🥶 Dec. 12 - Dec. 15 | Your Johnson County Weekend Plans

TOGETHER WITH

TOP EVENT ROUNDUP 🤩

Tastes, Toasts & Tunes

Josh Ritter | Dec. 15 | The Englert Theatre
Renowned singer, songwriter, and best-selling author, Josh Ritter's Great to Small, Small to Grand Tour is a special, intimate show with a stripped-down trio version of his band with "huge ideas and stories, packed into tiny grains of (musical) insistence."

• Friday, 6:00 - 8:00pm: Taylor Swift Music Bingo (Backpocket Brewing)

• Saturday, 1:00 - 4:00pm: Wine & Cheese Tasting (Bread Garden Market)

• Saturday, 8:00pm: Live Band Burlesque Show (The Englert Theatre)

• Sunday, 4:30 - 6:30pm: Chili Cook-Off (Shuey’s Restaurant)

• All Weekend (Showtimes Vary): Madrigal Dinner (The James Theater)

• All Weekend (Showtimes Vary): Anastasia (CCPA)

• All Weekend (Showtimes Vary): It’s a Wonderful Life (Riverside Theatre)

HOLIDAY EVENTS 🎄

THURSDAY
🎅 Santa Paws | Pet Health Center of Tiffin | 4:00 - 6:00pm
🎅 Santa Visit | Diventures | 5:00 - 7:00pm

FRIDAY
📯 Holiday Tubas: 50th Anniversary | Old Capitol | 12:30pm
🎄 Holiday Dance Party | IMU | 6:00 - 10:00pm
🎅 Bad Santa Murder Mystery Dinner | Walker Homestead | 6:00 - 9:00
🎄 Ugly Sweater Party & Salsa Dancing | Rayo’s | 7:00pm

SATURDAY
💚 Breakfast with The Grinch | Waterfront Hy-Vee | 8:00 - 11:00am
🎅 Breakfast with Santa | Hyatt Regency | 8:30 - 10:30pm
🍪 Cookies with Mrs. Claus | Springmier Comm. Library | 10:00 - 12:00pm
🏠 Gingerbread House Decorating | Solon Public Library | 10:00 & 12:00pm
🎅 Santa’s Coming! | Solon American Legion | 11:00 - 1:00pm
🎅 Santa at the Grove | Big Grove Iowa City | 3:30 - 6:30pm
🍪 WILOS Cookie Walk | Swisher Comm. Library | 4:00 - 6:00pm
🎄Ugly Sweater Party | Black Squirrel Tap | 8:00 - 11:00pm
🎄Ugly Sweater Party | Studio 13 | 9:00pm

SUNDAY
🎅 Grinch on the Greens | Lake MacBride Golf Course | 8:00 - 1:00pm
💚 Breakfast with The Grinch | North Dodge Hy-Vee | 8:00 - 12:00pm
🎅 Meet Santa | Craft Salon & Spa | 9:00 - 11:00am
🎅 Breakfast with Santa | Micky’s Irish Pub | 10:00 - 12:00pm
🎅 Brunch with Santa | Backpocket Brewing | 10:00 - 12:00pm
🖼️ Holiday Pet Portraits | Big Grove Iowa City | 11:00 - 2:00pm
🍪 Cookie Swap | Mercer Park Aquatics | 6:00 - 8:00pm

ALL WEEKEND
🔎 Hunt for Elves (Downtown Iowa City), 🧸 Teddy Bear Room (Hilton Garden Inn), 🎬Holiday Classics (FilmScene), and 🎄Holiday Lights at the Lake (Iowa City)

GIVING BACK ❤️

With the holiday spirt in mind, here’s a few ways to give back this weekend:

• Thursday, 5:30 - 7:00pm: 100+ Women Q4 Giving Event (Iowa City)

• Friday, 5:00 - 9:00pm: Christmas Lights Fundraiser (North Liberty)

• Sunday, 12:00 - 4:00pm: Difference Makers Winter Festival (Liberty High)

• Next Week, All Week: Project Holiday 2024 (CommUnity Crisis Services)

Holiday shopping this weekend? Get a gift that gives back with Calendars for a Cause. Available at various local businesses throughout Johnson County!

LOCAL BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT 🌟

White Pumpkin Studio | Your One-Stop Gift Shop |📍West Branch
Shop local this holiday season at White Pumpkin Studio in downtown West Branch, just minutes from lowa City. This mom-and-daughter owned boutique offers paper products, holiday party décor, and unique gifts for all occasions. Celebrate the season and find perfect, handpicked treasures for anyone on your list!

HOLIDAY SHOPPING 🛍️

• Saturday, 8:30 - 1:00pm: Holiday Market (Robert A. Lee Comm. Center)

• Saturday: 9:00 - 11:00am: Xmas Pop-Up (SweetCakes by Paige, N. Liberty)

• Saturday, 12:00 - 4:00pm: Holiday Market (The Green House)

• All Weekend: 11:00 - 7:00pm: Holiday Pop-Up Market (Ped Mall)

Check-out The JoCo Know Local Gifting Guide for more local gifting ideas! 🎁

GETTING CREATIVE 🎨

From painting to wreath making, here’s a few crafty events worth checking out:

• Friday, 6:00pm: Winter Wreath Workshop (Willow & Stock)

• Saturday, 12:00pm: Christmas Cards Crafting (Fauquier Comm. Centre)

• Saturday, 12:00pm: Winter Wreath Workshop (Springmier Comm. Center)

• Sunday, 2:00pm: Christmas Paint & Sip (Field Day Brewing Co.)

• Sunday, 6:30pm: Holiday Paint & Sip (Tin Roost)

LIVE MUSIC 🎸 & ENTERTAINMENT 🎭

FRIDAY
🎵 Andrew Hoyt | Field Day Brewing Co. | 6:00pm
🎵 The Drive-In’s | Cedar Ridge | 6:00 - 9:00pm
🎵 Diane Road Band | La Wine Bar | 7:00pm
🎵 The Beaker Brothers Band | First Avenue Club | 7:00pm
🎵 Dave Helmer Band | Trumpet Blossom Cafe | 8:00pm
🎵 Stone Age Queens, Audiowaves & Nirvomit | Wildwood | 8:00pm
🎵 Sam Knutson | The Black Angel | 9:00pm
🎵 Full Circle (Debut) | J&A Tap | 9:30pm

SATURDAY
🎵 Crazy Delicious | Shuey’s Restaurant | 7:00 - 10:00pm
🎭 Lady Franklyn Improv | Willow Creek Theatre Company | 7:30pm
🎵 Kerak | The Black Angel | 9:00pm

SUNDAY
🎺 A Very Merry Brass-Mas Concert | Solon Comm. Center | 4:00pm
🎤 Cecile McLorin Salvant & Sullivan Fortner | Hancher | 8:00pm

GO SPORTS! 🏀

🏀 Thursday, 6:30pm: UI Men’s Basketball vs. Iowa State
👟 Friday, 11:00am: UI Men’s Track & Field (Indoor Invitational)
🏊 Friday, 6:00pm: UI Women’s Swim & Dive vs. Iowa State
🏒 Friday, 7:00pm: Iowa Heartlanders vs. Toledo Walley
🏀 Thursday, 6:30pm: UI Men’s Basketball vs. New Orleans

NEXT WEEK 📅

No #SundayScaries! Here are a few things to look forward to next week:

• Dec. 16: Cookie Decorating | White Pumpkin Studio | 6:00pm

• Dec. 16: Hawk Talk (Jan Jensen) | Hyatt Regency | 6:00pm

• Dec. 17: Richard the Whale Prix Fixe | Big Grove Solon | 4:00pm

• Dec. 17: Holiday Social | South District Market | 5:00 - 7:30pm

• Dec. 17: Puzzlepalooza | Backpocket Brewing | 6:00pm

• Dec. 18: Cocktail Class | Cedar Ridge | 6:00pm

• Dec. 18: Christmas Vacation Trivia | Shuey’s | 6:30pm

• Dec. 19: Holiday Centerpiece Class | Forever Green | 6:30pm
   

And for the kiddos:

• Dec. 16: Doodlebugs | North Liberty Library | 10:30am

• Dec. 17: Teddy Bear Story Time | Hilton Garden Inn | 9:30am

• Dec. 17: Balloons that Soar | NL Pizza Ranch | 5:00pm

• Dec. 18: Toddler Takeover | Iowa Children’s Museum | 10:00am

• Dec. 18: Movie Day: Despicable Me 4 | Oxford Public Library | 2:00pm

• Dec. 18: Santa at the Igloos! | Tin Roost | 5:30pm
  

And Who Are We?
We’re Hayley and Andy, parents of two toddlers and lovers of Johnson County. We’re always planning our next outing and exploring what’s new locally. Living in the area for almost 20 years, The JoCo Know is a passion project for us and is truly an extension of what we love to do - plan, explore, enjoy, and repeat.

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