Your Guide to 2023 Summer Fairs & Festivals in Eastern Iowa [LIST]

Fair and festival season is already underway here in Eastern Iowa! There are lots of great events scheduled this summer, so we put together a list of some of the big ones. Here are the fairs and festivals set for June, July, and August of 2023:

Benz Beer Fest

• Benz Beverage Depot, Cedar Rapids
• Saturday, June 17th from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.
• Featuring live music, 100+ beers, food, and more
• Purchase tickets HERE

Boom-Fest

• Downtown Vinton
• Saturday, August 26th from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
• Featuring artisans & crafters, a farmers market, food vendors, kids' activities, live entertainment, and more

Boomtown

• Benton County Fairgrounds, Vinton
• Saturday, August 26th at 4 p.m.
• Featuring fireworks, live music, food vendors, a beer tent, and more
• Parking is $10 - Grandstand seats are $10 (lawn seating is free)

Bremer County Fair

• Waverly, Iowa
• July 23rd through 29th
• Featuring a carnival, a beer garden, contests, live music, a petting zoo, shows, and more

Buchanan County Fair

• Independence, Iowa
• July 5th through 9th
• Featuring a Demo Derby, a beer garden, a carnival, live entertainment, and more
• Concerts from Trace Adkins and Sammy Keshaw, Aaron Tippin, & Collin Raye
• Purchase tickets HERE

Cedar County Fair

• Tipton, Iowa
• July 12th through 16th
• Featuring a rodeo, races, a tractor pull, BINGO, contests, a beer garden, a carnival, and more
• Concert from Lonestar/Eddie Montgomery
• Purchase tickets HERE

Cedar Rapids Freedom Festival

• Cedar Rapids, Iowa
• Events scheduled from June 14th through July 4th
  • Balloon Glow - June 17th
  • Dock Dogs - June 22nd through 25th
  • Imagination Square - June 24th
  • Parade - June 24th
  • Movies at the Ballpark - June 29th
  • Pancake Breakfast - July 4th
  • Fireworks - July 4th
• Freedom Festival Buttons are $10 each

Center Point Pork Days

• Main Street, Center Point
• June 1st through 3rd
• Featuring live music, fireworks, food, a parade, a beer tent, and more

Coralville 4thFest

• S.T. Morrison Park, Coralville
• July 1st through 4th
• Featuring a 5k, a concert, a parade, food, kids' activities, fireworks, a carnival, and more

Delaware County Fair

• Manchester, Iowa
• July 10th through 16th
• Featuring a parade, inflatables, races, truck & tractor pulls, a Demo Derby, a carnival, live entertainment, and more
• Concerts from REO Speedwagon and Carly Pearce
• Purchase tickets HERE

Downtown Block Party

• Downtown Iowa City
• Saturday, June 24th from 4 p.m. to 11 p.m.
• Featuring dueling pianos, a drag show, a silent disco, volleyball, pro wrestling, drinks, and more

Dubuque County Fair

• Dubuque, Iowa
• July 25th through 30th
• Featuring competitions, a beer garden, live music, a carnival, a demo derby, a truck & tractor pull, and more
• Concerts from Lauren Alaina and Skillet/Theory of a Deadman
• Purchase tickets HERE

DBQfest

• Washington Park, Dubuque
• August 5th & 6th
• Featuring live music, local food, an art fair, and more

Elkader Sweet Corn Days

• Elkader, Iowa
• July 27th through 30th
• Featuring a carnival, a beer tent, a 5k/10k, live music, food, a parade, tournaments, and more

Fairfax USA Days

• Fairfax Complex
• June 23rd & 24th
• Featuring a beer tent, a street dance, food, a movie in the park, a 5k, a parade, inflatables, fireworks, and more

Fireworks & Fireflies

• Lowe Park, Marion
• Monday, July 3rd at 6 p.m.
• Featuring food, live music, fireworks, and more

Great Jones County Fair

• Monticello, Iowa
• July 19th through 23rd
• Featuring a carnival, live music, a beer tent, a NTPA Pull, a kids' zone, contests, and more
• Concerts from Jon Pardi, Pitbull, Shinedown, and We the Kingdom
• Purchase tickets HERE

Hoover's Hometown Days

• Main Street, West Branch
• August 4th & 5th
• Featuring vendors, live music, a beer tent, food, Hooverball, a parade, inflatables, a petting zoo, a dog show, and more

Iowa Arts Festival

• Downtown Iowa City
• June 2nd through 4th
• Featuring artists, vendors, live music, food, educational activities, and more

Iowa City Jazz Festival

• Downtown Iowa City
• June 30th through July 2nd
• Featuring vendors, live music, food, fireworks, a beverage garden, and more

Iowa Irish Fest

• Downtown Waterloo
• August 4th through 6th
• Featuring classes, contests, live entertainment, food, sheep herding, Highland Games, a fun run, drinks, and more
• Purchase tickets HERE

Iowa Renaissance Festival

• Middle Amana Community Park, Amana Colonies
• June 3rd & 4th
• Featuring artisans, live music, sword play, jousting, comedy, food, drinks, and more
• Purchase tickets HERE

Jackson County Fair

• Maquoketa, Iowa
• July 25th through 30th
• Featuring a beer tent, a parade, a petting zoo, a carnival, Night of Destruction, Otter Adventure, and more
• Concerts from LOCASH/Little Texas and Clint Black/Chris Janson
• Purchase tickets HERE

Johnson County Fair

• Iowa City, Iowa
• July 23rd through 26th
• Featuring a talent show, a tractor pull, competitions, a skid loader rodeo, vendors, and more

Lazy River Beer and Wine Festival

• Marquette Riverfront
• Saturday, June 24th from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m.
• Featuring wine & beer vendors, food, live music, and more
• Purchase tickets HERE

Linn County Fair

• Central City, Iowa
• June 28th through July 2nd
• Featuring a carnival, live music, a beer tent, an ECIPA Truck & Tractor Pull, Tough Trucks, and more
• Concerts from Niko Moon and Jo Dee Messina
• Purchase tickets HERE

Lisbon Sauerkraut Days

• Lisbon, Iowa
• August 17th through 19th
• Featuring a 5k, a car show, a carnival, a parade, food, fireworks, tournaments, live music, and more

Manchester River Days

• Manchester, Iowa
• June 1st through June 3rd
• Featuring live music, a 5k, a river float parade, food trucks, a bags competition, kids' activities, and more

Marion Kiwanis BBQ Rendezvous

• Lowe Park, Marion
• Saturday, June 3rd at 11 a.m.
• Featuring 8 BBQ vendors, face painting, live music, and more

Mississippi Valley Fair

• Davenport, Iowa
• August 1st through 6th
• Featuring live entertainment, food, kids' activities, vendors,
• Concerts from Sam Hunt, Jordan Davis, Ludacris, Lil Jon, Three Days Grace, and Limp Bizkit
• Purchase tickets HERE

Muscatine County Fair

• West Liberty, Iowa
• July 19th through 23rd
• Featuring a demo derby, a trailer race, donkey races, a tractor pull, a carnival, contests, and more
• Concert from Josh Turner
• Purchase tickets HERE

My Waterloo Days

• Lincoln Park and Anton’s Garden, Waterloo
• June 8th through 11th
• Featuring live music, a parade, a beer garden, a carnival, food, kids' activities, a talent show, vendors, and more
• Concerts from  Ginuwine/Ying Yang Twins & Blessed Union of Souls

North Liberty Blues & BBQ

• Centennial Park, North Liberty
• Saturday, July 8th
• Featuring food vendors, live blues music, craft beer, inflatables, and more

Palo Fun Days

• Zeller Park, Palo
• Saturday, August 19th at 12 p.m.
• Featuring food, vendors, a craft fair, a parade, a truck & tractor pull, live music, fireworks, and more

Solon Beef Days

• Solon, Iowa
• July 21st & 22nd
• Featuring food, live music, a bags tournament, a fun run, a parade, and more

St. Joseph Fun Days

• St. Joseph Catholic Church, Marion
• June 2nd through 4th
• Featuring carnival rides, games, live music, food, a silent auction, a 5k, Bingo, a beverage tent, a hog roast, and more

St. Jude Sweet Corn Festival

• St. Jude Catholic Church, Cedar Rapids
• August 11th through 13th
• Featuring a carnival, a beer tent, live music, sweet corn, raffles, and more
• Admission is $5 for ages 11+

Strawberry Days Festival

• Strawberry Point, Iowa
• June 8th through 11th
• Featuring a farmers market, live music, food trucks, a pet show, competitions, a beer garden, a truck & tractor pull, and more

Sturgis Falls Celebration

• Gateway Park & Overman Park, Cedar Falls
• June 23rd through 25th
• Featuring a car show, an arts & crafts fair, a parade, a carnival, live entertainment, kids' activities, food, and more

Swisher Fun Days

• Swisher, Iowa
• July 28th & 29th
• Featuring tournaments, a parade, a vendor market, food, a street dance, and more

Walcott Truckers Jamboree

• The World's Largest Truckstop, Walcott
• July 13th through 15th
• Featuring Trucker Olympics, a pork chop cook-out, fireworks, contests, antique trucks, and more
• Concerts from Shenandoah and Electric Shock - The AC/DC Show

Winneshiek County Fair

• Decorah, Iowa
• July 11th through 15th
• Featuring a carnival, a petting zoo, kids' activities, competitions, live entertainment, races, a rodeo, and more
• Concerts from Easton Corbin and John Michael Montgomery

Wurst Festival

• Amana Colonies
• Saturday, June 17th
• Featuring sausage vendors, live music, a beer tent, yard games, a Dachshund Derby, and more
• Admission is $5 for ages 12+

We will continue to add to the list as we get more information!