2026 Iowa Arts Festival in downtown Iowa City -- June 5 through 7.
Friday, June 5, through Sunday, June 7
Downtown Iowa City IA
A tradition of 40-plus years that has attracted more than 25,000 people each summer to downtown Iowa City, the Iowa Arts Festival, from June 5 through 7, will showcase a wide array of visual artists from local and national levels. The weekend-long event will also feature a beverage garden, a variety of culinary delights, children’s activities, and thrilling live-music performances, including a Friday-night set with headliners Ribbon Skirt and Saturday's headliners, the Grammy-winning Dirty Dozen Brass Band.
The 2026 Iowa Arts Festival opens on Friday, June 5, at 5 p.m., with the Art Fair showcasing more than 100 national visual artists and the Culinary Delights & Beverage Sales providing plenty of enticing eats and drinks. At 6 p.m., the popular talents of Dearborn hit the stage, followed by Anthony Worden & the Illiterati at 7 p.m. Then at 8:30 p.m., headliners Ribbon Skirt bring a powerful and contemporary voice rooted in indie rock and alternative influences. Support for this performance is provided by the National Endowment for the Arts and the Iowa Arts Council, which exists within the Iowa Economic Development Authority. Ribbon Skirt’s performance highlights the festival’s commitment to showcasing innovative and culturally impactful artists.
Exhilarating live music continues in the Saturday, June 6 lineup, with the Iowa City Community Band performing at noon, The Fabulous Tritones playing at 1:30pm, Hard Luck & the Troubles hitting the downtown stage at 4 p.m., and singer/songwriter Blaine Bailey performing at 6 p.m. The festival's 8 p.m. headliners the Dirty Dozen Brass Band, meanwhile, are the Granny Award-winning New Orleans ensemble known for redefining brass band music. Celebrated for their genre-blending sound that fuses jazz, funk, R&B, and soul, the Dirty Dozen Brass Band has influenced generations of musicians and continues to deliver electrifying live performances around the world. Additional events on Saturday include the 10 a.m. opening of the Art Fair in tandem with the Emerging Artist Area, Culinary Delights and Merchandise Sales beginning at 11 a.m. along with ABC's: Arts, Books, & Children, while Art Out Loud: United Action for Youth performances get underway at 3 p.m.
With the festival concluding on June 7, the live-music performances on the Iowa Healthcare Main Stage include the Burlington Street Bluegrass Band at noon, Simon Cropp & His All-Star Band at 1:30 p.m., and the Awful Purdies at 3 p.m. The Dr. Suzanne Stock Ped Mall Stage will boast the Silver Swing Band at 11 a.m., Ingrid Streitz at 12:15 p.m., The MIC at 1:15 p.m., and Nicole Dean at 2:15 p.m. As on Saturday, the Art Fair and Emerging Artist Area open at 10 a.m., with Art-Making Sunday taking place at 11 a.m. and the Beverage Garden open at noon.
As always, the festival is hosted by Summer of the Arts, a nonprofit organization that produces local arts and culture events including: the Iowa Arts Festival presented by MidWestOne Bank and MidAmerican Energy Foundation; Iowa City Jazz Festival presented by GreenState Credit Union; Friday Night Concert Series presented by McGrath Toyota of Iowa City,; Rhythms at Riverfront Crossings presented by Lepic-Kroeger Realtors - Kim Schillig, Realtor; Drive-in Movies at the Hangar presented by Urban Acres Real Estate and CBI Bank & Trust; Music on the Move presented by Hills Bank; and the Holiday Thieves Market.
For more information on the 2026 Iowa Arts Festival taking place June 5 through 7, visit SummerOfTheArts.org.
