Free events in Iowa City, IA

A community soup luncheon supports National Hunger & Homelessness Awareness Week and Shelter House. There is no admission fee, and free-will donations of socks will be accepted to help keep individuals sheltered and warm during winter.

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CRUSH Recovery Community Center is partnering with ASAC to offer free Narcan training to the community. Participants can learn to recognize the signs of an opioid overdose, administer Narcan, and respond in an emergency. No medical background is needed.

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Enjoy a storytime with Claudia McGehee as she reads from “Counting Winter” and leads a craft. Children can color a fox, ox, or husky dog mask to take home. This storytime takes the place of the regularly scheduled storytime.

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Stop by for a free blood pressure screening, with no appointment needed. Explore heart health resources and learn about managing your blood pressure while taking time to care for your heart health.

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Enjoy a free-to-play trivia night featuring a variety of categories. Teams can have up to eight people, and prizes include house cash. The event is open to all ages.

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Enjoy free DJ Trivia at Bushwood Sports Bar & Grill in Cedar Rapids.

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Enjoy a free comedy open mic show at Old Neighborhood Pub.

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1 Million Cups Cedar Rapids’ Global Entrepreneurship Week celebration features Gift Udoh, founder and CEO of Norina Farms, an agricultural safety professional, researcher, and social entrepreneur. She has trained more than 6,000 rural agricultural workers in pesticide risk management and safety. Gift will share her path from addressing food scarcity in Africa to developing evidence-based safety interventions in Iowa, and discuss how entrepreneurship and public health research can help protect farmworkers, support agricultural communities, and advance lasting change. The gathering also offers coffee, conversation, networking, and a community Q&A focused on sharing ideas and feedback.

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Enjoy a full-body workout led by Danielle, a Certified Barre instructor with experience teaching more than 400 classes. The hybrid class combines barre-inspired movements with yoga, Pilates, strength training, and stretching, with modifications offered throughout for all fitness levels. Bring a yoga or exercise mat and a water bottle, and optional light hand weights of 2–5 pounds for an added challenge. Grip socks are optional for extra stability. The class is free and open to the community, with no sign-up required. Donations are welcome at the pop-up, and attendees can shop the Market and support local vendors afterward.

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Community Day at the Eastern Iowa Diaper Bank provides 50 free diapers, from newborn through size 5, to each family with children ages 0 to 4. The program is for community members who are not already receiving diapers through the Diaper Bank’s partner agencies, including YPN, Eastern Iowa Health Center, and HACAP/WIC. Families remain in their vehicles while staff assist them.

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Trade nights bring collectors together for an evening of trading trading card game and sports cards, with free food and giveaways.

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This informal gathering offers space to talk and ask questions about death, dying, mortality, consciousness, and whatever else the subject brings up. Everyone is welcome, and attendance is free. Snacks and tea will be provided. Hailey Dixon, a death doula, hospice volunteer, researcher, artist, and graduate student in Death, Religion, and Culture Studies, will be there for conversation.

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Enjoy a classic-style bingo night with free play, prizes, and a $100 cash blackout round at Tailgators Sports Bar in Coralville.

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Enjoy a free, beginner-level chair yoga class with Tammy Bayer, who can adapt the practice to participants’ needs and mobility levels. Using a chair for support, the class includes seated and occasional standing postures, making yoga accessible for people who are new to it, have physical limitations, or find other classes challenging. No experience is necessary. The class takes place in a second-level meeting room, accessible by elevator or stairs. Registration is voluntary.

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Clear Creek Village is offering complimentary Thanksgiving pie pickup, with apple, pumpkin, and pecan pies available to enjoy with family. Pickup will take place outdoors in the parking lot or inside the conference room, depending on the weather.

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Two documentaries centered on adoptee voices and international adoption will be screened in Meeting Room A. The screening is free and open to the public.

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CRMA offers gallery tours designed for people living with dementia and their care partners. Docents trained and certified as Friends of Dementia lead these slower-paced tours using clear, simple language. Smaller groups and opportunities to share personal experiences and connections to the artwork help shape the experience. Admission is free for individuals living with dementia and their care partners.

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Celebrate the season in downtown Iowa City with Friday festivities in the Ped Mall, including trolley rides, carols, late-night shopping, family activities, pop-up shops, and free programming. Each week features different seasonal activities, such as hot cocoa, gift tag decorating, Nutcracker performances, a golden Nutcracker hunt, arts and crafts, holiday card making, letters to Santa, a gingerbread house competition, and festive food and drink offerings.

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Celebrate local artist Kimberlee Rocca and the opening of her solo exhibit, “Forging Joy,” at a free gallery reception open to the public. Cocktails and mocktails will be available, and guests are welcome to dress up or come as they are.

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Enjoy a free live music performance by Iowa City-based guitarist and singer Ingrid Streitz. Her set features pop and country favorites by artists including Taylor Swift, Jason Mraz, Bob Dylan, and The Chicks, along with familiar classics that audiences can sing along to.

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Learn about growing mushrooms at home with presentations on mushroom cultivation by Michael Mahoney from Rot’s Bounty and Todd Fackler from Prairie States Mushroom Club. The free program is open to the public, and registered participants will receive a grow bag to start cultivating mushrooms at home.

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The Rotary Club of West Liberty offers free winter coats and other available cold-weather clothing for children and adults. Sizes and quantities depend on available inventory.

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