4 things to do this weekend in Johnson County, including Amana Colonies' Winterfest
Instead of shying away from the Iowa cold, events in Amana and North Liberty are celebrating the winter season this weekend.
The Amana Colonies’ annual Winterfest returns with competitions, food and live music while North Liberty’s ongoing Beat the Bitter events continue with another weekend of ice skating and literature.
Here are four things to do this weekend in Johnson County.
Winterfest at the Amana Colonies
Have fun in the cold in the Amana Colonies Saturday with the return of the annual Winterfest.
The festivities begin with the Amana Colonies Freezer 5K run at 10 a.m., which will start and end at Hotel Millwright at 800 48th Ave. in Amana.
From 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., the Market Barn (707 46th Ave. in Amana) will host games including the Great Amana Ham Put, wreath toss and a snowman relay race. Winterfest attendees can also participate in a log sawing competition or show off their facial hair to win the best beard competition. For folks who prefer to watch, there will be plenty to see with live chainsaw art and an ice sculptor.
Foodies can enjoy chili served by the Amana Fire Department, complimentary cider and cookies at the Amana Meat Shop & Smokehouse (4513 F St., Amana) and special cocktails at both the Ackerman Winery (
Foodies can enjoy chili served by the Amana Fire Department, complimentary cider and cookies at the Amana Meat Shop & Smokehouse (4513 F St., Amana) and special cocktails at both the Ackerman Winery (4406 220th Trail, Amana) and the Fireside Winery (1755 P Ave., Marengo) in the Village.
Kids can have their own Winterfest fun with showings of family friendly movies all day long at the Ackerman Winery, decorating cookies at the Ox Yoke Inn (4420 220th Trail, Amana) or trying a jam and cheese pairing at the Fireside Winery in the Village as the adults enjoy their own drinks.
The activities wrap up with one final event Sunday at the Amana Performing Arts Center (39 38th Ave., Amana). The Williamsburg Music Association will host the Iowa Women’s Jazz Orchestra and the Williamsburg High School Jazz Ensemble.
The concert starts at 2 p.m. Tickets are $20 general admission and $10 for students.
Visit the Amana Colonies’ website for more information about Winterfest, including how to register for the Amana Freezer 5K.
Wilson’s Orchard & Farm’s Wassail
The fifth annual Wassail at Wilson’s Orchard & Farm returns Saturday for an evening of delicious food and a toast to another year of apple growing.
Wassailing was a tradition to spread well wishes in the new year through a toast and later, through festivities or by blessing the trees in fruit-growing regions, according to Historic UK.
Tickets for this event include one pint of cider or one wassail cocktail, appetizers and a live performance from Iowa City folk and grass string band Flash In A Pan.
Festival organizers crown a wassail king and queen before a bonfire and toast to “another fruitful year of apple growing and cider making,” according to Wilson’s Orchard & Farm’s website.
Appetizers include mini beef and vegetarian Wellingtons, winter greens and beets, mini Shepherd's pie, apple rose tarts and more.
The fifth annual Wassail is from 7 to 10 p.m. at Wilson's Orchard & Farm, 4823 Dingleberry Road NE in Iowa City.
Tickets are $48 and can be purchased online on Wilson’s Orchard & Farm’s website.
Beat the Bitter events: Scheels Ice Rink and Winter StoryWalk
Embrace the winter season with North Liberty’s annual Beat the Bitter events, which includes an ice sculpture walk, a light show, fireworks and other free and ticketed activities.
This weekend, people can enjoy Scheels Ice Rink and the Winter StoryWalk, which kicked off the start of January.
The Scheels Ice Rink is a 100-foot by 80-foot outdoor ice rink at Penn Meadows Park at 170 N. Dubuque St. in North Liberty for free skating daily.
Visitors can bring their own skates or borrow skates from North Liberty’s Recreation Department.
The rink will be open from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., dependent on weather conditions, according to Beat the Bitter’s website.
Kids under 10 years old must be accompanied by an adult.
Families and children can also enjoy North Liberty Library’s StoryWalk, which features two stories to be read either on the north side of Liberty Centre Pond’s trail (found one block west off Hwy. 965 on Cherry Street in North Liberty) or available to listen on SoundCloud.
“Tracks in the Snow” by Wong Herbert Yee follows a little girl who discovers tracks outside her window after a fresh snowfall and realizes they lead her home, according to Macmillan Publishers.
“Little Penguins” by Cynthia Rylant is about five little penguins preparing for winter who play in the snow and warm up in their home, according to Penguin Random House.
Visit Beat the Bitter’s website for more information about upcoming activities.
Write at the Stanley Museum of Art
Iowa City Poetry is hosting a new creative writing experience at the Stanley Museum of Art (160 W. Burlington St., Iowa City) that uses art as inspiration.
Sunday’s session will be led by David Duer, a Stanley docent, educator and writer who lives in Iowa City and whose work has appeared in the English Journal, Little Village Magazine, the North American Review and more.
Writers of all genres are invited to Write at the Stanley.
The creative writing session is from 3 to 4:30 p.m.
Visit the University of Iowa College of Liberal Arts and Sciences website for more information about upcoming Write at the Stanley 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 Johnson County include Amana Winterfest
