Iowa Events and Festivals: Gather Together and Celebrate

Celebrating with the local community is one of the best ways to connect with Iowa’s unique culture. From big city art shows to small country fairs, from thrilling sports competitions to ethnic celebrations - embrace the true spirit of Iowa at one-of-a-kind festivals and events.

Old-Fashioned Fairs: Farm Culture and Family-Friendly Fun

Have you ever tried a deep-fried pancake taco? Boasting a cow made of butter and more food on a stick than you can imagine, the Iowa State Fair is a world-renowned cultural celebration. Held every August in Des Moines, the Fair includes wacky competitions, carnival games and rides, livestock shows, and more than 600 exhibitors. It also features the largest art show in the state.

Iowa’s county fairs offer similar old-fashioned fun on a smaller scale and take place throughout the summer. Play in game shows and visit the petting zoo at the Buchanan County Fair, which is set along a river in Independence. Watch a demolition derby and pedal tractor pull at the Cherokee County Fair. In Monticello, nationally recognized musicians play on multiple stages at the Great Jones County Fair.

Ethnic Festivals: Pink Tulips, Craft Cheese, and Wiener Dogs

Celebrate the arrival of spring at the Tulip Time Festival in Pella, a Dutch festival with traditional dancing, music, and crafts like Dutch letter baking, wooden shoemaking, and yoke carving. Stroll through tulip gardens, craft markets, and cheese shops. Decorah’s Nordic Fest honors the region’s Scandinavian heritage, with Norwegian food, craft demonstrations, and entertainment.

Watch the Nordic Rock Throw competition, clap for dancers in traditional costumes, and shop at more than 100 booths of arts and crafts. Nearby in Guttenberg, discover champion yodelers, brat eating competitions, and wiener dog racing at Germanfest.

Sky High-Excitement at Hot Air Balloon Shows

Gaze up in wonder as 100 colorful hot air balloons float with the clouds at the National Balloon Classic, Indianola’s annual summer sky festival. For over 50 years, this awe-inspiring event has been a summertime tradition for Iowans. Ride in hot air balloons, browse the open-air market, and don’t miss the Fire in the Sky Nite-Glow Extravaganza. In fall, Creston hosts the Southwest Iowa Hot Air Balloon Days, the state’s second-largest hot air balloon festival. Enjoy balloon races, a marching band parade, and pet show at this fun-filled event.

Music and Arts Festivals: From Des Moines to the Mississippi River

Rock the boat at Burlington Steamboat Days, a four-day riverfront festival of music and life on the Mississippi River. Two outdoor stages host a wide range of musical performances, including rock, country, jazz, pop, R&B, and big bands. Fireworks, a parade, and carnival rides complete the experience. Clarinda’s Glenn Miller Festival is another top draw for music fans, a big band extravaganza featuring the World-Famous Glenn Miller Orchestra. In Des Moines, the Metro Arts Jazz Festival and the Des Moines Arts Festival infuse the city with energy every summer.

Sports and Speed: RAGBRAI, Auto Racing, and Winter Games

Iowa’s signature sporting event is RAGBRAI, the Register's Annual Great Bike Ride Across Iowa. Friendly and fun, this non-competitive bike ride cruises across the countryside on a different course every summer. Prefer the thrill of speed? Cheer for high-powered sprint cars as they zoom across short tracks at the Knoxville Nationals, a two-day auto race held every summer.

In winter, warm up at the University of Okoboji Winter Games. Every January, students and locals come together to shake off the winter chill and cabin fever. Competitions include polar plunges, broomball, chili cook-offs, snowmobile races, and flag football.

Seasonal Celebrations: The Holidays, Fall Colors, and the Fourth of July

Find Fourth of July fun every summer at the Cedar Rapids Freedom Festival, one of the biggest Iowa events of the year. Highlights include classic rock and patriotic pops concerts every night, along with fireworks, amazing local food, and fun kids’ activities. Surround yourself with autumn’s brilliant hues at the Madison County Covered Bridge Festival, held every October in Winterset.

Artisans demonstrate old-fashioned crafting, and there’s a quilt show, bridge tours, and antique vehicle parade. For the holidays, cities and towns across Iowa light up for tree lighting ceremonies, holiday shopping markets, and festivals of lights.