Things to Do in Cedar Rapids This Week: September 23-27, 2026
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Which night gets the plan?
A twenty-year rock reunion owns Wednesday, comedy makes Thursday easy, and the weekend opens into classic rock, AsianFest, vintage hunting, and a dance floor built for bass.
Three Things We’d Actually Leave the House For
Jefferson Starship: The Runaway Again Tour
Friday, September 25 · 7 PM · McGrath Amphitheatre
Fifty years in, Jefferson Starship still has “Miracles” and “Jane” in the chamber. Pure Prairie League, Firefall, and Atlanta Rhythm Section turn the stop into a four-band trip through classic rock’s deepest catalog.
AsianFest 2026: Story of US
Saturday, September 26 · Noon–9 PM · NewBo City Market · Free
More than 50 vendors, a fashion show, lion dance, martial arts, food, and live performances give Iowa Asian Alliance’s 12th annual celebration enough depth for a quick stop or a full afternoon.
Vintage Market Days: An American Story
Friday–Sunday, September 25–27 · Hawkeye Downs Expo Center
Antiques, handmade goods, boutique clothing, live music, and food trucks fill the Expo Center for three days. Go early if you want first crack at the strange, specific thing nobody else knew they needed.
The Main Event
Earshot comes back after twenty years
Wednesday, September 23 · 8 PM · The Olympic South Side Theater Earshot hasn’t played Cedar Rapids in more than two decades. The band behind “Get Away” and “Wait” returning to The Olympic is the kind of booking that can define a week without waiting for Friday. Heartsick and SaintSix round out a bill built for anyone who remembers those songs the first time—and anyone curious what a genuine homecoming still sounds like.
The Weeknight Move
Final Thursdays Comedy
Thursday, September 24 · Shows at 6:30 & 8:30 PM · The Ideal Theater & Bar · 18+
Corey Chestnut and Lucky Cat Comedy bring a rotating lineup into a 100-seat room where every joke has to land. It’s close, low-friction, and exactly the kind of Thursday plan that doesn’t need a famous name.
Plus One Thing You Might Miss...But Shouldn't Overlook
EDM Night
Friday, September 25 · Doors 9 PM · The Ideal Theater & Bar · 21+
The Ideal’s 1914 theater becomes a dance floor for house, bass, and techno: no screens, the sound system pushed hard, and a room small enough that everyone ends up moving together.
Looking Ahead
Blood Brothers at The Olympic
Friday, October 2 · The Olympic South Side Theater
Two 2026 Blues Music Award winners share the stage for an intimate, back-and-forth set built on real chemistry. Cider Stroll follows October 9, with Recycle Gala at The Olympic on October 15.
The Ideal’s 2026 Sweepstakes
THE BUDGET CUTS SHOULDN'T CUT OUT RECOGNITION.
When people are doing more with less, the moment that says “we see you” matters more—not less.
Nominate a company. If that company is selected, it wins a private party at The Ideal—and you win a separate private party of the same value for yourself.
Two winners. Two private parties. $3,000–$6,000+ in value—each. Enter by October 1, 2026.
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