Free Week is making its return to Iowa City February 16-22, 2026! An expansive and sprawling celebration of the arts here in our town, it’s a great opportunity to try something new and explore a diverse selection of performances, workshops, screenings, and more! Here are some highlights day-by-day.
MONDAY
On Monday, the Iowa City Public Library and the UI Main Library Gallery are volleying events back and forth. Starting at 10:30am, the ICPL will host a Chinese Bilingual Storytime with children’s librarian Fang, before becoming a home for youth events later in the evening with a LEGO League Challenger. It is an opportunity to practice the overlapping world of robotics and LEGO in a competitive format. LEGO League Challenger runs from 4:00pm-5:30pm.
For a graduate crowd, at 4:00pm the UI Library will be hosting a Curated Guiding Tour of Orchestrating Community: The Public Service of Iowa Coordinator James Dixon. This is a tour hosted by co-curators Sarah Suhadolnik and Kate Buehner to celebrate the man behind the podium who helped create orchestras here in Iowa City and all over the world.
TUESDAY
Tuesday has worldly opportunities such as another bilingual reading at the Iowa City Public Library!. This time in Spanish, librarian Miriam brings together singing, dancing, and reading into Iowa City every Tuesday from 10:30am-11:00am. Later on at the library, from 4:00pm-5:00pm, the West High Trojan Lions Dance Group from the Asian Students Union for a Chinese New Year celebration.
Film Scene will also continue to host their Free Tuesdays and Alley Cat will host its karaoke night (21+)
WEDNESDAY
At noon, The Englert will host its building tour, where you can explore the historic venue and enjoy some quieter time in this lively building.
Public Space One and the IC Press Co-Op will be showcasing the wonders of letterpress and screen printing at Iowa’s only community print shop! This event, where you can print your own design, will take place from 1:00pm-4:30pm.
Prairie Lights will be hosting their first event of Free Week with a conversation and reading from Jake Fournier and his new collection of poems Punishment Bag. From 7:00pm-8:00pm, the Albuquerque based firefighter will be speaking with Alicia Wright, managing editor of The Iowa Review.
THURSDAY
The University of Iowa’s Theatre Building will be putting on a Festival of Ten-Minute Plays starting at 2:00pm. This is the 29th edition of this celebration of undergraduate students and their work, artistically directed by Tony Meneses.
On the other side of campus at the Voxman Music Building, Lowell Lieberman and Gabriel Kahane for a conversation with Director of Orchestral Studies Kenny Lee. The two composers will continue their weeklong residencies as a concert showcasing some of their work that will be conducted by Dr Lee will follow the conversation. The event will begin at 6:00pm.
All skill levels are welcome at The Artifactory for a Life Drawing Class from 6:30pm-8:30pm. An opportunity to focus in on some artistic skills with your non toxic medium of choice. This event is dedicated to University of Iowa graduate Phil Dorothy, who loved art and was a big supporter of the Iowa City scene.
FRIDAY
Public Space One Northside will be hosting a wild and exciting immersive experience. Using Isadora technology, Dead or Amazing is unlike anything you’ve experienced before. This interactive visual display, that responds to audience movement and sound to alter its exhibit in a 180 degree immersive field. This optical experience was created with mixed media drawings by Ethan Edvenson and video by Charles Borowicz.
You can take in the sights from one of the tallest buildings in Iowa City, The Vue Rooftop will be hosting Nebraska based singer-songwriter Dage Lee starting at 8:00pm.This busy musical night continues with Jacoozy playing at Gabe’s, John D Neal at Elrays, and another performance by the symphony orchestra at Voxman. If music is not your entertainment of choice, Studio 13 is hosting a drag performance (10:30pm) and AlleyCat’s Comic Cabin Comedy Show (9:30pm). Both events are 19+.
SATURDAY
Saturday will be off to a early start in Iowa City. The Artifactory will be hosting a Basics of Drawing Class at 10:00am while Chauncey and Merge will be putting on One Book Two Book Festival. This celebration of children’s literature aims to connect children to books trhough readings, discussions, and even chracter meet and greets with Clifford and everyone’s favorite amphibious duo, Frog and Toad.
The UI Museum of Natural History will be anchoring the afternoon silent disco scene from 2:00pm-6:00pm. An unorthodox place to bust a move, the museum strives to make it a place to contemplate, ruminate, and gyrate.
University of Iowa alumni Elizabeth Moen will be making her grand return to Iowa City headlining The Englert Theatre at 8:00pm. She is no stranger to The Englert as she opened for Bernie Sanders almost a year ago to date on February 22nd, 2026. Moen blends a lively show with strong and weaving lyrics that feel are ripped straight from a bestselling book of poetry. Influenced by the greats such as Bruce Springsteen and Wilco, she will be opening up for recent Englert players, The Wood Brothers, in March.
SUNDAY
The Englert will be hosting the Iowa City Flea Market from 11:00am-5:00pm as Free Week enters its final day. A great place to find new pieces form a variety of local vendors. This flea market spreads across all levels of The Englert, filling up the stage and aisles with countless items.
Voxman will be busy once again, presenting two events, The Iowa Honor Band Showcase at 1:00pm and the Center For New Music Ensemble Concert III at 7:30. Sandwiched in between those two events is the continuation of the Ten-Minute Play Festival at the UI Theatre Building and One Book Two Book Festival.
Iowa City Free Week is offering broad and welcoming lineup of events to hop into. Whether it is music, crafting, expanding your love of film, or anything else, there is no shortage of things to do. Take advantage of this wonderful opportunity to experience what makes Iowa City so special! More information about each event can be found from Think Iowa City.
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