Things to Do in Cedar Rapids This Week: October 21-25, 2026
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The parade ends. Your Saturday doesn't.
The Halloween parade rolls through NewBo from 6:30 to 7:45 Saturday. Then Davina and the Vagabonds take The Ideal at 8, just a few blocks away. There's your answer to the annual question of what happens after the last float.
The rest of the week has room to breathe: Ian Pope turns family life into Thursday stand-up, a community-made Día de los Muertos exhibition invites a slower stop, and Sunday gives antique hunters a whole hall to roam.
Pick a lane, then leave room for a second stop.
Three Things We’d Actually Leave the House For
Iowa Fall Festival
Friday, October 23 · 1–5:30 PM; Saturday–Sunday · 10 AM–5:30 PM · Bloomsbury Farm, Atkins · Farm Pass $17.95 online plus fee / $22.95 gate · Tickets
This is the last full Friday-through-Sunday run before the festival closes October 31. Take the pumpkin-patch route while you can; everyone 3 and older needs a pass.
Davina and the Vagabonds
Saturday, October 24 · Doors 7:30 PM / show 8 PM · The Ideal Theater & Bar · All ages · $25 advance / $30 day of show plus fees · Tickets
Davina Sowers leads a full-band 90-minute set that lets blues, swing, soul, and theatrical pop share the piano bench. It's the band's first Ideal visit and starts right after the parade, making the route from curb to club unusually easy.
Midwest Antique & Art Show
Sunday, October 25 · 9 AM–3 PM · Hawkeye Downs Expo Center, Cedar Rapids · Details
The former Collectors Eye show joins the Midwest Antique & Art Show, filling the aisles with folk art, Americana, textiles, pottery, and things you won't find twice. Make a slow Sunday of it; check the organizer for admission details.
The Main Event
Howl-O-Ween Full Moon Parade
Saturday, October 24 · 6:30–7:45 PM; family activities 4–6 PM · NewBo and Czech Village · Free · Parade details The annual Halloween parade sends monsters, moonlight, floats, and costumed neighbors through NewBo and Czech Village. Start early at NewBo City Market for family activities, then claim a curb for the 6:30 procession. No ticket, no complicated plan. Just pick your viewing spot, wear something with a little imagination, and decide where the night goes after the last float.
The Weeknight Move
Ian Pope
Thursday, October 22 · Doors 7 PM / show 8 PM · The Ideal Theater & Bar · 18+ · $17 advance / $22 day of show plus fees · Tickets
A stay-at-home dad with a dry eye for everyday absurdity turns family life and small annoyances into sharp, good-natured stand-up. His first night at The Ideal is a low-effort Thursday: one close room, one comic, and plenty to laugh about.
Plus One Thing You Might Miss...But Shouldn't Overlook
Día de los Muertos Art Exhibition
On view this week through November 8 · CSPS Hall, 1103 Third St. SE · Check gallery hours · Exhibition details
Community artists bring different hands and memories to CSPS's Día de los Muertos group show. It's a quiet counterpoint to Saturday's street spectacle and an easy detour nearby; check hours before you go.
Looking Ahead
Costumes now, Petty singalong next
October 31 and November 7 · The Ideal and The Olympic
On Halloween night, A Crazy Delicious Halloween Party takes over The Ideal. Doors open at 7 PM, and the costume contest has a $500 cash prize at 10:30; enter by 10.
Then mark Saturday, November 7 for FREE FALLIN' — A Tom Petty Tribute at The Olympic. Doors are 6:30 PM, and the show starts at 7:30. That's your next big chorus with friends.
Private Rentals & Weddings
Want the room for your own night?
The Ideal and The Olympic are both available for private rentals, weddings, receptions, celebrations, corporate gatherings, and the kinds of nights that deserve a room with a little presence.
If you’ve been waiting for the right excuse to gather people beautifully, this is it.
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