Clear Lake's premiere festival includes a midway, amusement
rides, bingo, huge open-air vendor market by the lake, live
music nightly in the bandshell, a traditional Independence
Day parade down Main Avenue, and the biggest and best
fireworks display in the area over the lake on the 4th!
Special entertainment:
FRIDAY, JUNE 29
5p - Evans United Shows Carnival opens
5-9p - Arts & Craft Fair open
7p - Live Music TBA
SATURDAY, JUNE 30
10a-9p - Arts & Craft Fair
12p - Evans United Shows Carnival Opens (Wrist Band Day - $17 12-5p)
- BINGO tent opens
7p - Live Music TBA
SUNDAY, JULY 1 Family Fun Day
11a-5p - Arts & Craft Fair
12p - Evans United Shows Carnival Opens
- BINGO tent opens
Family Fun Day Events (sponsored by CL Tel/CL Vision & Woodford Lumber & Home)
- 1p - Family Feud Game Show
- 3p - Family Fun Time Games
7p - Live Music TBA
MONDAY, JULY 2
10a-9p - Arts & Craft Fair
12p - Evans United Shows Carnival Opens (Wrist Band Day - $17 12-5p)
- BINGO tent opens
7p - Live Music TBA
TUESDAY, JULY 3
10a-9p - Arts & Craft Fair
12p - Evans United Shows Carnival Opens
- BINGO tent opens
7p - Live Music TBA
WEDNESDAY, JULY 4
10a - Parade
11a-9p - Arts & Craft Fair
12p - Evans United Shows Carnival Opens
- BINGO tent opens
1:30-3:30p - Denny's School of Dance
8:30-10p - Clear Lake Municipal Band
10p - Fireworks over Clear Lake (Musical Tribute on 106.1FM, AM1490, & AM1300)
8 BICYCLE, BLUES, & BBQ FESTIVAL More than just a bike race,
bicyclists of all ages and abilities are invited to combine their
love of bicycling with this annual weekend event that also
includes great food and blues concerts. The fun begins Friday
night at 5:30pm with free blues music in City Park, a variety of
cycling related vendors and delicious barbeque. The competitive
time trial and Criterium Bicycle Races will be held downtown on
Saturday alongside the BBQ vendors opening up for lunch, with
at 10 a.m. near Tourist Park. Event proceeds support area bike trail
clearlakeiowa.com
development and improvements, bike safety training and other
cycling-related amenities. Check out details on the Brews on the
Beach craft brew festival! bicyclebluesbbq.com
7 BREWS ON THE BEACH The third annual event will be held
along the shores of Clear Lake and feature 20-plus Iowa craft
breweries with their finest brews. Held in conjunction with the
annual Bicycle, Blues, & BBQ Festival, it is co-hosted by Lake Time
Brewery. VIP ticket holders gain access to the event at noon and
general admission ticket holders get in at 1 p.m. to taste beer
until 4 p.m.
8 HOMEMADE ICE CREAM DAY Enjoy desserts and
demonstrations at Kinney Pioneer Museum.
13-15
Central Gardens of North Iowa and the Clear Lake Arts Center
Ceremonial Garden will provide a stunning setting for this outdoor
performance. Picnicking before the performance is encouraged.
Reminiscent of outdoor theater at the turn of the 20th century,
guests are encouraged to bring their own blankets and lawn
chairs. centralgardensnorthiowa.com
15 LIONS CHICKEN BBQ Annual Noon Lions Chicken BBQ & Lioness
Pie Fundraiser, serving from 10am until sold out. Meal includes
half a grilled secret-recipe chicken, cole slaw, baked beans, roll,
and beverage.
20 CHAMBER GOLF FUNDRAISER clearlakeiowa.com
20 NORTH IOWA BAND CAMP More than 80 middle school
students from throughout Iowa perform at the Clear Lake
Bandshell at 6:30pm
20 Recreating
every crowd, playing the songs you know and love from all eras of
21 ANTIQUE & WOODEN BOAT SHOW Wooden, aluminum &
fiberglass boats built from the 1920’s-1960’s will be displayed on
land and in the water downtown at the Seawall by City Park.
28 ART SAIL Clear Lake Arts Center’s Art Sail features 75+ juried
artists showcasing and selling their art in beautiful city park
located next to the lake. clartscenter.com
28-29 LAKESIDE DIXIEFEST The 24th annual music festival
features toe-tapping traditional Dixieland Jazz bands performing
free outdoor festival concerts on Saturday evening 6-9pm, and on
Sunday at the City Park Bandshell.
28 PADDLEFEST CLEAR LAKE The best way to experience Clear
Lake is from the lake. Grab your paddle and join the fun for our
inaugural Paddlefest event! Explore the shores on your kayak,
canoe, or SUP on either our 10k or 5k course. Bring the kids along
too for the 1 mi youth course. paddleguru.com.
28 IOWA STORYTELLING FESTIVAL The Clear Lake Public Library’s
Storytelling Festival offers free performances by the Midwest’s
finest storytellers performing for a multigenerational audience in
29 LIONS HAMBURGER & SWEET CORN FEED The Clear Lake
Evening Lions hold their annual dinner in Clear Lake City Park from
11am-2pm (or until sold out). Meal includes a hamburger, Iowa
sweet corn, cookies, and a drink. Tickets are available from any CL
Evening Lion or at the Clear Lake Area Chamber of Commerce.
august
3 CLASS CAR SHOW & SUMMER DANCE CRUISE The Clear Lake
Auto Social Society’s Annual Event kicks off Friday night with a Car
Cruise around Clear Lake, with a concert to follow. On Saturday,
the Car Show is held downtown around City Park. For details and
registration visit classcarclub.com.
3-5 INTER-LAKE REGATTA E,C,MC and X class scows competing
in the 126th Inter-lake Regatta. This event is held in Clear Lake
every 4th year with boats from Lake Minnetonka ,White Bear, Lake
Harriet, Lake Calhoun and Upper Minnetonka in Minnesota and
from Lake Okoboji in Iowa.
5 KIDS DAY Outdoor games, old fashioned activities, magic show,
demos, and more at Kinney Pioneer Museum.
18 ANYTHING GOES POKER RUN Organized by the Clear Lake
24-25 11TH ANNUAL IOWA INDEPENDENT FILM FESTIVAL
This respected festival began in 2007 and has progressed
each year to become an Iowa destination event. Last year the
Iowa Independent Film Festival chose 29 films from over 100
submissions, representing the United States and six other
countries. This year one of our principal venues will be the historic
Lake Theatre in Clear Lake. There will also be an outdoor feature
event at City Park for everyone to enjoy. Plan to experience this
memory-making weekend of authentic independent films. Visit
us online at iifilmfestival.org.
september
1-2 ISLAND FEVER SHOWCASE The Isle of Iowa Parrot Head
Club in partnership with the Surf Ballroom will bring some of
the biggest names in Trop Rock to this legendary stage for
islandfeverphlocking.com.
2 ANTIQUES IN THE SQUARE 26th Annual Event featuring
more than 60 antique dealers selling primitives, pottery, glass,
furniture, collectibles, and more! Held rain or shine in historic City
Park. Free admission.
28-30 ARTIST STUDIO TOUR The self guided North Iowa Studio
Tour gives you the opportunity to visit a variety of artists in their
studios. Watch demonstrations, visit with artists, and purchase
30 KINNEY PIONEER END OF SUMMER PARTY Closing out
their 50th Anniversary year, join Kinney Pioneer Museum for
homemade cider made on their century-old press, donuts, &
apple butter made over an open fire.
october
5 HAUNTED HIKE AT D&D RANCH Conveniently located off
Interstate 35 in Clear Lake, Iowa, The D and D Ranch Haunted Hike
has been handing out terrorizing fun for all ages for the past 2