Here are 6 things to do this weekend in Johnson County, including Memorial Day BBQ at Wilson's Orchard
It will be a weekend of good eating, thanks to a Memorial Day BBQ, the Iowa Renaissance Festival and the Iowa City South District’s Diversity Market.
Turkey legs, tostadas and an all-you-can-eat hog roast are just some of the treats you’ll find at these events.
Here are six things to do this weekend in Johnson County.
South District Diversity Market
The second annual South District Diversity Market returns Saturday.
For 10 weeks, vendors will come to the Pepperwood Plaza parking lot and set up from 1-7 p.m., all centered around elevating entrepreneurs from marginalized groups.
Expect to see nonprofit organizations set up to do outreach, vendors selling apparel and homemade crafts, and plenty of food, including food truck South Side Street Foods, which serves up both savory and sweet fry-bread.
Yard games and free face-painting will be available for kids.
Memorial Day BBQ at Wilson’s Orchard & Farm
Let Wilson’s Orchard & Farm do the Memorial Day cooking for you.
The farm is hosting an all-you-can-eat hog roast Sunday, complete with sandwich buns and house BBQ sauce for pork sandwiches, served alongside potato salad, BBQ baked beans, cole slaw, brownies and cookies.
Live music from Dave Zollo and the Body Electric will be from 4-7 p.m. The buffet will be served from 4:30-6:30 p.m.
Each ticket includes two ciders, either hard or sweet. Tickets cost $45 and are available on Wilson’s Orchard & Farm’s website.
FilmScene in the Park
Iowa City’s nonprofit theatre is kicking off FilmScene in the Park on Saturday with a screening of “Star Wars.”
Head down to the Chauncey Swan Park to enjoy the classic film on the large screen installed on the parking ramp.
Seating is first-come, first-served, and movies begin at sunset.
Other flicks in FilmScene in the Park’s lineup include:
June 11: “First Cow”
June 25: “Crooklyn”
July 9: “Clueless”
Admission to this event is free.
Iowa Renaissance Festival in Amana
Huzzah! Amana Community Park invites people to step back in time starting Saturday with the Iowa Renaissance Festival, which is celebrating 30 years.
If you’re looking for grub, the festival will have turkey legs, pork rinds, kettle corn, walking tacos, lemonade, mead and other alcoholic beverages.
Opening weekend entertainment includes jousting, jesters, a circus, Vikings and musicians.
Festival-goers can explore the marketplace, which will host vendors like Red Paw Leather & Trading, which does custom leatherwork, or stone jewelry from Not the Usual.
Art, temporary airbrush tattoos, dragon eggs, beef jerky, renaissance clothing and more will be available to purchase at the marketplace.
The Iowa Renaissance Festival will take place Saturday, Sunday and Monday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. The festival will return June 4 and 5 and in October.
Family-friendly costumes are welcomed, as well as leashed dogs.
Tickets are $15 for people 14 and older, $8 for kids aged 6-13 and free for kids 5 and under. A two-day pass costs $22 for adults and $12 for kids. Visit the festival's website for more information about tickets and parking.
All current or retired military with a military ID will get in free on Memorial Day.
Iowa City Downtown District’s Summer Shop Crawl
Spend Friday evening treating yourself to sales and drinks with Iowa City Downtown District’s Summer Shop Crawl.
Purchase a $15 ticket to participate in the summer shop crawl, which includes access to sales and drinks at each participating business and entrance into a gift card basket raffle.
Stops include the women’s apparel store Dulcinea, which will have margaritas and a 20% sale storewide, and Marco’s Game Day, which wills serve piña coladas with 50% off deals.
Participating shops include:
Sweets and Treats
Ten Thousand Villages
223 Baby Co.
Prairie Kitchen Store
Glassando
Discerning Eye
AKAR
The Shop Iowa City
Pitaya
Textiles
Revival
Aspen Leaf Frozen Yogurt featuring Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory
Dulcinea
Catherine’s
Champions
Fortuna Board Game Café
Poindexter
Om Gifts for Body & Soul
Bread Garden Market
Basic Goods
The Knit Hole
Iowa Artisans Gallery
Marco’s Game Day
Field and Finch
The summer shop crawl is from 4-8 p.m. Ticket sales for the event end on Friday at noon. Visit Iowa City Downtown District’s website to purchase tickets.
'Drivers' at Public Space One
In March, Public Space One held a free workshop centered on ethanol, all in conjunction with artist Laura Napier’s May exhibit.
Napier is an interdisciplinary artist and visiting assistant professor in photography at the University of Iowa who is researching “the social cultures of oil and gas” amid global climate change, according to her website.
“Drivers” is Napier’s exhibit, the name a reference to the causes of climate change, according to Public Space One’s website.
The exhibit includes video, installation and a diagram of ethanol-related objects that was created from that March workshop.
“Drivers” is available to view at Public Space One’s 229 N. Gilbert St. location. Friday hours are 3-6 p.m. and Saturday noon to 3 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 Memorial Day BBQ
