citizen: most turkeys raised in Iowa and elsewhere spend the first 20 […]
Posted inFood & Drink
The new Wilson’s Orchard and Farm is growing its own farm-to-table tradition in central Iowa
Since 1980, Wilson’s Orchard, located just north of Iowa City, has been a popular “you-pick” opportunity for area families, students and couples in the late summer and fall months. After Paul Rasch and Sara Goering took ownership in 2009, the beloved orchard, pumpkin patch and bakery grew into a cidery, restaurant, wedding and reception venue, […]
