After two years of COVID-19 disruptions, Iowa City’s Mission Creek Festival returned to an in-person format this year. Thirty-five separate bands and musicians performed across three days, and 12 authors, as well as many other writers and poets, held readings, Q&As and conversations.

The weekend saw packed performances by Beach Bunny, Soccer Mommy and Arooj Aftab, who recently won the Best World Performance Grammy for her song “Mohabbat.” Hundreds of people stopped by the Small Press and Literary Magazine Book Fair and the fifth annual Iowa City Expo for Comics and Real Eclectic Alternative Media (I.C.E. C.R.E.A.M.).

Check out the photos below, courtesy of Little Village‘s Videographer Jason Smith, Multimedia Journalist Adria Carpenter, Events Editor and Design Assistant Sid Peterson and Marketing Analytics Coordinator Malcolm MacDougall.

All about the music

Ric Wilson performs at the Englert Theatre on Saturday, April 9, 2022 for Mission Creek Festival. — Jason Smith/Little Village
Adia Victoria performs at Big Grove on Saturday, April 9, 2022. — Jason Smith/Little Village
Peel Dream Magazine performs at Trumpet Blossom on Saturday, April 9, 2022. — Jason Smith/Little Village
Mission Creek Festival attendees cheer for Ric Wilson at the Englert Theatre on Saturday, April 9, 2022. — Jason Smith/Little Village
Ric Wilson performs at the Englert Theatre on Saturday, April 9, 2022. — Jason Smith/Little Village
Ahzia performs at Gabe’s on Friday, April 8, 2022. — Sid Peterson/Little Village.
Haley Heynderickx performs at Riverside Theatre on Friday, April 8, 2022. — Sid Peterson/Little Village
Arooj Aftab performs at the Englert Theatre on Saturday, April 9, 2022. — Sid Peterson/Little Village.
Beach Bunny performs at the Englert Theatre on Friday, April 8, 2022. — Adria Carpenter/Little Village
Soccer Mommy performs at the Englert Theatre on Saturday, April 9, 2022. — Sid Peterson/Little Village
Dryad performs at Gabe’s on Saturday, April 9, 2022. — Jason Smith/Little Village
Ramona and the Sometimes perform at Riverside Theatre on Saturday, April 9, 2022, in Iowa City, Iowa. — Jason Smith/Little Village
Tennyson performs at the Englert on Thursday, April 7, 2022. — Malcolm MacDougall/Little Village
Beach Bunny performs at the Englert Theatre on Friday, April 8, 2022. — Adria Carpenter/Little Village
Sima Cunnningham performs in the band Ohmme at Trumpet Blossom Cafe on April 9th, 2022. — Jason Smith/Little Village
Adia Victoria performs at Big Grove on Saturday, April 9, 2022. — Jason Smith/Little Village
Tempers performs at Gabe’s on Friday, April 8, 2022. — Jason Smith/Little Village
Ric Wilson performs at the Englert Theatre on Saturday, April 9, 2022. — Sid Peterson/Little Village
Adia Victoria performs at Big Grove on Saturday, April 9, 2022. — Jason Smith/Little Village
Dos Santos performs at Gabe’s on Saturday, April 9, 2022. — Jason Smith/Little Village
Beach Bunny performs at the Englert Theatre on Friday, April 8, 2022. — Adria Carpenter/Little Village
Ryan Lott, lead singer/composer for Son Lux, takes a moment during a performance at the Englert Theatre on Saturday, April 8, 2022. — Malcolm MacDougall/Little Village
Maaaze performs at Big Grove Brewery on Saturday, April 9, 2022. — Jason Smith/Little Village
Ric Wilson performs at the Englert Theatre on Saturday, April 9, 2022. — Jason Smith/Little Village
Canence Weapon performs at Gabe’s on Saturday, April 9, 2022. — Jason Smith/Little Village
Maaaze performs at Big Grove Brewery on Saturday, April 9, 2022. — Jason Smith/Little Village
Alyx Rush, an s an alternative pop/R&B artist from rural Iowa, performs at the Englert Theatre on Thursday, April 7, 2022 for Mission Creek Festival. — Sid Peterson/Little Village
Dan Padley performs with Alyx Rush at the Englert Theatre on Friday, April 8; 2022. — Jason Smith/Little Village
Alyx Rush, an alternative pop/R&B artist from rural Iowa, performs at the Englert Theatre on Thursday, April 7, 2022, for Mission Creek Festival. — Jason Smith/Little Village
Tennyson performs at the Englert Theatre on Friday, April 8, 2022. — Jason Smith/Little Village
KMRU performs at the Riverside Theatre on Friday, April 8, 2022. — Jason Smith/Little Village
Lex Lato and The Christine Burke Ensemble perform at Riverside Theatre on Friday, April 8, 2022. — Sid Peterson/Little Village

Get Lit

The Nonfiction Writing Program and PromptPress hold a reading at Basic Goods for Lit Walk on Friday, April 8, 2022. — Adria Carpenter/Little Village
Tiny scribble books adorn a table at the 5th annual I.C.E. C.R.E.A.M. event on Saturday, April 9, 2022. — Adria Carpenter/Little Village
People leave messages on a typewriter at the Small Press and Literary Magazine Book Fair, on Saturday, April 9, 2022. — Adria Carpenter/Little Village
Katie Roche hosts a conversation with Darius Stewart and Arooj Aftab, on Thursday, April 7, 2022. — Adria Carpenter/Little Village
The Nonfiction Writing Program and PromptPress hold a reading at Basic Goods for Lit Walk on Friday, April 8, 2022. — Adria Carpenter/Little Village
Danny DeVito peaks out from a basket of prints at the 5th annual I.C.E. C.R.E.A.M. event on Saturday, April 9, 2022. — Adria Carpenter/Little Village
People browse the Ice Cube Press table at the Small Press and Literary Magazine Book Fair, on Saturday, April 9, 2022. — Adria Carpenter/Little Village
A person flips through “50 Things Kate Bush Taught Me About the Multiverse” by Karyna McGlynn at the Small Press and Literary Magazine Book Fair, on Saturday, April 9, 2022. — Adria Carpenter/Little Village
Dr. Eve L. Ewing reads from “1919”, her book of poetry inspired by the 1919 Chicago Race Riot, at Filmscene on Friday, April 9, 2022. — Malcolm MacDougall/Little Village
Sara Minor reads her poetry at White Rabbit during Lit Walk on Saturday, April 9, 2022. — Malcolm MacDougall/Little Village
Sasha LaPointe holds a reading and Q/A session for her new book, “Red Paint,” at Prairie Lights, on Thursday, April 7, 2022. — Adria Carpenter/Little Village
Sasha LaPointe signs a copy of “Red Paint,” on Thursday, April 7, 2022. — Adria Carpenter/Little Village
A figurine of Ahab Van Helsing and Nosferatu Carcharodon rests on a table at the 5th annual I.C.E. C.R.E.A.M. event on Saturday, April 9, 2022. — Adria Carpenter/Little Village
People browse the World Noir table at the Small Press and Literary Magazine Book Fair, on Saturday, April 9, 2022. — Adria Carpenter/Little Village
Local and regional artists gather for the 5th annual I.C.E. C.R.E.A.M. event on Saturday, April 9, 2022. — Adria Carpenter/Little Village
Prints and comics for sale at the 5th annual I.C.E. C.R.E.A.M. event, on Saturday, April 9, 2022. — Adria Carpenter/Little Village
Arooj Aftab answers a questions during her conversation with Katie Roche and Darius Stewart on Thursday, April 7, 2022. — Adria Carpenter/Little Village
The Nonfiction Writing Program and PromptPress hold a reading at Basic Goods for Lit Walk on Friday, April 8, 2022. — Adria Carpenter/Little Village
Stacked shelves quickly sell out at the Two Dollar Radio table at the Small Press and Literary Magazine Book Fair, on Saturday, April 9, 2022. — Adria Carpenter/Little Village
The Iowa Review and International Writing PRogram hold a reading at Tru Coffee for Lit Walk, on Friday, April 8, 2022. — Adria Carpenter/Little Village
SKEW, a literary magazine that publishes experimental art and dialogue, holds a table at the Small Press and Literary Magazine Book Fair, on Saturday, April 9, 2022. — Adria Carpenter/Little Village
People sort through vinyls at the Big Grove Vinyl Market on Saturday, April 9, 2022. The event included stock from Iowa retailers Bog’s Vinyl, No Skip Records, Nate’s Record Resale, Sweet Livin’ Antiques and Vinyl Underground Garage. — Jason Smith/Little Village
Sasha LaPointe signs a copy of “Red Paint,” on Thursday, April 7, 2022. — Adria Carpenter/Little Village
People browse the tables at the Small Press and Literary Magazine Book Fair, on Saturday, April 9, 2022. — Adria Carpenter/Little Village
Mrk Polzanak, cofounder of Draft, poses for a picture at the Small Press and Literary Magazine Book Fair, on Saturday, April 9, 2022. Draft publishes finished works alongside its first draft. — Adria Carpenter/Little Village
Attendees gather for the Mistranslation for Non-translators: A Generative Poetry Workship at the Iowa City Public Library, on Saturday, April 9, 2022. — Adria Carpenter/Little Village