Hey there, Cedar Rapids! 🎉
It’s a fun-filled weekend across Eastern Iowa! 🛍️ Shop local holiday markets and the Kennedy Band Garage Sale, enjoy Pictures with Santa Paws, and get creative with festive craft workshops. 🌶️ Warm up with the Kenwood Park Chili and Soup Supper, meet live raptors at Indian Creek Nature Center, or browse the Friends of the Library Big Fall Book Sale. 🎶 Catch Justin Willman’s magic and comedy, a Tom Petty tribute, Legally Blonde, Pippin, and more! There’s something for everyone this weekend.
A big shoutout to our sponsors, Cedar Rapids Bank and Trust for helping make Cedar Rapids Daily possible and supporting all the amazing things happening in our community.
☀️ CEDAR RAPIDS DAILY
Saturday, November 7 & Sunday, November 8, 2026
Your guide to what’s happening around Cedar Rapids and Eastern Iowa — in five minutes or less!
📅 SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 7
🌦️ FORECAST
Mostly sunny with a high of 51° and a low of 38°.
⭐ TOP 10 SATURDAY HIGHLIGHTS
🛍️ Kennedy Band Garage Sale
🐾 Petco Pet Adoption Event
🎄 6th Annual Holiday Craft & Vendor Market
🎨 Holiday Vendor Market at Granger House
🧶 Mending Café
🦅 Saving Seeds for Tomorrow at Sugar Grove Farm
🎅 Pictures with Santa Paws
🌶️ Kenwood Park Annual Chili and Soup Supper
✨ Justin Willman: One for the Ages Tour
🎸 Free Fallin’ — A Tom Petty Tribute
🛍️ SHOPPING, MARKETS & FUNDRAISERS
🛍️ Kennedy Band Garage Sale
🕖 7 a.m.–12 p.m.
📍 Kennedy High School Cafeteria
Shop donated household goods, clothing, books, electronics, toys, sporting goods, and more. Proceeds support Kennedy Band gear, trips, and events.
🎄 6th Annual Holiday Craft & Vendor Market
🕘 9 a.m.–2 p.m.
📍 VFW Post 788
Shop local vendors, handmade gifts, crafts, and holiday goodies. Enjoy pulled pork sandwiches, walking tacos, a homemade bake sale, giveaways, and more.
🎨 Holiday Vendor Market
🕙 10 a.m.–4 p.m.
📍 The Granger House Victorian Museum
Shop local vendors and discover one-of-a-kind gifts for the holidays.
🛍️ Cedar Rapids’ Largest Flea Market & Garage Sale
📍 Hawkeye Downs Speedway and Expo Center
Browse a variety of vendors and shop local favorites, including The Bread Lady and Bekah’s Bakery.
💼 Eastern Iowa Homeschool Youth Entrepreneur Fair
🕐 1–4 p.m.
📍 Cedar Hills Community Church
Shop student-run businesses featuring baked goods, art, jewelry, crafts, accessories, dog treats, and much more.
🎅 FAMILY, KIDS & ANIMALS
🐶 Petco Adoption Event
🕘 9 a.m.–12 p.m.
📍 Petco, Collins Road Square, Marion
Meet 5–10 adoptable dogs from Animal Welfare Friends. Approved adopters can complete on-the-spot adoptions.
🎅 Pictures with Santa Paws
🕛 12–3 p.m.
📍 K9Acres Off-Leash Dog Park | 💲 Free
Bring your pup for a holiday photo with Santa Paws! Treats and festive fun are included. Donations supporting Cedar Rapids off-leash dog parks are appreciated.
🚗 Car Seat Check Event
🕚 11 a.m.–3 p.m.
📍 Cedar Rapids Fire Department
Have your child's car seat checked by professionals. Appointments are required. Sign up here.
🌿 HEALTH, WELLNESS & NATURE
🌾 Saving Seeds for Tomorrow
🕙 10–11 a.m.
📍 Sugar Grove Farm, Indian Creek Nature Center, Marion | 💲 $5/person; members receive $2 off
Help harvest native prairie seeds to support the health of local landscapes. All ages welcome; preregistration required.
🧘 Sound-Infused Nidra with EBY
🕦 11:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m.
📍 The Studio on Third | 💲 $20 cash/check
Enjoy a guided yogic relaxation experience accompanied by the healing sounds and vibrations of singing bowls. No experience needed; class limited to 10.
🧵 Mending Café
🕙 10–11:30 a.m.
📍 St. Paul's United Methodist Church, Annex
Bring clothing or other items that need simple repairs. Experienced menders will provide sewing machines and help with patches, buttons, hems, and more.
🧠 Iowa Seizure Smart Conference
🕘 9 a.m.–3:30 p.m.
📍 Hilton Garden Inn Cedar Rapids; virtual attendance available
Learn from epilepsy experts, connect with others, and explore resources and education about seizures and epilepsy. Nursing continuing education credits are available at no cost for in-person attendees. Register here.
📚 LIBRARY, WRITING & COMMUNITY
🎄 Holiday Decor Pass-Along Drop-Off Hours
🕘 9 a.m.–3 p.m.
📍 Marion Public Library
Drop off gently used, functional holiday decorations for the library's free community pass-along on Sunday.
📖 Free First Saturday for Students
🕤 9:30 a.m.–4 p.m.
📍 National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library | 💲 Free for students
Students from preschool through college can explore the museum's exhibits for free. College students must bring a current school ID.
🗣️ English Practice Conversation Group
🕛 12–1:30 p.m.
📍 Busse Library
A welcoming, relaxed space for adults to practice speaking English, build confidence, and connect through guided conversations.
✍️ Creative Writing Class: Memories into Memoir with Deane Watters
🕙 10 a.m.–12:30 p.m.
📍 Tree of Liminality
Explore your memories through writing prompts and shared stories. No writing experience necessary.
📚 Author Talk: Jason Bell
🕜 1:30–2:30 p.m.
📍 Marion Public Library
Meet the author of Cracking the Nazi Code and Operation Sparrow for a conversation about World War II history and spycraft. RSVPs are recommended.
🎨 Artist Forum
🕑 2–5 p.m.
📍 DKW Art Gallery and Studios
Artists of all ages, mediums, and skill levels are invited to gather, share ideas, work on projects, and connect. No membership or fees.
🎨 ARTS, CRAFTS & MUSEUMS
🖼️ Free First Saturdays at the African American Museum of Iowa
🕙 10 a.m.–4 p.m.
📍 African American Museum of Iowa | 💲 Free
Enjoy free admission on the first Saturday of each month, thanks to sponsor Ohward Bank & Trust.
🧵 The Art of Astrid Hilger Bennett: Making Her Mark
🕙 10 a.m.–4 p.m.
📍 Cedar Rapids Museum of Art — Grant Wood Studio
Explore a lifetime of fiber art by Iowa City artist Astrid Hilger Bennett, featuring hand-painted and monoprinted fabrics inspired by the natural world.
🧶 Threading the Needle: Fiber Art in Iowa
🕙 10 a.m.–4 p.m.
📍 Cedar Rapids Museum of Art — Grant Wood Studio
An all-Iowa juried exhibition showcasing the variety, creativity, and technical skill of artists working in fiber and textile arts.
🧤 Glass Mitten Ornament Workshop
🕥 10:30 a.m.–12 p.m.
📍 Iowa Ceramics Center and Glass Studio | 💲 $35/person
Create a personalized glass mitten ornament using colorful glass pieces and decorative accents. A holiday tradition for families and friends. Preregistration required.
🧤 Glass Mitten Ornament Workshop
🕐 1–2:30 p.m.
📍 Iowa Ceramics Center and Glass Studio | 💲 $35/person
A second opportunity to create a one-of-a-kind glass mitten ornament. No experience necessary; preregistration required.
🌽 Cornucopia Clay Workshop
🕐 1–2:30 p.m.
📍 Iowa Ceramics Center and Glass Studio | 💲 $20/person
Create a Thanksgiving cornucopia using pinch-pot techniques, textures, and ceramic glazes. Ages 5–7 must attend with a paying adult who is also registered. Preregistration required.
🍲 FOOD & COMMUNITY
🌶️ Kenwood Park Neighborhood Association Annual Chili and Soup Supper
🕓 4–6 p.m.
📍 Kenwood Park United Methodist Church | 💲 $5 adults; $3 children ages 6–12; ages 5 and under free
Enjoy chili, butternut squash soup, vegetables, desserts, and drinks. Carryout available. Bring an old U.S. flag to exchange for a new one, and consider donating hats and gloves for Kenwood Leadership Academy. Proceeds support neighborhood events and improvements.
🌶️ Miss Cornfed Chili Cook-Off: A Benefit
🕕 Begins at 6 p.m.
📍 Basix | 💲 $10 to eat and judge; $15 to compete
Enjoy a chili cook-off featuring up to 10 cooks, followed by a drag show at 10 p.m. Proceeds and tips support Ulani and Cindy L. Jenkins on their road to National Comedy Queen in Orlando.
🎗️ 2026 Cedar Rapids Promise Gala
🕔 Begins at 5 p.m.
📍 DoubleTree by Hilton Cedar Rapids Convention Complex
An evening benefiting Breakthrough T1D, featuring silent and live auctions, dinner, drinks, entertainment, and fundraising to advance type 1 diabetes research and support.
🎶 MUSIC, COMEDY & ENTERTAINMENT
🎹 The Opus Blues Review
🕖 7 p.m.
📍 Opus Concert Café
Enjoy an evening of stories and live music with Dan Johnson and Eric Douglas.
✨ Justin Willman: One for the Ages Tour
🕖 7–10 p.m.
📍 Paramount Theatre
The star of Netflix's Magic for Humans brings an interactive, laugh-filled evening of magic and comedy for all ages.
🎸 Free Fallin’ — A Tom Petty Tribute
🕢 7:30–10:30 p.m.
📍 The Olympic South Side Theater | 💲 $30 plus fees
Celebrate the music of Tom Petty with favorites including “American Girl,” “Refugee,” “Learning to Fly,” and “Free Fallin’.” Doors open at 6:30 p.m.; all ages welcome.
🎭 Legally Blonde: The Musical
🕢 7:30–10 p.m.
📍 George Washington High School
Follow Elle Woods as she heads to Harvard Law and discovers her own potential.
🎭 Pippin — Kirkwood’s Fall Musical
🕢 7:30–9:30 p.m.
📍 Ballantyne Auditorium, Kirkwood Community College
Follow young prince Pippin on his search for an extraordinary life. This performance includes American Sign Language interpretation. All are welcome.
🔭 Cedar Amateur Astronomers Public Night
🕢 7:30–10 p.m.
📍 Eastern Iowa Observatory and Learning Center
Learn about the Voyager spacecraft, their discoveries, and their ongoing journey through interstellar space.
😂 Funniest Person in Iowa Contest 2026
🕗 8–10 p.m.
📍 Ideal Theater & Bar | Ages 18+
Fifteen Iowa comics compete in a one-night, sudden-death comedy showdown. Doors open at 7 p.m.
🎸 Bleedchain, Saintsix & Far From Nowhere
🕗 8 p.m.
📍 Otis’ Tailgators Sports Bar | 💲 No cover
Catch three bands for a night of live music.
🎳 Spare Time After Dark
🕙 10 p.m.–12 a.m.
📍 Spare Time Cedar Rapids | 💲 $15.99/person
Two hours of unlimited bowling, shoe rental, music, and a light show.
📅 SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 8
🌦️ FORECAST
Mostly sunny with a high of 59° and a low of 38°.
⭐ TOP SUNDAY HIGHLIGHTS
📚 Friends of the Library Big Fall Book Sale
🦅 Meeting Live Raptors
🐾 Meet Our Animals at Indian Creek Nature Center
🎄 Holiday Decor Pass-Along
🎨 Cork N Canvas: Three Pumpkins
🌱 Terrarium Workshop
🎶 Fall Concert Band Concert
📖 Cedar Rapids Coffee & Chapter Crawl
🎲 Sunday Bingo at NewBo City Market
🧠 Compass Class: Early Dementia Diagnosis
🌿 NATURE & ANIMALS
🦅 Meeting Live Raptors
🕛 12–12:45 p.m.
📍 Indian Creek Nature Center | 💲 Free
Meet non-releasable raptors up close with Raptology and learn how to help protect these amazing birds. The program includes time for questions.
🐾 Meet Our Animals
🕐 1–2:30 p.m.
📍 Indian Creek Nature Center | 💲 $2/person
Get up close with some of the nature center's resident animals. Drop in at your convenience; registration is optional.
📚 COMMUNITY, BOOKS & LEARNING
🧠 Compass Class: Early Dementia Diagnosis
🕥 10:20–11:20 a.m.
📍 St. Paul's United Methodist Church, Room 117
Hear April Neuendorf share her journey with early dementia and discuss breaking the stigma surrounding the diagnosis. All are welcome.
📚 Friends of the Library Big Fall Book Sale
🕐 1–5 p.m.
📍 Cedar Rapids Public Library
Shop new and gently used books for all ages and interests. Proceeds benefit the Friends and their support of the library and literacy efforts.
📷 Linn Area Photo Club
🕜 1:30–4 p.m.
📍 IBEW Local 405
A community for photographers of all experience levels, featuring monthly meetings, speakers, and programs. First two meetings are free to visitors; annual membership is $25.
☕📖 Cedar Rapids Coffee & Chapter Crawl
🕘 All day; continues through Sunday
📍 Six local stops around Cedar Rapids
Combine coffee, books, and shopping local! Visit participating coffee shops, bookstores, and community spaces, grab a drink or treat, and read a chapter at each stop. Participating locations include Craft’d, Feedwell Kitchen & Bakery, Groundswell Cafe, HEA Book Boutique, Horizons Cafe, and I’ll Meet You There. The weekend wraps up with Cedar Rapids Silent Book Club at 2 p.m. Sunday at Craft’d. Preorder a commemorative mug, with proceeds benefiting the Cedar Rapids Public Library Foundation.
🎄 HOLIDAY EVENTS
🎄 Holiday Decor Pass-Along
🕑 2–4 p.m.
📍 Marion Public Library
Shop for gently used holiday decorations at this free community pass-along. Donations must be dropped off Saturday, November 7; no day-of donations will be accepted.
🎨 ARTS, CRAFTS & WORKSHOPS
🎨 Cork N Canvas: Mercury — Three Pumpkins #1
🕑 2–4 p.m.
📍 Mercury Diner & Drinks, 1201 3rd St. SE, Cedar Rapids | 💲 $35/person | Ages 18+
Paint a festive 16-by-20-inch pumpkin canvas. Supplies are included; food and drinks are available for purchase. Arrive at 1:30 p.m. to check in.
🌱 Terrarium Workshop
🕑 2 p.m.
📍 Moss: Plants, Gifts, Decor | 💲 $55 or $75, depending on vessel
Learn how to build a closed tropical terrarium and care for your new garden under glass. Sign up here.
🎶 MUSIC & ENTERTAINMENT
🎶 Fall Concert Band Concert
🕑 2 p.m.
📍 Sinclair Auditorium, Coe College
Enjoy the Fall Concert Band Concert in person or watch the livestream.
🎲 Sunday Bingo at NewBo City Market
🕛 12–1:30 p.m.
📍 NewBo City Market | 💲 Free
Play bingo, enjoy the fun, and win prizes! Cards are provided. Sponsored by Collins Aerospace.
Special Thanks
A big shoutout to our sponsor: Cedar Rapids Bank and Trust.
With five convenient locations across the greater Cedar Rapids area and yes, the best cookies on the planet, Cedar Rapids Bank & Trust is a place where relationships and service truly matter. From personal to business banking, CRBT is here to support you every step of the way. Come meet the People you can bank on at crbt.bank. Member FDIC
Thank you for being part of the Cedar Rapids Daily community. We can’t wait to see you at these events! Until next time, stay curious and keep exploring.
Warm regards,
The Cedar Rapids Daily Team
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