Memorial Day Weekend

Gallery Talk: Angles On The Window
Enjoy this casual talk about local famed artist, Grant Wood and his career pivotal work in stained glass titled, “Memorial Window” that graces the 2nd Avenue Memorial Lobby of the Veterans Memorial Building in downtown CR.

Rock the Block
Rock the Block is free, and open to the public on a first-come-first-served basis at the NewBo City Market. You are welcome to bring lawn chairs and find a space to sit and enjoy the concert!

Nascar Weekly Racing at Hawkeye Downs Speedway

We’re celebrating 100 years of racing at Hawkeye Downs Speedway!! Join us for NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series racing on Friday, May 23rd, featuring your favorite racing classes, plus late models and the Enduro Sprint Series!

Iowa Renaissance Festival

The Iowa Renaissance Festival celebrates 33 YEARS of family fun in 2025! Come experience FOUR weekends of live entertainment featuring comedy, swordplay, music, magic, and even horseback jousting. Explore a marketplace full of unique merchandise from around the land. Enjoy tasty treats and drinks in the royal food court (including adult libations like honey mead). The village awaits your visit!

Odd Mama's Outdoor Market

Both Odd Mama's and Feel Riel stores will be open as well! These events are free to the public so bring the whole family and enjoy some time outside. We have openings for these markets for vendors who deal in antiques, vintage, handmade, or custom specialties.

Iowa Renaissance Festival
The Iowa Renaissance Festival celebrates 33 YEARS of family fun in 2025! Come experience FOUR weekends of live entertainment featuring comedy, swordplay, music, magic, and even horseback jousting. Explore a marketplace full of unique merchandise from around the land. Enjoy tasty treats and drinks in the royal food court (including adult libations like honey mead). The village awaits your visit!

Hiawatha Farmers Market

The Hiawatha Farmers Market opens the first Sunday in May and continues weekly through the last Sunday in October. Each week vendors from all over Iowa come together to offer a variety of fresh fruits and vegetables, flowers, baked goods, honey, meat, arts and crafts and more!

Lights Out Glow Up

The Iowa Children's Museum gave their Lights Out! exhibit a major glow up—and now it’s time to celebrate! This dark, sparkly, space-cave-inspired room is packed with updated activities, new creatures, and even more ways for kids to play with light and shadow. Come see what’s new and help us celebrate this reimagined space with some glowing fun!

Memorial Day Tribute Ceremony at Cedar Memorial

Please join us Monday, May 26 at 11:00 AM for our Memorial Day Tribute. Bring family, friends and neighbors…lawn chairs and blankets…and enjoy patriotic music, rifle volley, and taps.

Avenue of Flags
More than 1,500 American flags—each donated by veterans' families —line the avenues from Saturday morning through Monday evening to honor our veterans and all those who serve in the military.

Iowa Renaissance Festival
The Iowa Renaissance Festival celebrates 33 YEARS of family fun in 2025! Come experience FOUR weekends of live entertainment featuring comedy, swordplay, music, magic, and even horseback jousting. Explore a marketplace full of unique merchandise from around the land. Enjoy tasty treats and drinks in the royal food court (including adult libations like honey mead). The village awaits your visit!

Take a culture crawl and explore museum exhibits while in Cedar Rapids. See the Moravian Folk Motifs and folkjord at the National Czech and Slovak Museum & Library, or view Overalls: Grant Wood's Depiction of Denim at the Cedar Rapids Museum of Art.

Enjoy the outdoors and sunshine! Find area camping options, rent a kayak or stand up paddle board to explore Cedar Lake. Or discover new outdoor discoveries including Mt. Trashmore, Waldo’s Rock and the Wickiup Hill Outdoor Learning Center. Or try connecting with nature at a Linn County Park where you can camp, rent watercraft, hike and much more.

View our entire event calendar to plan you next trip to Cedar Rapids!