Visit our full events calendar
All events are free unless noted
Winter Dance Party Student Art Show
Clear Creek K-5 students explored the legendary rock stars through collage-style vinyl album covers. Each artwork, inspired by the history and impact of 1950s music, reflects the students’ creativity and celebrates the iconic musicians and their influence. Twelve pieces, showcasing unique designs from each student, Join us in honoring the legacy of rock ‘n’ roll.
On display through Friday, February 21, 2025 Open Tuesday – Saturday, 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Visit the Clear Lake Arts Center’s website
Clear Lake Arts Center, 17 S. 4th St.
Cards & Creativity
Cards & Creativity meets every Thursday that the library is open at 1:00 p.m. This is a weekly opportunity to meet up with others to play games or engage in your creative outlet of choice. You can work on fiber art, writing, music, drawing, or anything else that inspires you! We’ll provide coloring supplies and cards for you to use!
Thursday, January 30, 2025 from 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM
Visit the Library’s website
Clear Lake Public Library, 200 N. 4th St.
Casual Chess Club
The 2nd session of Chess Club will run through February 27 on Thursdays from 3:30 – 5:00 p.m. Players of all ages & abilities are invited to join us during this time. The first 30 minutes will include instruction and snack, followed with lots of free play games. Children ages 8+ wishing to ride the bus from Clear Creek must register for the program, but teens and adults are welcome to join us on a drop-in basis. If you only want to play (no instruction), feel free to join us from 4-5 p.m. for some pick-up games. Please direct all questions to Brianna at librarykids@cltel.net.
Thursday, January 30, 2025 from 4:00 PM – 5:00 PM
Visit the Library’s website
Clear Lake Public Library, 200 N. 4th St.
One Vision’s Seth’s Jeopardy
Join us for a night of fun, food, and friendly competition! Watch as contestants test their knowledge in an exciting game hosted by Seth, featuring participants from local community businesses. This thrilling round is sure to keep you entertained! Mingle with fellow Clear Lake Chamber business members while enjoying free food and drinks at the One Vision Clear Lake Campus. Don’t miss this chance to connect, relax, and cheer on your favorite contestants! We’ll see you there for a memorable evening of community and camaraderie!
Thursday, January 30, 2025, 4:00 PM-6:00 PM
Visit One Vision’s Website
One Vision Campus, 600 Glen Oaks Dr.
Winter Dance Party
Winter Dance Party is an annual tribute to the lives & legacies of Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, & JP “The Big Bopper” Richardson, who played their last concert at the Surf Ballroom on February 2nd, 1959.
The Winter Dance Party is a celebration of the lives and legacies of three rock ‘n’ roll legends lost too soon. It is a pilgrimage for thousands of rock ‘n’ roll fans from across the nation and the world.
Wednesday, January 29
Austin Allsup with Special Guest Richie Lee & The Fabulous 50’s
Thursday, January 30
John Mueller’s Winter Dance Party
Friday, January 31
Shake Baby Shake & The Lovettes, Big Sandy & His Flyrite Boys and Holy Rocka Rollaz
Saturday, February 1
Chubby Checker & The Wildcats, The Duprees, Albert Lee & Jeremy Clyde and The Midnight Cowgirls with Special Guest Slim Jim Phantom
The 2025 Winter Dance Party event kicks off on Wednesday night, January 29th, with a Winter Dance Party Warm Up & Album Release Party celebrating Austin Allsup’s much anticipated new album. The evening will feature performances by Austin Allsup and special guest Richie Lee & The Fabulous 50’s. Austin Allsup rose to fame in 2016 as a top-10 finalist on NBC’s “The Voice.” His father, Tommy Allsup, played guitar with Buddy Holly during the 1959 Winter Dance Party Tour and was a regular performer at the Surf Ballroom until his death in 2017. After performing in his father’s place that year, Austin instantly became a part of the Winter Dance Party list of fan favorites and has returned to the Surf every year since! Richie Lee & The Fabulous 50s are also among the list of artists who are familiar faces at the Winter Dance Party. The group is known for reviving the classic sounds of rock and roll and bringing a nostalgic energy to audiences. Individual tickets for the Wednesday night performance are $15 in advance, but 3-day ticketholders will enjoy complimentary admission to the show.
Wednesday, January 29, 2025 – Saturday, February 1
Click here for tickets
Surf Ballroom, 460 North Shore Dr.The three-day pass, good for all Winter Dance Party activities held at the Surf Ballroom, is $135 and are valid for the evenings of Wednesday, January 29th through Saturday, February 1st. Individual night general admission tickets will also be available for purchase.
BINGO at Elly’s
Join us for Bingo at Elly’s! This week we will be giving out surprise gifts. Must be 21+
Thursday, January 30, 2025, starting at 6:00 PM
Visit Elly’s Lounge on Facebook
Elly’s Lounge, 12 South Shore Dr.
NOW PLAYING: Dog Man (PG)
When a faithful police dog and his human police officer owner are injured together on the job, a harebrained but life-saving surgery fuses the two of them together and Dog Man is born. Dog Man is sworn to protect and serve—and fetch, sit and roll over. As Dog Man embraces his new identity and strives to impress his Chief (Lil Rel Howery, Get Out, Free Guy), he must stop the pretty evil plots of feline supervillain Petey the Cat (Pete Davidson; Saturday Night Live, The King of Staten Island). Petey’s latest plan is to clone himself, creating the kitten Lil Petey, to double his ability to do crime stuff. Things get complicated, though, when Lil Petey forges an unexpected bond with Dog Man. When Lil Petey falls into the clutches of a common enemy, Dog Man and Petey reluctantly join forces in an action-packed race against time to rescue the young kitten. In the process, they discover the power of family (and kittens!) to bring even the most hostile foes together.
Thursday & Friday, January 30 & 31, 2025, 7:00 PM Saturday & Sunday, February 1 & 2, 2025 1:00 PM, 4:00 PM, & 7:00 PM
Lake Theatre, 4 N 4th St.
$5 adults, $4 children 12 & under
Purchase tickets online
Trivia Thursday
Think you know it all? Gather your friends and put your knowledge to the test every Thursday at Lake Time Brewery for a night of fun, friendly competition, and craft beer! The trivia topics change weekly, so make sure to check our Facebook page for updates. Whether you’re a history buff, pop culture fanatic, or just love a good challenge, there’s something for everyone. Great prizes, great brews, and great times await—see you there!
Thursday, January 30, 2025, 7:00 PM – 9:00 PM
Visit Lake Time Brewery on Facebook
Lake Time Brewery, 801 Main Ave.
Klassic Karaoke at TAP’d
Kick off Buddy Holly Weekend with some Klassic Karaoke @ TAP’d! All songs welcome, but wouldn’t it be fun to mix it up and hear some from the day the music died?!
Thursday, January 30, 2025 at 8:00 PM
Visit TAP’d on Facebook
TAP’d, 313 Main Ave.
Exhibition: Constructs from the Printed Page by artist Andy Chenchar
Join the Clear Lake Arts Center for the Hanson Hall “Constructs from the Printed Page”, by collage artist, Andy Chenchar. This show features Chenchar’s blending layers of printed material into visual narratives. The exhibition will be on view From January 31st through March 8th. Opening Reception takes place February 7th, 2025.
On display Friday, January 31 through Saturday, March 8, 2025
Open Tuesday – Saturday, 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Visit the Clear Lake Arts Center’s website
Clear Lake Arts Center, 17 S. 4th St.
Live Music at The Surf Galley
Rockabilly Kid Andy Yaun
Friday, January 31, 2025 from 2:00 PM – 6:00 PM
Visit The Surf Galley on Facebook
The Surf Galley, 619 Buddy Holly Pl.
DJ at VFW
DJ Chuck will be playing all the golden oldies!
Friday, January 31, 2025, 5:00 PM – 8:00 PM-ish
Visit the VFW on Facebook
VFW, 219 Main Ave.
Live Music at TAP’d
The Kraft Brothers take the TAP’d stage to close out your Winter Dance Party Friday Night! These brothers from Kanawha absolutely know how to party! You’ll hear all country and rock at the show. They’ll play all your favorites from Johnny Cash and Dwight Yoakum to Eric Church and Kenny Chesney running through the timeline from the 50’s to today with plenty of surprises along the way.
Friday, January 31, 2025, show starts at 9:00 PM
Visit TAP’d on Facebook
TAP’d, 313 Main Ave.
Saturday Live Music Lineup at TAP’d
10:00 AM: Iowa Live Music journeyman, Kris Karr, makes his way back from the very talented town of Fort Dodge to kick off your Winter Dance Party Saturday! Kris will play it all and can’t wait to get the party started! KRIS takes the stage @ 10am
3:00 PM: We have the perfect band to keep the Winter Dance Party goin! The Craig Swalwell Band comes to us from a little town by Des Moines to play us all the classics! They take the stage at 3PM!
9:00 PM: Bad Decisions is excited to take part in the TAP’d Winter Dance Party 2025! Bad Decisions closes out Buddy Holly’s Saturday chock-full of 16 hours of live music at TAP’d! Coming up from Des Moines, they will play it all starting with the 50’s!
Saturday, February 1, 2025, shows at 10:00 AM, 3:00PM, and 9:00 PM
Visit TAP’d on Facebook
TAP’d, 313 Main Ave.
Bopper & Me Movie Screening
The Big Bopper died in a plane crash with Buddy Holly and Ritchie Valens. John Cumberland is a scrap metal merchant from the North East of England. Join him in this madcap adventure as he travels across America to get his idol inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Meet John Cumberland in person at our annual screening of the Bopper and Me. Showing at the Arts Center One Day Only.
Saturday, February 1, 2025, 1:00 PM
Visit the Clear Lake Arts Center’s website
Clear Lake Arts Center, 17 S. 4th St.
Live Music at The Surf Galley
Split Second Band
Saturday, February 1, 2025 from 2:00 PM – 6:00 PM
Visit The Surf Galley on Facebook
The Surf Galley, 619 Buddy Holly Pl.
DJ at VFW
DJ Chuck will be playing all the golden oldies!
Saturday, February 1, 2025, 2:00 PM – 6:00 PM-ish
Visit the VFW on Facebook
VFW, 219 Main Ave.
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, February 3, 2025 from 6:00 PM – 7:00 PM
Visit the Library’s website
Clear Lake Public Library, 200 N. 4th St.
Mystery Book Club: The Marlow Murder Club
The Mystery Book Club meets on the first Tuesday of the month at 6:00 pm in the library. October’s selection is The Marlow Murder Club by Robert Thorogood. Summary: Meet Judith: a seventy-seven-year-old whiskey drinking, crossword puzzle author living her best life in a dilapidated mansion on the outskirts of Marlow. Nothing ever happens here. That is, until Judith hears her neighbor shot while skinny-dipping in the Thames. The local police don’t believe her story. It’s an open and shut case, of course. Ha! Stefan can’t be left for dead like that. Judith investigates and picks up a crew of sidekicks: Suzie the dogwalker and Becks the vicar’s wife. Together, they are the Marlow Murder Club. When another body turns up, they realize they have a real-life serial killer on their hands. And the puzzle they set out to solve has become a trap from which they might never escape…
Tuesday, February 4, 2025 from 6:00 PM – 7:00 PM
Visit the Library’s website
Clear Lake Public Library, 200 N. 4th St.
Bean Bag Night at the VFW
VFW weekly bean bag night is every Wednesday. Sign up at 6:30pm, play begins at 7pm. $1 entry per person, prize money awarded each week. Bring a snack to share if you like!
Wednesdays, sign up at 6:30 PM, bags fly at 7:00 PM
Visit the VFW on Facebook
VFW, 219 Main Ave.