Visit our full events calendar
All events are free unless noted
Summer Reading Program: Level Up at Your Library
Join us for a summer of puzzles and games as we explore the iREAD theme, “Level Up at Your Library!” Come to the library anytime during the program to register. Children going into 5th grade or younger will register downstairs—those going into 6th grade or above, plus adults, can register upstairs at the desk. Work through the log to earn weekly prize tickets and a chance for an end-of-summer grand prize. Complete the board to earn a completion prize for your age group!
Through August 8, 2025
Visit the Library’s website
Clear Lake Public Library, 200 N. 4th St
Summer Story Time
Join us each Wednesday Memorial Day – Labor Day at 10:30 a.m. for a family story time for ages 0-5. Story time consists of stories, body movement activities, songs, and rhymes, helping children grow the skills they need to become lifelong readers. After the stories, feel free to stay and play and make new friends! Young children and their grown-ups are invited to join us for these free weekly events.
Wednesday, July 9, 2025 from 10:30 AM – 11:30 AM
Visit the Library’s website
Clear Lake Public Library, 200 N. 4th St.
Books on Tap: Distant Sons
Books on Tap meets on the second Wednesday of every month at 6:00 pm at Lake Time Brewery. Distant Sons by Tim Johnston: What if Sean Courtland’s old Chevy truck had broken down somewhere else? What if he’d never met Denise Givens, a waitress at a local tavern in the Wisconsin town where he lands? Or Dan Young, another young man like Sean drifting through, having fled Minnesota for reasons unknown? Instead, together Sean and Dan pick up carpentry and plumbing work for an old man named Marion Devereaux, and Sean gets drawn into the lives of Denise and her father—and of the townspeople, all haunted by the disappearance of three young boys decades ago, in the 1970s. As the paths of these characters converge, observing them all is Detective Corinne Viegas, a woman whose drive to seek justice comes from her father’s own failure to find those boys and the violence once done to her sister. And over the course of just a few weeks, an irreversible chain of events is set in motion that culminates in shattering violence, and the revelation of long-buried truths. Evocative, gritty, with indelible characters and setting, Distant Sons is another immersive, gripping suspense novel by Johnston about how the most random intersection of lives can have consequences both devastating and beautiful.
Wednesday, July 9, 2025 from 6:00 PM – 7:00 PM
Visit the Library’s website
Lake Time Brewery, 801 Main Ave.
NOW PLAYING: Jurassic World Rebirth (PG-13)
Five years after the events of Jurassic World Dominion, the planet’s ecology has proven largely inhospitable to dinosaurs. Those remaining exist in isolated equatorial environments with climates resembling the one in which they once thrived. The three most colossal creatures across land, sea and air within that tropical biosphere hold, in their DNA, the key to a drug that will bring miraculous life-saving benefits to humankind.
Now Playing through July 16, 2025
Showtimes are Weekdays at 7:00 PM
Saturdays & Sundays at 1:00PM, 4:00PM, & 7:00PM
Lake Theatre, 4 N 4th St.
$5 adults, $4 children 12 & under
Purchase tickets online
Karaoke at TAP’d
Karaoke is back to its summer home, Wednesday nights! For 119 weeks TAP’d and Mojo Productions All Star Karaoke have brought karaoke to Clear Lake! Jared & his crew are constantly updating the song book & coming up with new on stage effects to make it so much fun!
Wednesday, July 9, 2025, 8:00 PM-Midnight
Follow TAP’d on Facebook
TAP’d, 313 Main Ave.
ILYA E Scow Invitational
The Clear Lake Yacht Club will be hosting the Inland Lakes Yachting Association’s Invitational regatta. We are expecting 50 E scows to compete. They are 28ft long with a crew of 3-4 with gorgeous spinnakers. Sailing starts at approximately 10am on Friday, July 11th through Sunday morning.
Thursday, July 10- Sunday, July 13, 2025
Visit Clear Lake Yacht Club on Facebook
Clear Lake Yacht Club, 103 Main Ave.
Book Explorers: Escape from Mr. Limoncello’s Library
Read the book Escape from Mr. Lemoncello’s Library by Chris Grabenstein and then come for lunch at the library to discuss. There may be a puzzle or two to solve before you leave! Designed for those just completing 4th-6th grade. Generously sponsored by the Friends of the Clear Lake Public Library. Registration appreciated.
Thursday, July 10, 2025 from 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM
Visit the Library’s website
Clear Lake Public Library, 200 N. 4th St
Thursdays on Main
Start your weekend early at Thursdays on Main! This Chamber summer event series features live entertainment, classic cars, bounce houses, extended retail store hours, vendor street market, and more!
Main Avenue activities are 6:00-9:00pm 6:30-7:00pm Special Entertainment: Bank Iowa Activity
7:00-9:00pm: Live Music on the street stage: The Sweet Nuthins
Thursday, July 10, 2025 from 6:00 PM – 9:00 PM
Follow Clear Lake Chamber on Facebook
Downtown Clear Lake
Live Music at TAP’d
Canaan James makes the trip from North Carolina to play us some music for The Official “Thursdays on Main” Afterparty! He covers artists from Chris Stapleton to Slipknot. Aaron Lewis, Gary Allen, Pearl Jam, Chris Cornell, Toby Keith, Brantley Gilbert, and Alice In Chains are some of his favorites!
Thursday, July 10, 2025 from 8:00 PM – 11:00 PM
Follow TAP’d on Facebook
TAP’d, 313 Main Ave.
Fresh on Fridays
Celebrate summer every Friday morning at Central Gardens with activities, treats, and take-home treasures for all ages.
Beautiful Bouquets: Brighten your weekend with a stunning bouquet, freshly picked and arranged by talented volunteers, available at reasonable prices.
Complimentary Refreshments: Relax on the Pavilion patio with complimentary coffee, refreshments, and samples of organic veggies and herbs grown in the Bee Happy Discovery Garden.
Garden Explorers for Kids: Bring the kids for hands-on garden adventures, from tasting fresh veggies to exploring plants and insects, creating nature-inspired art, and more.
Find out what’s abuzz each week on Facebook!
Friday, July 11, 2025 from 9:00 AM – 11:00 AM
Visit Central Gardens of North Iowa on Facebook
Central Gardens of North Iowa, 800 2nd Ave. N.
Opening Reception: Seeking an Upward Thermal by Roberta Condon, Lorraine Ortner-Black, & Debra Grall
Like birds riding rising thermals, we are drawn to the invisible forces that lift us. Soaring on pockets of warm air, birds harness nature’s upward currents—gliding, climbing, and dancing through the sky. In this spirit of ascension and exploration, three women artists offer over 50 unique interpretations in pastel, gouache, and bead work sculpture. Discover the power of flight, form, and imagination. Join us at the exhibit and experience these evocative works up close. Join us for the opening reception.
Opening Reception: Friday, July 11, 2025 from 4:00 PM – 6:00 PM
Exhibition is on display July 12-August 30
Arts Center Hours: Tuesdays – Saturdays 10:00 AM- 4:00 PM
Visit the Art Center’s website
Clear Lake Arts Center, 17 S. 4th St.
Marcia Ball with The Jimmys
Continuing our FREE Surf Sounds summer series with Marcia Ball: “Fifty years have passed in a flash,” says pianist, songwriter, and vocalist Marcia Ball. Ball, the 2018 Texas State Musician Of The Year, has won worldwide fame and countless fans for her ability to ignite a full-scale roadhouse party every time she takes the stage. Born in Orange, Texas and raised in Vinton, Louisiana, her Acadian heritage and a lifetime of absorbing Gulf Coast rhythm and blues is evident in her original songs and the classics she chooses to cover. This has made her a one-of-a-kind favorite with music lovers all over the world. The Jimmys are an award winning, high energy, six-piece funky blues band with touring experience throughout the US, the Caribbean and Europe.
Friday, July 11, 2025, doors open at 6:30 PM
Follow the Surf Ballroom on Facebook
Surf Ballroom, 460 North Shore Dr.
Free-will donations are welcome and go directly to support The Surf’s educational outreach and scholarship programs.
Friday Live Music at TAP’d
Rural Route comes to us from Boone to play us some country and rock on a Friday night! This new 3 piece band will play anything from Dolly Parton to Zach Bryan to Cheap Trick to Alanis Morrisette while playing a few originals!
Friday, July 11, 2025 from 9:00 PM – Midnight
Follow TAP’d on Facebook
TAP’d, 313 Main Ave.
Yoga by the Lake
Join us for an energizing and serene experience at Yoga by the Lake! Every Saturday June through August, head down to the Seawall in downtown Clear Lake at 7am. Immerse yourself in the breathtaking sunrise over the picturesque Clear Lake as our certified instructors guide you through a revitalizing yoga session. No pre-registration needed, making it ideal for weekend visitors. Just bring your mat, wear comfy clothes, and enjoy this drop-in class for only $2 per session. Discover the perfect blend of relaxation and invigoration amidst a truly unique setting. Don’t miss out!
Saturday, July 12, 2025, 7:00 AM – 8:00 AM
Follow Clear Lake Athletics & Wellness Center on Facebook
Downtown at the Seawall
CL Wrestling Club Beach Brawl
The Beach Brawl is a sand wrestling event held at Clear Lake City Beach. The numbers have continued to rise, so give it a try, and spend a day on the beach!
Divisions: College (19-25), Senior (26-34), Master (35-50), Veterans (51+), Female (separate divisions), Elementary 3rd-5th, Middle School 6th-8th, High School 9th-12th
Weights: 60-70, 71-80, 81-90, 91-100, 125, 145, 160, 175, 190, 220, 285
Lighter than 60lb will be paired accordingly
Rules: 3:00 continuous clock OR first to 3 points.
1pt: take downs OR push out of the ring. 2pt: feet-to back take down
Saturday, July 12, 2025, weigh ins 7:30 AM-8:30 AM, wrestling starts at 9:00 AM
Follow Clear Lake Wrestling Club on Facebook
City Beach
$20 pre-registration, $25 same day registration Early bird weigh ins on Friday, July 11th in the Clear Lake High School Wrestling Room from 8:30am-1:00pm. Participants can register and weigh in for the event at this time for the pre-reg. cost of $20.
Click here to register
Clear Lake Farmers Market
Come out to the Clear Lake Farmer’s Market on Saturday mornings! With 50+ vendors each week, you’ll find fresh produce, baked goodies, meats, handmade crafts, coffee, lemonade, and more. Grab a bite from food trucks, enjoy live music, and let the kids have a blast with fun activities. It’s a great way to support local and have a good time!
Saturday, July 12, 2025 from 9:00 AM – Noon
Follow Clear Lake Farmers Market on Facebook
Surf Ballroom Parking Lot, 460 North Shore Dr.
Beginner Guitar
Always wanted to learn guitar? Here is your chance! Instructors Bruce Ray & Roger Lasley will host beginner guitar classes throughout the summer. These group style, relaxed classes are for new-beginner students to learn the basics of this beloved instrument. All students 12 years old and up are welcome. Learn some chords, get strumming, and play some good old-fashioned rock ‘n’ roll at the Surf Ballroom Music Experience Center this summer!
Saturday, July 12, 2025
Beginner class 9:30 AM – 10:30 AM
Intermediate Class 10:30 AM – 11:30 AM
Visit the Surf Ballroom on Facebook
Surf Ballroom Music Experience Center, 468 North Shore Dr.
$120 for the summer session
Exhibition: Seeking an Upward Thermal by Roberta Condon, Lorraine Ortner-Black, & Debra Grall
Like birds riding rising thermals, we are drawn to the invisible forces that lift us. Soaring on pockets of warm air, birds harness nature’s upward currents—gliding, climbing, and dancing through the sky. In this spirit of ascension and exploration, three women artists offer over 50 unique interpretations in pastel, gouache, and bead work sculpture. Discover the power of flight, form, and imagination. Join us at the exhibit and experience these evocative works up close.
Exhibition is on display July 12-August 30
Arts Center Hours: Tuesdays – Saturdays 10:00 AM- 4:00 PM
Visit the Art Center’s website
Clear Lake Arts Center, 17 S. 4th St.
Flight of Flavors
Sip into summer with our final tea event of the July! Join us for Flight of Flavors, a refreshing iced tea lemonade tasting featuring four unique 4 oz. pours—each bursting with goodness and summertime vibes.
Saturday, July 12, 2025 from 10:00 AM- 2:00 PM
Follow Holistic Harmony on Facebook
Holistic Harmony, 313 N. 8th St.
$5 for your flight of 4 iced tea lemonades
Brews on the Beach
Brews on the Beach craft brew fest will be held in the City Park along the shores of Clear Lake. The event will feature over 20 Iowa craft breweries with their finest brews, hosted by Lake Time Brewery and Clear Lake Rotary. VIP ticket holders gain access to the event at noon and general admission ticket holders get in at 1:00 to taste beer until 4:00 pm.
Saturday, July 12, 2025 from 12:00 PM- 4:00 PM
Click here for tickets
Clear Lake City Park
$50 VIP tickets, $35 General Admission
Puzzle & Game Swap
Want to work on some new puzzles or play new games without breaking the bank or causing your current collection to overflow? Bring your puzzles and games throughout the week (July 7-11) for tickets to the big puzzle swap event on July 12. Each puzzle/game brought in earns you a ticket, and each ticket you bring in on the 12th earns you a new puzzle/game to take home!
Saturday, July 12, 2025 from 1:00 PM – 5:00 PM
Visit the Library’s website
Clear Lake Public Library, 200 N. 4th St
Polaroid Emulsion Lift Class
Explore the magic of instant photography by creating Polaroid emulsion lifts with instructor Faith Lawler at the Clear Lake Arts Center. In this hands-on workshop, you’ll learn how to transfer Polaroid images onto new surfaces to create dreamy, one-of-a-kind works of art. Date: July 12 Time: 1:30 – 3:30 PM Location: Clear Lake Arts Center Ages: 13–17 Instructor: Faith Lawler Please bring a phone camera. All other materials provided—no experience necessary!
Saturday, July 12, 2025 from 1:30 PM – 3:30 PM
Arts Center Hours: Tuesdays – Saturdays 10:00 AM- 4:00 PM
Visit the Art Center’s website
Clear Lake Arts Center, 17 S. 4th St.
$25 Registration
Saturday Live Music at TAP’d
The Brews on the Beach fun doesn’t stop when the taps close—head to TAP’d for the official afterparty with Jeremy Ober of Brutal Republic. He’s making the trip from Fort Dodge to rock the stage twice on Saturday, playing from 4 to 6 p.m. for the afterparty and again from 9 p.m. to midnight for a full evening set. Expect powerful covers from legends like the Allman Brothers, Johnny Cash, and Led Zeppelin. Two incredible shows. One unforgettable night at TAP’d.
Saturday, July 12, 2025, 2 Shows
Follow TAP’d on Facebook
TAP’d, 313 Main Ave.
Dylan Gossett: The American Trail Tour with Special Guest Kruse Brothers
Dylan Gossett is a 25-year-old singer-songwriter from Austin, Texas, known for his breakout hit “Coal,” which went viral in 2023 and has since earned over 400 million streams and Platinum certifications worldwide. His debut single, “To Be Free,” and two EPs — No Better Time and Songs in the Gravel — showcase his raw, self-produced sound and heartfelt lyrics. He’s toured internationally, opened for artists like Noah Kahan and Morgan Wallen, and played major festivals including SXSW and CMA Fest.
Saturday, July 12, 2025, doors open at 8:00 PM
Follow the Surf Ballroom on Facebook
Surf Ballroom, 460 North Shore Dr.
$29.50 advance/$34.50 at the door
Church in the Park
Whether you’re a lifelong Christian or just exploring faith, everyone is welcome. Held at the bandshell in Clear Lake’s City Park, services run every Sunday from Memorial Day to Labor Day. Come and experience a message of truth, life, and community in a beautiful outdoor setting.
Sunday, July 13, 2025 from 10:00 AM – 11:00 AM
Clear Lake City Park
Municipal Band Concert
Enjoy a wonderful afternoon concert brought to you by the Clear Lake Municipal Band. Bring your lawn chair and relax in City Park as they strike up the band!
July 13 Program
Holly Prier-Lloyd, Director
Nate Benzing, Announcer
Persistence – Saucedo
The January February March – Gillis
Halcyon Hearts – Copley
Wicked – arr. Sweeney
To Light – Barnes
The Dauntless Battalion March – Sousa, ed. Glover
Donkey Honk Rag – Goodman
La Danza – Erickson
The Silver Quill – Harpham & Nestico
Star Spangled Banner – John Stafford Smith arr. Wangberg
Sunday, July 13, 2025 from 4:00 PM – 6:00 PM
Clear Lake City Park
Rocket Racers Vacation Bible School
Start Your Engines! VBS 2025: Racing with Elijah. For kids entering Kindergarten through 5th Grade
Get ready, kids—it’s time to hit the track for an exciting week of Vacation Bible School packed with fun, friends, and faith! Join the race as we zoom through the incredible story of Elijah, discovering that God’s team always wins! With thrilling games, tasty snacks, and engaging Bible lessons, kids will see that no challenge is too big for our all-powerful God. Rev up your engines and join us for a week of faith-fueled fun!
Sunday, July 13 – Thursday, July 17, 2025 from 5:30 PM – 7:30 PM, Supper provided nightly
Click here to register
Clear Lake Baptist Church, 2810 Hwy 18 W
Family Movie Monday
Join us for popcorn and a movie as we enjoy a family movie. For the movie title, click here!
Monday, July 14, 2025 from 1:00 PM – 3:00 PM
Visit the Library’s website
Clear Lake Public Library, 200 N. 4th St
Writing Group
Bring a pencil and some paper (or grab your laptop) and join a community of writers. Use the time to work on a project or join in on the prompts and games provided. The group meets from 6:00 – 7:00 pm on Monday nights whenever the library is open.
Monday, July 14, 2025 from 6:00 PM – 7:00 PM
Visit the Library’s website
Clear Lake Public Library, 200 N. 4th St
BINGO Night at the VFW
Besides the good fun, the veterans and auxiliary volunteers will donate all proceeds from the games to community charities and veteran causes. Everyone wins at VFW BINGO! BINGO Night at the VFW the 2nd & 4th Mondays of the month from 6:30pm-8:30pm. Must be over 21 to play.
Monday, July 14, 2025 from 6:30 PM – 8:30 PM
Follow the VFW on Facebook
VFW Post 4868, 219 Main Ave.
Line Dancing
Join us inside the main entrance in the fountain courtyard for line dancing with Mary Jo. All ages and abilities are welcome.
Tuesday, July 15, 2025 from 9:30 AM – 10:30 AM
Visit Central Gardens of North Iowa on Facebook
Central Gardens of North Iowa, 800 2nd Ave. N.
Giddily Bo Diddley
Our most popular class! This class is for parents, grandparents, caregivers, and tots who are walking through age five. This fun class introduces kids to musical concepts through singing, stories, games, instrument exploration, and more! Join the fun — you’re never too young or old to rock ‘n’ roll!
Tuesday, July 15, 2025 from 10:00 AM – 10:45 AM
Follow the Surf Ballroom on Facebook
Surf Ballroom, 460 North Shore Dr.
Book Chat: Distant Sons
Book Chat meets on the third Tuesday of every month at 12:00 pm in the library meeting room. Distant Sons by Tim Johnston: What if Sean Courtland’s old Chevy truck had broken down somewhere else? What if he’d never met Denise Givens, a waitress at a local tavern in the Wisconsin town where he lands? Or Dan Young, another young man like Sean drifting through, having fled Minnesota for reasons unknown? Instead, together Sean and Dan pick up carpentry and plumbing work for an old man named Marion Devereaux, and Sean gets drawn into the lives of Denise and her father—and of the townspeople, all haunted by the disappearance of three young boys decades ago, in the 1970s. As the paths of these characters converge, observing them all is Detective Corinne Viegas, a woman whose drive to seek justice comes from her father’s own failure to find those boys and the violence once done to her sister. And over the course of just a few weeks, an irreversible chain of events is set in motion that culminates in shattering violence, and the revelation of long-buried truths. Evocative, gritty, with indelible characters and setting, Distant Sons is another immersive, gripping suspense novel by Johnston about how the most random intersection of lives can have consequences both devastating and beautiful.
Tuesday, July 15, 2025 from 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM
Visit the Library’s website
Clear Lake Public Library, 200 N. 4th St
Dragon Training Academy
Watch as inventor & time traveler Brock Barnabas visits the present time to recruit some adventurous kids to travel back to the medieval times. They train to help deal with an overpopulation of dragons! Kids are trained to both defend against and tame down dragons using Brock’s amazing science-based inventions and techniques. Generously sponsored by the Friends of the Clear Lake Public Library.
Tuesday, July 15, 2025 from 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM
Visit the Library’s website
Clear Lake Public Library, 200 N. 4th St.
Party in the Park
Harvest Bible Chapel is once again hosting Party in the Park this year! Come to City Park to enjoy some free food, fun on our inflatables, and some other fun surprises! This event is open to all ages so bring the whole family and enjoy a free summer night of fun as a family! We can’t wait to see you there!
Tuesday, July 15, 2025 from 5:30 PM – 7:30 PM
Visit Harvest North Iowa on Facebook
City Park