Clear Lake Events
Wednesday, July 10 – Tuesday, July 16, 2024
View our Events Calendar
All events are free unless noted
NOW PLAYING: Despicable Me 4 (PG)
Gru, Lucy, Margo, Edith, and Agnes welcome a new member to the family, Gru Jr., who is intent on tormenting his dad. Gru faces a new nemesis in Maxime Le Mal and his girlfriend Valentina, and the family is forced to go on the run.
Wednesday & Thursday 4:00pm & 7:00pm,
Friday, Saturday, & Sunday 1:00pm, 4:00pm, & 7:00pm
Monday & Tuesday 7:00pm
Purchase tickets online
Lake Theatre, 4 N 4th Street
$5 adults, $4 children 12 & under
Messy Art
Grab some old clothes you don’t mind getting dirty and join us in the meeting room for Messy Art! All ages, toddler to adult, are invited to spend some time creating their own masterpieces. Crafts will fit the Summer Reading theme of Read, Renew, Repeat. Some paint shirts in select sizes are available to borrow. Drop in event. Sponsored by the Friends of the Library.
Wednesday, July 10, 2024, 2:00pm – 4:00pm
Visit the Library’s website
Clear Lake Public Meeting Room, 200 N 4th St
Dockside Night
Sit back and enjoy a relaxing evening on the Lady of the Lake Dockside! Feel the fresh air on your face, sway to the music, and relax into the lake lifestyle. Cash bar opens at 5pm. No cover charge.
This week Jarno Solo performs!
Wednesday, July 10, 2024, 5:00pm – 10:00pm
Visit the Lady of the Lake on Facebook
Lady of the Lake, docked downtown at the Seawall
Classic Book Club: The Great Gatsby
This group is a quarterly opportunity to read, analyze and discuss important books that have made unique contributions in their fields. We will take an interdisciplinary approach that includes a wide range of areas such as history, law, business, literature, and biography. This group is open to the public at large and requires no on-going commitment. Members can simply come for whatever book they are interested in that quarter. The Great Gatsby by F Scott Fitzgerald: The story of the fabulously wealthy Jay Gatsby and his love for the beautiful Daisy Buchanan, of lavish parties on Long Island at a time when The New York Times noted “gin was the national drink and sex the national obsession,” it is an exquisitely crafted tale of America in the 1920s. Facilitator: Bennett Smith is the President of the Clear Lake Library Foundation and is an instructor in history and political science at North Iowa Area Community College (NIACC). He is also an instructor in various lifelong learning programs including the NIACC lifelong Learning Institute; the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at Iowa State University and the LIFE program at Rochester Community and Technical College in Rochester, Minnesota. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in speech communication and a Master of Arts degree in history from Iowa State University. He is from Clear Lake, IA, and currently serves on the Clear Lake City Council.
Wednesday, July 10, 2024, 6:00pm – 7:00pm
Visit the Library’s website
Clear Lake Public Library, 200 N 4th St
Mark Cameron Band
Join us on July 10th, 2024, for the Mark Cameron Band! Minnesota-based singer, songwriter, and guitarist Mark Cameron has been active in live music for over thirty years. Mark began his performing career in the rich folk-rock scene of the early 1970s and brought this influence into several bands he founded during the 1980s and 1990s. Today, Mark’s focus is centered on crafting original Blues songs with strong melodies and memorable lyrics. The range of Mark’s material stretches the Blues beyond safe limits with a focus on “foot stompin’ music that is built for a live audience. Even better, this is a free event for the public thanks to the great sponsors!
Wednesday, July 10, 2024, doors open at 6:00pm
Visit the Surf Ballroom’s website
Surf Ballroom, 460 N Shore Dr
Karaoke at TAP’d
Karaoke has been moved to Wednesday nights! We’ll still be bringing you the best, MOJO Productions All Star Karaoke! Jared & his crew are constantly updating their song book & coming up with new on stage effects to make it so much fun!
Wednesday, July 10, 2024, 8:00 PM – Midnight
Visit the Facebook event
TAP’d, 313 Main Avenue
Meet the Reptiles
Get up close and personal with amazing creatures. Kids and adults alike will get the chance to learn, discuss, and touch various reptiles and arachnids. Sponsored by the Friends of the Clear Lake Public Library.
Thursday, July 11, 2024, 10:30am – 11:30am
Visit the Library’s website
Clear Lake Public Meeting Room, 200 N 4th St
Brave New World Book Club: The Year of the Flood
Dystopia is an imagined state or society in which there is great suffering or injustice. Usually these imagined states end up ominously reflective of our own society. The Year of the Flood by Margaret Atwood: The times and species have been changing at a rapid rate, and the social compact is wearing as thin as environmental stability. Adam One, the kindly leader of the God’s Gardeners—a religion devoted to the melding of science and religion, as well as the preservation of all plant and animal life—has long predicted a natural disaster that will alter Earth as we know it. Now it has occurred, obliterating most human life. Two women have survived: Ren, a young trapeze dancer locked inside the high-end sex club Scales and Tails, and Toby, a God’s Gardener barricaded inside a luxurious spa where many of the treatments are edible. Have others survived? Ren’s bioartist friend Amanda? Zeb, her eco-fighter stepfather? Her onetime lover, Jimmy? Or the murderous Painballers, survivors of the mutual-elimination Painball prison? Not to mention the shadowy, corrupt policing force of the ruling powers…
Thursday, July 11, 2024, 6:00pm – 7:00pm
Visit the Library’s website
Clear Lake Public Library, 200 N 4th St
Thursdays on Main
The magic of Thursdays on Main is back on July 11, bringing together community spirit and endless entertainment!
Join us from 6pm to 9pm for an evening filled with fun, music, and a vibrant atmosphere that will make your summer Thursdays unforgettable. We have an incredible lineup of activities and entertainment planned just for you and your family!
Get ready to groove to the incredible tunes of Betty & the Gents, who will take the street stage at 7pm.
Start your weekend early at Thursdays on Main!
This Chamber event features live entertainment, “Mojo’s Main Ave Cruise-In” classic car show, bounce houses, extended retail store hours, vendor street market, and more!
Main Avenue activities are 6:00-9:00pm
6:00pm Special Entertainment (SE corner of City Park): Clear Lake Athletics & Wellness Center Kids Club
7:00-9:00pm: Live Music, Main Avenue Stage: Betty & the Gents
All activities are FREE thanks to our generous sponsors!
Thursday, July 11, 2024, 6:00pm – 9:00pm
Visit the event website
Downtown Clear Lake
Live Music at TAP’d
Iowa Live Music journeyman, Kris Karr, makes his way back from the very talented town of Fort Dodge to play a Thursdays on Main Afterparty at TAP’d! Kris concentrates on music around the 1970s such as Three Dog Night, The Eagles, & Bread, while sprinkling in some originals for us!
Thursday, July 11, 2024, 8:00 PM – 11:00 PM
Visit the Facebook event
TAP’d, 313 Main Avenue
Fresh on Friday
Savor Friday mornings in the Garden! Select from a number of beautiful garden fresh bouquets put together by a talented group of volunteers. Enjoy complimentary coffee and refreshments on the patio and sample veggies and herbs picked straight out of the Bee Happy Discovery Garden! Kids activities abound! Our youth group, Gardeners of Tomorrow, will be selling a wide variety of organically grown veggies and herbs! Come join us for this popular event!
The Bee Happy Discovery Garden buzzes with excitement each Friday morning as kids of all ages connect with the garden, community and each other! Taste what’s growing, explore, help out, and observe using all one’s senses! Magnifying glasses, watering cans, art materials and books help kids connect with the garden at their own pace. Each Friday features special garden activities and community visitors. Follow our Facebook page for updates.
Friday, July 12, 2024, 9:00am – 11:00am
Visit Central Garden’s website
Central Gardens of North Iowa, 800 2nd Avenue North
Paper and Clay Exhibition Opening
Please join us for the opening reception for Paper and Clay exhibition by Jo Ann Hendricks and Maureen Seamonds. Come and meet both artists and enjoy a beautiful collection of paintings and sculptures. The exhibition will be open through August 31.
Friday, July 12, 2024, 5:00pm – 7:30pm
Visit the event on Facebook
Clear Lake Arts Center, 17 South 4th Street
Sorry For Last Night at The Landing
Sorry For Last Night will be playing live on the barge starting at 6pm at The Landing.
Friday, July 12, 2024, 6:00pm – 10:00pm
Visit the Facebook event
The Landing, 1603 S Shore Dr
Live Music at TAP’d
We get to bring Danny Grause back to TAP’d! Danny comes to us from Ames to give us a nice mix of country, blues, funk & rock! His favorite artists to cover are Eric Church, Zac Brown Band, & Chris Stapleton! Danny also has some originals to share with us, most notably, Midwest CMO Song of the Year “Man on a Mountain”!
Friday, July 12, 2024, 9:00 PM – Midnight
Visit the Facebook event
TAP’d, 313 Main Avenue
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. Discover the perfect blend of relaxation and invigoration amidst a truly unique setting. Don’t miss out!
Saturday, July 13, 2024, 07:00am – 8:00am
Visit the event website
Downtown Seawall $2 per session
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!
Weigh-ins from 7:30-8:30am, and wrestling starts at 9:00 am
Divisions (College, Senior, Masters, Female, Veterans split by age)
Elementary 3rd-5th, Middle School 6th-8th, High School 9th-12th
College 19-25, Senior 26-34, Masters 35-50, Veterans 51+
Weights: Lighter than 60lb will be paired accordingly.
60-70, 71-80, 81-90, 91-100, 125, 145, 160, 175, 190, 220, 285
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 13, 2024
Register here
Clear Lake City Beach
Pre registration $20 // Same Day Registration $25
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 13, 2024, 9:00am – 12:00pm
Visit the Farmers Market on Facebook
Surf Ballroom Parking Lot – 460 North Shore Drive
Beginner Guitar
Always wanted to learn guitar? Here is your chance! Instructor Kristie Hayner will host beginner guitar classes every Saturday July-August! These group style, relaxed classes are for beginner-intermediate students to learn the basics of this beloved instrument. All students 4th grade and up are welcome. Learn some chords, get strumming and play some good old fashion Rock ‘n’ Roll at the Surf Ballroom Music Enrichment Center this Summer! Surf Ballroom Music Enrichment Center Saturdays July-August 9:00-10:00AM- Beginner 10:00-11:00AM- Intermediate Free No Registration Required Drop-ins Welcome
Saturday, July 13, 2024, 9:00am – 11:00am
Visit the event website
Surf Ballroom Enrichment Center, 509 Buddy Holly Place
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 20 Iowa craft breweries with their finest brews, hosted by Lake Time Brewery and Clear Lake Rotary.
Space is limited to 1000 attendees to allow for more space this year, so plan to get your tickets early to attend as we sold out last time. 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. #brewsonthebeach
Saturday, July 13, 2024
Visit the event website
N Lakeview Dr by City Park
Tickets must be purchased for this event. VIP are $50 and go from 12-4 General Admission is $35 and goes from 1-4
Live Music at TAP’d
TAP’d is excited to bring in another Nashville musician! Derek Stoner makes his way through the area but not without stopping at TAP’d for a couple Saturday shows! Derek bought his first guitar overseas, teaching himself how to play on his downtime! In 2022, after 20 years of serving as a Special Forces Green Beret, Derek retired from the military and started playing shows! Now Derek resides in Nashville playing in the biggest honky-tonks in the USA! Derek will cover all your favorites from Travis Tritt, Hank Williams Jr. & George Strait! Derek takes the TAP’d stage at 4 for the Official “Brews on the Beach” Afterparty & again at 9!
Saturday, July 13, 2024, first show at 4pm and again at 9pm
Visit the Facebook event
TAP’d, 313 Main Avenue
Marcia Ball featuring The Jimmys
Ball will bring the party on the road, playing her new songs and old favorites for fans around the globe. “I still love the feel of the wheels rolling,” she says, “and the energy in a room full of people ready to go wherever it is we take them.” With both her new album and her legendary live performances, Marcia Ball will shine a light into the darkness, making the world a brighter place one song at a time.
The Jimmys is an award winning, high energy, 7-piece funky blues band that will have you dancing!!
Saturday, July 13, 2024, doors open at 8:00pm
Purchase tickets here
Surf Ballroom, 460 N Shore Dr
$21 advance / $26 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 14, 2024, 10:00am – 11:00am
Church in the Park’s Website
City Park
Municipal Band Concert
Enjoy a wonderful afternoon concert brought to you by the Clear Lake Municipal Band in the Ludwig Wangberg Band Shell at City Park with Holly Prier-Lloyd as director and Chuck Cooper as announcer. Bring your lawn chair and relax in City Park as they strike up the band!
Concert Program: Fanfare of Wakakusa Hill – Itaru Sakai
New Mexico March – John Philip Sousa ed. Frederick Fennell
Norma Overture – Vincenzo Bellini arr. Leonard Falcone
Elvis Presley: His Golden Hits arr. Bill Holcombe
Can You Feel the Love Tonight – Elton John arr. Jay Bocook
Army of the Nile (March) – Kenneth Alford ed. Frederick Fennell
Funiculi, Funicula – Luigi Denza arr. Alfred Reed
Danzon (from “Fancy Free”) – Leonard Bernstein arr. Jay Bocook
Earle of Oxford’s Marche – William Byrd arr. Steven Grimo
The Star Spangled Banner – John Stafford Smith arr. Jack Stamp
Sunday, July 14, 2024, 4:00pm – 5:30pm
City Park Bandshell
Picnics & Performances
Celebrate local talent at this eight-week, family friendly, FREE concert series! Bring a lawn chair, a picnic, a bottle of wine, and enjoy music in the beauty of the Gardens.
This week: Jessica McClintock, a solo-acoustic performer that has been performing around Iowa for over 10 years. She has opened for LoCash, Lainey Wilson, and Jordan Davis. She enjoys putting her own twist on classic songs and country but always keeps a good variety of covers. When she isn’t singing she is a mom of two and enjoys spending time with her husband, kids, and dog.
Sunday, July 14, 2024, 5:00pm – 6:00pm
Visit Central Garden’s website
Central Gardens of North Iowa Activity Lawn, 800 2nd Ave N
WILDLIVE – Vacation Bible School
KIDS VBS Showcasing Christ’s Love. An exciting week where kids encounter creatures from around the planet, complete with amazing skills, special habitats, and surprising features. Through the lessons, students will focus on Jesus’ captivating character and discover how to follow Him in their own “habitats.”
July 14-18, 2024. 5:30-7:30 PM
For kids in Kindergarten through 6th grade.
Sunday through Thursday. Supper is provided each night.
Sunday, July 14 – Thursday, July 18, 5:30pm – 7:30pm
Visit the event website
Clear Lake Baptist Church, 314 N 6th St
Big Band: Al Welsh Orchestra
Step back in time and experience the golden era of big band music during the Surf’s Big Band Dance season! Join us for an evening filled with the timeless sounds of swing, jazz, and big band classics, performed live by the renowned Al Welsh Orchestra.
The Surf Ballroom boasts a spacious dance floor, perfect for ballroom dancing. Whether you’re a seasoned dancer or a newcomer, there’s room for everyone!
Sunday, July 14, 2024, doors open at 5:30pm
Visit the Surf Ballroom’s website
Surf Ballroom, 460 N Shore Dr
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 15, 2024, 6:00pm – 7:00pm
Visit the Library’s website
Clear Lake Public Library, 200 N 4th St
Line Dancing with Mary Jo
Free Line Dancing is back at Central Gardens! Join instructor Mary Jo Kennan for a free hour of instruction every Tuesday from 9:30-10:30 at the Fountain Plaza inside the main gates. Anyone wanting to have fun and get some exercise is welcome, regardless of skill level or age. Bring comfortable shoes, a water bottle, and a smile!
Tuesday, July 16, 2024, 9:30am – 10:30am (weather permitting)
Visit Central Garden’s website
Central Gardens of North Iowa, 800 2nd Avenue North
Book Chat: The Seed Keeper
Book Chat meets on the third Tuesday of every month at 12:00 pm in the library meeting room. July’s selection is The Seed Keeper by Diane Wilson. Rosalie Iron Wing has grown up in the woods with her father, Ray, a former science teacher who tells her stories of plants, of the stars, of the origins of the Dakota people. Until, one morning, Ray doesn’t return from checking his traps. Told she has no family, Rosalie is sent to live with a foster family in nearby Mankato–where the reserved, bookish teenager meets rebellious Gaby Makespeace, in a friendship that transcends the damaged legacies they’ve inherited.
Tuesday, July 16, 2024, 12:00pm – 1:00pm
Visit the Library’s website
Clear Lake Public Library, 200 N 4th St
Business After Hours hosted by Athletico Physical Therapy
You’re invited to a Business After Hours hosted by Athletico Physical Therapy and the Clear Lake Area Chamber of Commerce First Mates. It’s a fantastic opportunity to explore the facility and connect with fellow professionals. Discover the services offered at Athletico, take a tour of the facility, and enjoy refreshments while building valuable connections with other Chamber members.
Free for Chamber members, no RSVP required.
Tuesday, July 16, 2024, 4:30pm – 6:00pm
Visit the event on Facebook
Athletico Physical Therapy, 7 S 8th St
Party in the Park
Harvest Bible Chapel invites you to an evening of inflatables, food, and fun!
Tuesday, July 16, 2024, 5:30pm – 7:30pm
Visit the event website
Clear Lake City Park
Conservation Chat
Join us at the library for six different presentations throughout the summer that coincide with this year’s summer reading theme, Read, Renew, Repeat. Together we can gather the tools, resources, and knowledge needed to become a more conservation-minded community.
Join Amie Adams, an Iowa Master Naturalist and author of The Observer to learn about a little-known Iowa naturalist named Olaf Wolden. Born in Emmet County in northwest Iowa in 1886, Olaf lived through a time when the Iowa landscape was changing rapidly. Throughout his lifetime, Olaf studied plants, birds, and the landscape of his home. Come listen to a selection of stories about native plants, animals, and Iowa’s environmental history.
Tuesday, July 9, 6:30pm – 7:30pm
Visit the Library’s website
Clear Lake Public Library Meeting Room , 200 N 4th St