Here are 5 things to do in Johnson County this weekend, including a cat festival at FilmScene

Put your paws up in the air for another weekend of free music, movies and cats.

Yes, cats.

Cat lovers and begrudging friends or partners of a cat lover, expect to be sitting at FilmScene sometime this weekend for CatVideoFest, an annual event that comes to theaters nationwide. Meanwhile, Summer of the Arts continues two series presenting free, local entertainment, while Wildwood BBQ & Saloon hosts a benefit concert.

Here are five things to do this weekend in Johnson County.

CatVideoFest 2022 at FilmScene

This weekend, FilmScene is presenting a screening sure to delight lovers and admirers of our sophisticated, whiskered, feline friends.

CatVideoFest, which will be shown Saturday and Sunday at FilmScene at the Chauncey, is a 75-minute compilation of cat videos from submissions, music videos and the internet.

The silliness and cleverness of cats will be on full display for CatVideoFest-goers to enjoy, and a dollar from each ticket sold benefits the Iowa City Animal Care and Adoption Center and other animal welfare initiatives locally.

CatVideoFest has been held at theaters across North America and Europe, with each screening benefiting a local animal shelter.

In 2019, more than $50,000 was raised for local shelters, according to CatVideoFest’s website.

CatVideoFest will be shown at 1:30 p.m. on both dates. Visit FilmScene’s website for more information or to purchase tickets.

Benefit concert at Wildwood Smokehouse & Saloon

Friday night, five performers will take the Wildwood Smokehouse & Saloon stage for a benefit concert presented by Repros for Iowa, a podcast on reproductive issues.

Donations will go the Iowa Jane Collective, which offers free reproductive health care services and resources to Iowans.

Performers include:

• Miss Christine, an Iowa City singer-songwriter and guitarist who performed at Iowa City Pride Festival earlier this year

• Ion Alexakis, an Iowa City musician and producer

• Casual Disasters, an Iowa City rock band

• Funkatude

• Rachel Saint, an Iowa City musician

The concert is for all ages and starts at 7 p.m.

Tickets are $10 and can be purchased on Wildwood Smokehouse & Saloon’s website.

Summer of the Arts’ Northside Concert Series

For another Saturday, northside Iowa City is being transformed into a free outdoor concert, thanks to Summer of the Arts’ Northside Concert Series.

This weekend, the Sons of Zebedee DooDah and Wave Cage will perform.

The Sons of Zebedee DooDah formed in 2020 to revitalize the music of the Prohibition era, according to Summer of the Arts’ website.

The sextet is comprised of Lynne Hart, Manny Lopez, Peter Hart, Corey Kendrick, Dan Jacobi and Ron Wilson. Together, they specialize in swing dance tempos.

Wave Cage is a jazz fusion and electronic band based in Iowa City. The four-piece band includes Jarrett Purdy, Ryan Garmoe, Nolan Schroeder and Chris Jensen.

The band performed at Big Grove Brewery earlier this year as part of Mission Creek Festival, and is coming off a June tour that included stops in Cedar Rapids and Des Moines.

There are only two performances left in Summer of the Arts’ Northside Concert Series, including the Johnny Kilowatt Band on Aug. 13 and the Dandelion Stompers on Aug. 20.

Summer of the Arts’ Northside Concert Series is from 6:30-9:30 p.m.

‘The Machine Stops’ at the Coralville Center for the Performing Arts

A new opera based upon the science fiction short by E.M. Forster, “The Machine Stops” makes its premiere Saturday with an additional performance Sunday.

“The Machine Stops” follows a mother and son set against a world where humans live underground, and a machine provides individuals with their every need straight to their home. The short story was published in 1909.

The opera is by musician and composer John Lake and poet Cecile Goding, both from Iowa City.

The performance is produced by Ed Kottick, former University of Iowa School of Music professor, and features a predominantly local cast and crew.

“The Machine Stops” begins at 7:30 p.m. Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday. Visit the Coralville Center for the Performing Arts’ website to purchase tickets.

Summer of the Arts’ Free Movie Series at Hills Park

If you’re looking to event-hop, Summer of the Arts is holding another free festivity over at City Park in Hills.

The nonprofit will screen “Spiderman: No Way Home” as part of the organization’s free movie series, which has so far included films like “Cruella” and “Field of Dreams.”

The nearly 2½-hour film picks up after the previous Spiderman installment, following the kid-superhero as he battles enemies from previous Spiderman films over the past two decades.

Be sure to bring your own chairs, blankets and other comforts to enjoy the film.

Hosted at City Park in Hills, located at 201 Main St., “Spiderman: No Way Home” begins at 8:45 p.m.

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 cat film festival