4 things to do this weekend in Iowa City, including a Rush tribute band concert

Paris Barraza, Iowa City Press-Citizen
·4 min read

It’s not a bad weekend for country and rock fans in Iowa City to hear some of their favorite music without having to drive elsewhere.

This weekend, check out country covers by an all-Iowan band or catch an experienced Rush cover band perform the legendary Canadian band’s hits.

Meanwhile, the indoor Johnson Co Market returns for shoppers looking to get their hands on locally made and sourced goods.

Here four things to do this weekend in Iowa City.

The Rush Tribute Project at the Englert Theatre

The Rush Tribute Project performing at a concert in 2022. The band will perform at the Englert Theatre in Iowa City on Jan. 14.
The Rush Tribute Project performing at a concert in 2022. The band will perform at the Englert Theatre in Iowa City on Jan. 14.

Entering the scene in the late 1960s was the band Rush, soon to grow a devoted following for a career that spans decades.

The Canadian progressive rock band’s enduring legacy will be captured on Saturday night at the Englert Theatre with a performance from The Rush Tribute Project.

The tribute band covers all of Rush’s 40-plus years of discography, according to the band’s agency SRO Artists. It’s made up of Sean Jones, Bill Heck and Thomas Slawnik, who has been with the band since its start in 2013.

Rush, comprised of Alex Lifeson, Geddy Lee and the late Neil Peart — who joined the band a few years after it formed — topped charts with songs like “Subdivisions,” “The Spirit of Radio” and “Limelight.” One of the band’s more enduring songs, “Tom Sawyer,” wasn’t a chart topper upon its release though, according to Rolling Stone.

With multiple platinum and gold albums, Rush was nominated for seven Grammy Awards and won numerous other awards through its career.

The concert starts at 7:30 p.m.

Visit the Englert Theatre’s website to purchase tickets.

Johnson Co Market at the Johnson County Fairgrounds

This Sunday, visit the Johnson County Fairgrounds for a farmers and makers market.

The Johnson Co Market will feature more than 30 vendors this Sunday selling baked foods, coffee, handmade décor, meat, produce and more.

Vendors include Lori Ann’s Candies, the Cedar Rapids-based shop selling homemade chocolates and Grey Barn Farm LLC, an alpaca farm 20 miles outside Iowa City that sells rugs made from the animals' fibers and socks.

Also in attendance will be Ridgeview Farm from Ely, Laine’s Bakery and Scrappy Turtle Designs, both based in Iowa City.

South Side Street Foods, the newer Iowa City food truck that sells frybread, will sell coffee for shoppers.

The market is from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

It’ll return on the following dates:

  • Jan. 29

  • Feb. 12 and 26

  • March 12 and 26

  • April 16 and 30

The Johnson Co Market is located at the fairgrounds at Building C at 4261 Oak Crest Hill Road, Iowa City.

Visit the market's Facebook page for more information.

Red Dirt Renegade at Wildwood Saloon

Dubbing themselves the all Iowan outlaw country band, Red Dirt Renegade is taking the Wildwood Saloon stage Saturday.

The band is made up of Chad E. Stutzman, Jason Boggs, Larry Beem, John Parrish and Jeffrey Stevens — all veterans of live music and of their respective instruments as evident by the number of years they’ve been in music, according to Red Dirt Renegade’s website.

Red Dirt Renegade covers music by Cody Jinks, Johnny Cash, Sturgill Simpson and more.

The concert starts at 7 p.m.

Visit Wildwood Saloon’s website to purchase tickets in advance.

Cat Extravaganza at Iowa City Public Library

Cozy up with a feline friend at this unique event held at the Iowa City Public Library Saturday.

Folks can visit the library between 3 and 5 p.m. and meet adoptable cats from Last Hope Animal Rescue.

Last Hope Animal Rescue is a Cedar Rapids nonprofit that for nearly two decades has rescued animals for the purpose of finding them forever homes, according to the website.

Groups of 10 will be admitted at a time to meet the cats, so be prepared for a wait if there are lots of people. Other activities include cat breed bingo with prizes, voting on Internet cat videos or making a cat craft.

The activities will be held in meeting room A, B, C and D.

Visit the Iowa City Public Library’s website for information on Cat Extravaganza and other upcoming events.

Paris Barraza covers entertainment, lifestyle and arts at the Iowa City Press-Citizen. Reach her at PBarraza@press-citizen.com or (319) 519-9731. Follow her on Twitter @ParisBarraza.

This article originally appeared on Iowa City Press-Citizen: Things to do this weekend in Iowa City include Rush cover band concert