Event List

Featured Events

image of a book and words book sale

Friends of the Library Big Blowout Sale

Saturday, April 25, 2026 at 9:00am - 4:00pm
Offsite

Program Type:

Book Sale

Age Group:

Babies & Toddlers, Preschool, School Age, Teen, Adult
image of gears and the words adult program

Corridor Games on Demand: Community Game Day

Saturday, April 25, 2026 at 12:00pm - 4:00pm
Conference Room at Downtown Library

Program Type:

Games and Activities

Age Group:

Adult
art supplies and words create art

Experimenting with Blackout Poetry

Thursday, April 30, 2026 at 6:30pm - 7:30pm
Ladd Library Community Room at Ladd Library

Program Type:

Crafts & Hobbies

Age Group:

School Age, Teen, Adult
Small fossils are embedded in rock at the Devonian Fossil Gorge.

Devonian Fossils: Ocean Life in Iowa

Saturday, May 2, 2026 at 10:30am - 11:30am
Beems Auditorium B at Downtown Library

Program Type:

Other

Age Group:

School Age, Teen, Adult
opportunity center logo

Explore ChatGPT & Conversational AI

Monday, May 4, 2026 at 12:30pm - 1:30pm
Opportunity Center Classroom at Ladd Library

Program Type:

Job Skills Training, Opportunity Center

Age Group:

Adult
A circle has a painting of a woman in a red headscarf with the words "Czech Village: 48th Houby Days."

Learn About Houby Days with the National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library

Thursday, May 7, 2026 at 6:30pm - 7:30pm
Beems Auditorium A/B at Downtown Library

Program Type:

Other

Age Group:

School Age, Teen, Adult
gardening tools

Plant Swap

Saturday, May 9, 2026 at 1:00pm - 2:30pm
Beems Auditorium A/B at Downtown Library

Program Type:

Crafts & Hobbies

Age Group:

Adult
Filters
Age Group
icon of a star and the words learn a new skill

Fix It Café

Saturday, May 23, 2026 at 1:00pm - 3:00pm
Beems Auditorium A/B at Downtown Library
Program Type:
Crafts & Hobbies
Age Group:
School Age, Teen, Adult

Handy library volunteers and local nonprofits will give patrons the opportunity to get hands-on practice with basic home maintenance and repair.

art supplies and words create art

Family Art Night: Gem Mosaic at Ladd Library

Tuesday, May 26, 2026 at 5:30pm - 6:30pm
Ladd Library Community Room at Ladd Library
Program Type:
Crafts & Hobbies, Family Programs
Age Group:
Preschool, School Age, Teen

Join us for Family Art Night this winter! Different art supplies will be provided each program for families to experiment and learn new concepts with.

Upcoming
Registration Required
image of a dragon and words dungeons and dragons

Dungeons & Dragons

Wednesday, May 27, 2026 at 4:30pm - 6:30pm
Beems Auditorium A/B at Downtown Library
Program Type:
Crafts & Hobbies, Games and Activities
Age Group:
School Age, Teen, Adult

Join us for Dungeons & Dragons, the world renowned table top role-playing game. Our tables meet weekly for adventure and excitement. Handbooks (2014) and dice are provided.

A chess piece with the words "Cedar Rapids Chess Club".

Cedar Rapids Chess Club

Wednesday, May 27, 2026 at 5:30pm - 7:30pm
Whipple Auditorium at Downtown Library
Program Type:
Games and Activities
Age Group:
School Age, Teen, Adult

Join the all-ages meeting of the Cedar Rapids Chess Club from 5:30 to 7:30 pm weekly on Wednesdays at the Downtown Library for a relaxed, casual session playing this great universal game.

The Tanager logo with a red and black bird.

Expressive Arts With Tanager

Friday, May 29, 2026 at 10:00am - 11:00am
Children's Program Room at Downtown Library
Program Type:
Crafts & Hobbies, Family Programs
Age Group:
Preschool, School Age

Arts, movement, and music for youth and their caregivers at the Downtown Library. This program is geared to pre-K to second graders. 

image of a book and words book sale

Friends of the Library Farmers Market Book Sale

Saturday, May 30, 2026 at 7:30am - 12:00pm
Urban Plaza at Downtown Library
Program Type:
Book Sale
Age Group:
Babies & Toddlers, Preschool, School Age, Teen, Adult

Purchase new and gently used books from the Friends of the Cedar Rapids Public Library during Downtown Cedar Rapids Farmers Markets. Browse the books in front of the Downtown Library while shopping the market.

Art illustration with markers shows spotlights on a figure with green skin and purple hair, a man in a suit with a sign that says "#1," the words "Hal Has Autism," and a shirtless figure with red skin saying "Wass Up?!"

Leo Bird: Ladd Library Gallery

All Day
Ladd Library
Program Type:
Special Performances
Age Group:
Babies & Toddlers, Preschool, School Age, Teen, Adult

Leo Bird is a multimedia artist, singer, and storyteller. He brings works of Staedtler markers on drawing pad to the Ladd Library Gallery this summer.

A black and white photo shows a group of 10 women, an early staff photo of the Cedar Rapids Public Library, in the early 1900s.

Library History is American History: Downtown Library, Skywalk Gallery

All Day
Downtown Library
Program Type:
Special Performances
Age Group:
Babies & Toddlers, Preschool, School Age, Teen, Adult

Visit the Skywalk Gallery to view ephemera and objects from the library's history.

An art print says "It's okay to not be okay" with a brain and other items carved out in green on a white background.

Nick Johnson: Third Floor Gallery

All Day
Downtown Library
Program Type:
Special Performances
Age Group:
Babies & Toddlers, Preschool, School Age, Teen, Adult

Nick Johnson, founder of Missing Link Artistry, brings a mix of woodcut printmaking, screen printing and charcoal drawings to our Third Floor Gallery this summer.

image of a dragon and words dungeons and dragons

Dungeons & Dragons

Wednesday, June 3, 2026 at 4:30pm - 6:30pm
Beems Auditorium A/B at Downtown Library
Program Type:
Crafts & Hobbies, Games and Activities
Age Group:
School Age, Teen, Adult

Join us for Dungeons & Dragons, the world renowned table top role-playing game. Our tables meet weekly for adventure and excitement. Handbooks (2014) and dice are provided.

A chess piece with the words "Cedar Rapids Chess Club".

Cedar Rapids Chess Club

Wednesday, June 3, 2026 at 5:30pm - 7:30pm
Whipple Auditorium at Downtown Library
Program Type:
Games and Activities
Age Group:
School Age, Teen, Adult

Join the all-ages meeting of the Cedar Rapids Chess Club from 5:30 to 7:30 pm weekly on Wednesdays at the Downtown Library for a relaxed, casual session playing this great universal game.

image of a book and words book sale

Friends of the Library Farmers Market Book Sale

Saturday, June 6, 2026 at 7:30am - 12:00pm
Urban Plaza at Downtown Library
Program Type:
Book Sale
Age Group:
Babies & Toddlers, Preschool, School Age, Teen, Adult

Purchase new and gently used books from the Friends of the Cedar Rapids Public Library during Downtown Cedar Rapids Farmers Markets. Browse the books in front of the Downtown Library while shopping the market.

A boy looks at a giant checkers board.

Summer Kickoff: Giant Games!

Saturday, June 6, 2026 at 10:00am - 12:00pm
Ladd Library Community Room at Ladd Library
Program Type:
Family Programs, Games and Activities
Age Group:
Babies & Toddlers, Preschool, School Age, Teen, Adult

All are invited to the Summer Reading Kickoff! Enjoy an inflatable obstacle course, giant Jenga, giant Connect Four, giant Bananagrams and other activities. 

This program is generously supported by TrueNorth. 

 

Mikayla Oz, wearing a long red coat, holds Bubbles the Bird, a dove, while children watch.

Mikayla Oz Magic Show

Monday, June 8, 2026 at 10:00am - 11:00am
Beems Auditorium A/B at Downtown Library
Program Type:
Family Programs, Special Performances
Age Group:
Babies & Toddlers, Preschool, School Age

Mikayla Oz’s all-new 40-minute Family Magic Show is packed with fresh magic, interactive moments, and laugh-out-loud comedy. It’s designed to make it feel like the kids are the ones making the magic happen!

A librarian reads a book to children and adults sitting on blankets and the grass at a park, with a library activity table in the background.

Your Library at Jacolyn Park

Monday, June 8, 2026 at 11:30am - 1:00pm
Offsite
Program Type:
Books and Reading, Family Programs, Games and Activities
Age Group:
Babies & Toddlers, Preschool, School Age, Teen, Adult

Find us at parks around the city from Monday, June 8 to Friday, Aug. 7 for books, games, fun, and a few surprises, too.

Offsite Event
Mikayla Oz, wearing a long red coat, holds up a balloon dog while a boy laughs.

Mikayla Oz Magic Show

Monday, June 8, 2026 at 1:00pm - 2:00pm
Beems Auditorium A/B at Downtown Library
Program Type:
Family Programs, Special Performances
Age Group:
Babies & Toddlers, Preschool, School Age

Mikayla Oz’s all-new 40-minute Family Magic Show is packed with fresh magic, interactive moments, and laugh-out-loud comedy. It’s designed to make it feel like the kids are the ones making the magic happen!

Mikayla Oz, wearing a long red coat, holds Bubbles the Bird, a dove, while children raise their hands.

Mikayla Oz Magic Show

Monday, June 8, 2026 at 3:30pm - 4:30pm
Ladd Library Community Room at Ladd Library
Program Type:
Family Programs, Special Performances
Age Group:
Babies & Toddlers, Preschool, School Age

Mikayla Oz’s all-new 40-minute Family Magic Show is packed with fresh magic, interactive moments, and laugh-out-loud comedy. It’s designed to make it feel like the kids are the ones making the magic happen!

Library-branded van parked on grass next to a library-branded canopy tent

Your Library at Twin Pines Park

Tuesday, June 9, 2026 at 11:30am - 1:00pm
Offsite
Program Type:
Books and Reading, Family Programs, Games and Activities
Age Group:
Babies & Toddlers, Preschool, School Age, Teen, Adult

Find us at parks around the city from Monday, June 8 to Friday, Aug. 7 for books, games, fun, and a few surprises, too.

Offsite Event
A pentagram shaped box that looks like a home is halfway filled with small cardboard tubes and is engraved with "bee hotel" above the tubes.

DIY Solitary Bee Hotel

Tuesday, June 9, 2026 at 6:00pm - 7:30pm
Children's Program Room at Downtown Library
Program Type:
Crafts & Hobbies, Maker Room and Technology
Age Group:
School Age, Teen, Adult

Make Iowa more friendly to pollinators by creating a solitary bee hotel for pollinators like leafcutter bees, carpenter bees, mason bees, and more!

Upcoming
Registration Required
image of a dragon and words dungeons and dragons

Dungeons & Dragons

Wednesday, June 10, 2026 at 4:30pm - 6:30pm
Beems Auditorium A/B at Downtown Library
Program Type:
Crafts & Hobbies, Games and Activities
Age Group:
School Age, Teen, Adult

Join us for Dungeons & Dragons, the world renowned table top role-playing game. Our tables meet weekly for adventure and excitement. Handbooks (2014) and dice are provided.

A chess piece with the words "Cedar Rapids Chess Club".

Cedar Rapids Chess Club

Wednesday, June 10, 2026 at 5:30pm - 7:30pm
Whipple Auditorium at Downtown Library
Program Type:
Games and Activities
Age Group:
School Age, Teen, Adult

Join the all-ages meeting of the Cedar Rapids Chess Club from 5:30 to 7:30 pm weekly on Wednesdays at the Downtown Library for a relaxed, casual session playing this great universal game.

Children and adults hold on to all sides of a giant parachute at Redmond Park.

Your Library at Redmond Park

Thursday, June 11, 2026 at 11:30am - 1:00pm
Offsite
Program Type:
Books and Reading, Family Programs, Games and Activities
Age Group:
Babies & Toddlers, Preschool, School Age, Teen, Adult

Find us at parks around the city from Monday, June 8 to Friday, Aug. 7 for books, games, fun, and a few surprises, too.

Offsite Event
Scissors and the word "Crafting" over a yellow circle.

Laser-Cut Shaker Keychain Craft

Thursday, June 11, 2026 at 6:30pm - 7:30pm
Ladd Library Community Room at Ladd Library
Program Type:
Crafts & Hobbies, Maker Room and Technology
Age Group:
School Age, Teen, Adult

Decorate laser-cut charms and assemble custom shaker keychains! Materials will be provided. Any children wishing to attend must be accompanied by an adult. All attendees must be registered, as there is limited space.

Upcoming
Registration Required
A child looks at prizes with an adult behind her, while a library staff member smiles from behind a table.

Your Library at Daniels Park

Friday, June 12, 2026 at 11:30am - 1:00pm
Offsite
Program Type:
Books and Reading, Family Programs, Games and Activities
Age Group:
Babies & Toddlers, Preschool, School Age, Teen, Adult

Find us at parks around the city from Monday, June 8 to Friday, Aug. 7 for books, games, fun, and a few surprises, too.

Offsite Event