Live music events

From Muddy Waters to The Lumineers, a venue located in the basement of Iowa State University's Memorial Union has seen 50 years of music, theatre, comedy and more.

Operating on nearly 900 acres in Decorah, the Seed Savers Exchange preserves plant varieties by saving and sharing seeds — and their stories. Since 2000, local musicians have lent their talents to support the mission.

The Theatrical Shop in Valley Junction, which sells costumes, wigs and stage supplies year-round, got an urgent message the night before the artist's Hinterland Music Festival set. They met the need and rented out nun costumes to her bandmates.

The 80/35 music festival, held for years in downtown Des Moines, had a new location and different feel in 2024, but still had plenty to offer. And the music — and the people — were (still) amazing.

It's festival season and Iowa music and culture fans are in the festival mood! It's natural to focus on the big fests first, but there are also many smaller — and just as worthy — festivals being held throughout the state. If you missed 80/35 or can't attend Hinterland - or even if you're going to both - there's more festival fun to be had in Iowa!

The first annual The Middle of NOWhere Festival will be held this July 20 at the Cellar Winery just outside of Madrid. The new rural art and music festival features six music performances and over 50 artists and vendors. The festival is free to the public.

The free, one-day music festival returned to Grandview Park in Sioux City with its signature blend of genres split between two stages.

The free, annual music festival is expected to bring in 25,000 people from across the Midwest on July 6.

Every summer, Ames' Roosevelt neighborhood puts on Roosevelt Summer Sundays, an evening concert series. The musicians play while the community celebrates and builds just that — community. Attendees pay no admission fee and can hear some of the best Iowa-based and Iowa-adjacent musicians.

Iowa's largest arts festival will be held in Des Moines’ Western Gateway Park from June 28 - 30 and feature nearly 200 artists. Each year, the event brings in about 200,000 visitors.