Events for Wednesday, September 23rd, 2026.
Hey there, Cedar Rapids! 🎉
There’s plenty happening around Eastern Iowa today! 🌿 Start your day with GeriFit, yoga, barre, community gardening, and gentle movement classes, then enjoy storytimes, MakerSpace activities, Mahjong, and chess. 📚🎨 Explore local art at the Coe College Alumni Exhibition, stop by the Groundswell open house, or shop the final farmers market at Old MacDonald’s Farm. Tonight brings United Invite, Trivia Mafia, The Thorn at the Paramount Theatre, and live rock from Earshot and Heartsick. 🎶🎭
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
Wednesday, September 23, 2026
🌤️ FORECAST
⛅ Partly cloudy with a high of 66° and a low of 52°. A comfortable fall day is ahead, so enjoy the sunshine and cooler temperatures!
☀️ WEDNESDAY HIGHLIGHTS
💪 GeriFit
🎀 Morning of Movement: Barre
🌳 Community Gardening
🏛️ Coe College Alumni Exhibition
🌟 Experience Groundswell: Open House
🌽 Farmers Market at Old MacDonald’s Farm
🤝 United Invite 2026
🧠 Weekly Free Trivia at NewBo City Market
🎸 Earshot with Special Guests Heartsick
🎭 The Thorn at the Paramount Theatre
🌿 HEALTH, WELLNESS & SUPPORT
💪 GeriFit
🕗 8–8:45 a.m. & 1–1:45 p.m.
📍 Ely Public Library | 💲 Free
A health and wellness class for adults 60 and older focused on improving strength, balance, flexibility, and mobility. Classes are held Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays.
🧘 Tai Chi for Older Adults
🕐 1–2 p.m.
📍 Cedar Rapids Public Library
Learn and practice gentle forms of Tai Chi during this 12-week series with Bryan Bruner of Heritage Area Agency on Aging. Skills build from the first session to the last.
☕ Memory Cafe
🕑 2–4 p.m.
📍 DeWolf Family Innovation Center for Aging & Dementia
A welcoming gathering for individuals living with dementia and their care partners. Enjoy discussions, education, activities, and the opportunity to connect with others who understand.
🌿 Qigong
🕠 5:30–6:30 p.m.
📍 Cherry Building
Explore this gentle, accessible practice combining movement, breath, and focused awareness. Qigong is designed to encourage balance, relaxation, and a greater sense of well-being.
👥 Evening Caregiver Coffee
🕕 6–7:30 p.m.
📍 DeWolf Family Innovation Center for Aging & Dementia
A monthly support group for caregivers to share stories, learn caregiving tips, and connect with others. Available in person or via Zoom. No registration required.
🧘 Yoga Flow
🕤 9:30–10:30 a.m.
📍 Illuminations Cedar Rapids
Practice a dynamic style of yoga that connects movement with breath. All experience levels are welcome.
🌸 Community Gardening
🕘 9–11 a.m.
📍 Shakespeare Garden at Ellis Park
Join Friends of Shakespeare Garden every Wednesday through September 30 for gardening and community. Bring your gardening tools and help care for this beautiful local space.
🎀 Morning of Movement: Barre
🕘 9–10 a.m.
📍 NewBo City Market | 💲 Free; optional instructor donation
Partner with Golden Hour Barre for an energizing workout featuring controlled movements, isometric holds, strength, balance, and flexibility. New participants are encouraged to arrive 15 minutes early.
📚 LIBRARIES, LEARNING & EDUCATION
🗳️ Voter Registration Week
🕘 9 a.m.–7 p.m.
📍 Ely Public Library
Stop by the library to register or re-register to vote and learn more about the voting process ahead of the November election.
👶 Baby & Toddler Story Time at the Downtown Library
🕤 9:30–10:30 a.m.
📍 Cedar Rapids Public Library
A 15-minute story and song program for newborns through age three, followed by 45 minutes of playtime. The program supports early literacy through rhymes, rhythm, repetition, stories, and movement.
🛠️ MakerSpace Open Hours
🕚 11 a.m.–1 p.m.
📍 Marion Public Library | 💲 Free
Explore the library’s MakerSpace, including 3D printers, Cricut machines, a sublimation printer, heat presses, and more. Open to patrons of all ages. Those under 18 must be accompanied by a parent or caregiver.
♟️ Cedar Rapids Chess Club
🕠 5:30–7:30 p.m.
📍 Cedar Rapids Public Library | 💲 Free
Learn chess, improve your skills, or teach others at this all-ages chess club. Visit chessiniowa.org for more information.
🎲 Game Master Workshop
🕕 6–7 p.m.
📍 Busse Library
Learn the basics of being a Game Master for tabletop role-playing games, including exploration, social interaction, and combat. Designed for people new to Game Mastering who already have tabletop gaming experience.
🌳 Linn County Master Gardeners’ Fall Library Talk
🕡 6:30–7:30 p.m.
📍 Hiawatha Public Library
Discover ways to bring nature and the feeling of a garden indoors during the fall and winter seasons.
🐕 Therapy Dog Storytime
🕡 6:30–7:30 p.m.
📍 Marion Public Library | 💲 Free
Young readers can practice literacy skills by reading to trained therapy dogs. Stay for tricks from the dogs at 7 p.m. Everyone is welcome.
🌳 Genealogy Junkies
🕕 6–7:30 p.m.
📍 Marion Public Library
Connect with others interested in genealogy, research family history, and share resources. Hosted in partnership with the Genealogical Society of Linn County. Bring a laptop or tablet, or use one of the library’s available devices.
🧠 Mahjong
🕑 2–4 p.m.
📍 Hiawatha Public Library | 💲 Free
Join others for open play of American mahjong.
✏️ Tween & Teen Crafternoons with the MakerSpace
🕒 3–4 p.m.
📍 Marion Public Library | 💲 Free
Tweens and teens can explore creativity through a MakerSpace-associated craft during this updated Crafternoons program.
🎨 ARTS, CULTURE & COMMUNITY
🏛️ Coe College Alumni Exhibition
🕓 4–6 p.m.
📍 Coe College, Sinclair Auditorium
Celebrate the arts during Coe College’s 175th anniversary with an exhibition featuring 23 artists from the classes of 1964 through 2022. The exhibition runs September 11–October 14, with gallery hours Wednesday–Sunday from 4–6 p.m.
🌟 Experience Groundswell: Open House
🕓 4–6 p.m.
📍 Groundswell
Explore Groundswell’s event spaces, sample catering options, meet the team, and enjoy a drink from the cash bar. Learn how hosting your next meeting, celebration, or gathering at Groundswell supports Matthew 25’s work in the community.
🌽 Farmers Market at Old MacDonald’s Farm
🕓 4–6 p.m.
📍 Old MacDonald’s Farm
Shop local vendors offering fresh fruits and vegetables, meats, and handmade crafts. The market runs Wednesdays through September 23.
🤝 United Invite 2026
🕔 5–8 p.m.
📍 NewBo City Market Lawn | 💲 Free
A free event for students in grades 6–12 from churches, youth groups, and denominations across the area. Enjoy food trucks, outdoor games, a free “Jesus Loves You” T-shirt, worship, and a Gospel-centered message.
5–6:30 p.m.: Food trucks, games, and hangout
6:30–8 p.m.: Worship service, Gospel message, and T-shirt distribution
🎓 Linn-Mar Homecoming Parade
🕠 5:15 p.m.
📍 Linn-Mar High School
A Linn-Mar tradition featuring a parade theme selected by the Scouts. Get ready to celebrate and collect plenty of candy!
🎤 ENTERTAINMENT & LIVE MUSIC
🎸 Earshot with Special Guests Heartsick
🕗 8–11 p.m. (Doors at 7 p.m.)
📍 The Olympic South Side Theater, 1202 3rd St. SE, Suite 200, Cedar Rapids | 💲 $25 + fees
Los Angeles rock veterans Earshot make their first Eastern Iowa appearance, joined by Midwest heavyweights Heartsick for an evening of modern rock and alternative metal. All ages are welcome.
🎭 The Thorn at the Paramount Theatre
🕖 7–10 p.m.
📍 Paramount Theatre | 💲 $57.65
Experience The Thorn, a theatrical production bringing the story of Jesus to life through drama, music, dance, martial arts, aerial acrobatics, and visual storytelling. The September 23 performance is part of the production’s 2026 run.
🧠 TRIVIA, GAMES & RECREATION
🧠 Weekly Free Trivia at NewBo City Market
🕕 6–8 p.m.
📍 NewBo City Market, 1100 3rd Street SE, Cedar Rapids | 💲 Free
Test your knowledge and compete for prizes during Wednesday night Trivia Mafia. The event is sponsored by Collins Aerospace. No outside food or beverages are allowed.
🎮 Half Off Wednesdays
🕚 11 a.m.–11 p.m.
📍 Spare Time Cedar Rapids
Enjoy 50% off Game Zone games, open bowling, and laser tag all day long on Wednesdays. Some exclusions apply.
🃏 Modern Wednesdays
🕕 6–10 p.m.
📍 First Turn Games
Join the weekly Modern gaming event at First Turn Games on Wednesday evenings.
💼 BUSINESS & NETWORKING
💡 Quarterly Entrepreneur Luncheon
🕚 11 a.m.–12:30 p.m.
📍 African American Museum of Iowa | 💲 Free lunch; RSVP required
Featuring Tara Allen, Coordinator of the Marketing Management program at Kirkwood Community College, with a presentation titled “IMAGINE...Smarter AI Prompting for a Smarter Business.”
Learn practical strategies for using AI to support customer insights, branding, content creation, research, and business strategy. Space is limited, so an RSVP is required.
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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