Iowa City Pride takes over downtown Saturday
IOWA CITY — Iowa’s second-best known Pride event takes place Saturday, when the Iowa City Pride Parade and Festival kicks off at noon downtown. The day offers two stages of entertainment and a vendor fair with scores of organizations and businesses, and a parade featuring both floats and walking groups. Studio 13, Iowa City’s only LGBTQ+ bar, will also offer entertainment during and after the festival, which is from noon to 8 p.m. Entertainment includes first-time festival appearances by heralded Cher impersonator Candi Stratton; renowned Alabama drag king Spikey Van Dikey; and bands Early Girl, Mopium, the Paul Lichty Orchestra, Crone Age Crush, and Tawnya Reynolds. Acts returning to the event include The Quire of Eastern Iowa; the Draglings youth drag performers from United Action for Youth; drag performers galore as part of the All-Star Show; the IC Kings drag king groupe; and Bawdy Bawdy Ha Ha burlesque. The festival and parade are free; you can find parking in the downtown area at several public parking garages. Find a parking map, schedule and more at the Iowa City Pride website.
Juneteenth in Keokuk continues tonight through Saturday
KEOKUK — Days of honoring Juneteenth in Iowa’s southernmost city, just across the river from both Illinois and Missouri, continue tonight with a parade, Friday with a soul food dinner, and Saturday with a 5K Freedom Run, fun fair all day, and free evening concert. Tonight’s parade starts at 6 p.m. in the Keosippi Center, 300 Main St. Friday night, a Junewteenth Soul Food Dinner is served 5 to 7:30 p.m. at the Labor Temple, 301 Blondeau St., with music by Double Trouble continuing until 9:30 p.m. Tickets are $25. You can sign up for Saturday morning’s 5K FreedomRun at Rand Park, 1401 Stripe St., for $20 online, or on-site at 8 a.m. The Keosippi Center will host celebratory events and kids’ activities throughout the day. Saturday night’s free concert by the Matt Roberts Blues Band is 6:30 p.m., also at Rand Park. Keokuk already held a Juneteenth kick-off concert Wednesday, and a talk by storyteller Angela Williams Thursday morning, with all events coordinated by the Keokuk Association for Rights and Equality (KARE).
'Drag cabaret' Saturday from Cirque Du Buque
DUBUQUE — Take in some “drag cabaret” at Dubuque’s The Goose Saturday, when Cirque Du Buque brings 10 performers to the stage for some scintillating performances. The night will feature Cirque’s signature“cartoonish, big, bold” cosplay-style of drag. Cirque Du Buque’s name is a play on the famed performance circus Cirque Du Soleil. Tickets are $15; the show is at 10 p.,m. at The Goose, 920 Main St.
