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 7:00pm
Purchase tickets online
Lake Theatre, 4 N 4th Street
$5 adults, $4 children 12 & under
Paper and Clay Exhibition
A Legacy of Artistic Friendship, Form & Figure by Jo Ann Hendricks and Maureen Seamonds. Captivated by human form and figure, the exhibit is a beautiful collection of paintings and sculptures by artists Hendricks and Seamonds. Exhibit runs through August 31, 2024.
Open Tuesday-Saturday, 10:00am – 4:00pm
Visit the Clear Lake Art Center’s website
Clear Lake Arts Center, 17 S 4th St
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
2024 North Iowa Fair
Join us at the 2024 North Iowa Fair! Experience the excitement and wonder of the North Iowa Fair – the ultimate destination for family entertainment. From the thrilling rides to the delicious food and drink, there’s something for everyone at the North Iowa Fair. Explore the exhibits, enjoy the live music, and so much more! Come and make unforgettable memories with your loved ones! The North Iowa Fair has over 20 food vendors located throughout the Events Center, but primarily on the Main Midway, also known as Treat Street! Other vendors are located inside the All Seasons Building and at various outdoor locations.
There is no gate admission for the North Iowa Fair!
Parking is free on Wednesday and Sunday. Parking is $5 per car on Thursday, Friday and Saturday.
General parking will enter off of the North Iowa Events Center’s main entrance on 4th Street. Handicapped parking is available near the All Seasons Building. All you can ride carnival passes (good for one day) are $20 in advance and $25 onsite.
Wednesday, July 17th: Fair 3-10pm, Carnival 3-10pm; Thursday, July 18th: Fair 11am -10pm, Carnival 3-10pm; Friday, July 19th: Fair 11am-10pm, Carnival 12pm-Close; Saturday, July 20th: Fair 11am-10pm, Carnival 12pm-Close; Sunday, July 21st: Fair 11am-6pm, Carnival 12-6pm
Visit the event website
3700 4th St SW, Mason City, IA 50401
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 17, 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.
Live music by Spenser Rahm!
Wednesday, July 17, 2024, 5:00pm – 10:00pm
Visit the Lady of the Lake on Facebook
Lady of the Lake, docked downtown at the Seawall
Books on TapBooks on Tap meets on the third Wednesday of every month at 6:00 pm at Lake Time Brewery. 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.
Wednesday, July 17, 2024, 6:00pm – 7:00pm
Visit the Library’s website
Lake Time Brewery, 801 Main Ave
Ryan Davis & The Roadhouse Band
Join us on July 17, 2024, for Ryan Davis and the Roadhouse Band! Hailing from the frayed bottom-edge of Indiana, just a short ride north of Louisville, Kentucky, Ryan Davis is a multi-instrumentalist, artist, and songwriter known for his Americana-noir soundwaves. Over the years, he’s been a driving force for the lauded State Champion, a long-running member of Tropical Trash, and an administrator of the esoteric and excellent Cropped Out festival. Now, with his first proper solo release, “Dancing on the Edge,” Ryan Davis brings us a rich tapestry of tunes that glow over seven expansive cuts, blending modernity with heritage. After a period of introspection, Ryan’s sea change was imminent. “I wasn’t sure I would ever make another record of ‘song’ songs,” he says, “but last year I started writing again.” Indeed, there’s a load of inspiration captured in the grooves, with Ryan’s unfiltered, folk-traditional approach meeting sublime instrumentation head-on. This is a free event for the public, thanks to our amazing sponsors!
Wednesday, July 17, 2024, doors open at 6:00pm
Visit the Surf Ballroom’s website
Surf Ballroom, 460 N Shore Dr
Karaoke at TAP’
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 17, 2024, 8:00 PM – Midnight
Visit the Facebook event
TAP’d, 313 Main Avenue
Renewed & Recycled
Turn what would be trash into new treasures! We’ll turn empty spice jars into sensory bottles, miscellaneous puzzle pieces into collage art, and we’ll even create some cool art using old plastic eggs. Sponsored by the Friends of the Library.
Thursday, July 18, 2024, 1:00pm – 2:00pm
Visit the Library’s website
Clear Lake Public Library, 200 N 4th St
Thursdays on Main
Gear up for another unforgettable Thursdays on Main on July 18, with delicious food, lively performances, and vibrant atmosphere!
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 the Split Second Band, 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
7:00-9:00pm: Live Music, Main Avenue Stage: Split Second Band (60s – 80s Rock ‘n’ Roll)
All activities are FREE thanks to our generous sponsors!
Thursday, July 18, 2024, 6:00pm – 9:00pm
Visit the event website
Downtown Clear Lake
NOW PLAYING: Twisters (PG-13)
This summer, the epic studio disaster movie returns with an adrenaline-pumping, seat-gripping, big-screen thrill ride that puts you in direct contact with one of nature’s most wondrous—and destructive—forces. From the producers of the Jurassic, Bourne and Indiana Jones series comes Twisters, a current-day chapter of the 1996 blockbuster, Twister. Directed by Lee Isaac Chung, the Oscar® nominated writer-director of Minari, Twisters stars Golden Globe nominee Daisy Edgar-Jones (Where the Crawdads Sing, Normal People) and Glen Powell (Anyone But You, Top Gun: Maverick) as opposing forces who come together to try to predict, and possibly tame, the immense power of tornadoes. Edgar-Jones stars as Kate Cooper, a former storm chaser haunted by a devastating encounter with a tornado during her college years who now studies storm patterns on screens safely in New York City. She is lured back to the open plains by her friend, Javi (Golden Globe nominee Anthony Ramos, In the Heights) to test a groundbreaking new tracking system. There, she crosses paths with Tyler Owens (Powell), the charming and reckless social-media superstar who thrives on posting his storm-chasing adventures with his raucous crew, the more dangerous the better. As storm season intensifies, terrifying phenomena never seen before are unleashed, and Kate, Tyler and their competing teams find themselves squarely in the paths of multiple storm systems converging over central Oklahoma in the fight of their lives.
Thursday – Friday 7:00pm
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
Live Music at TAP’d
We finally get to bring back our favorite Oklahoma country boy, Luke Christenson, for a Thursdays on Main Afterparty! Luke will sing you a few of his originals while getting some crowd participation with his rock and country covers! Luke takes back the TAP’d stage at 9!
Thursday, July 18, 2024, 9:00 PM – 11:00 PM
Visit the Facebook event
TAP’d, 313 Main Avenue
Instrument Petting Zoo
Join us at our traveling instrument petting zoo! String, percussion, and keyboard instruments will be on display for students to gain hands-on experience with. Students learn where the instrument came from, how the instrument produces sound, and different playing techniques. Instruments from different cultures will also be featured for students to play and learn about. All ages welcome at this FREE Instrument Petting Zoo!
Friday, July 19, 2024, 9:00am-11:00am
Visit the Surf Ballroom’s website
Central Gardens of North Iowa, 800 2nd Ave N
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 19, 2024, 9:00am – 11:00am
Visit Central Garden’s website
Central Gardens of North Iowa, 800 2nd Ave N
Chamber Golf FUNraiser
Friday Jul 19, 2024
10:30 AM – 5:00 PM CDT
Join us Friday, July 19th for the Clear Lake Area Chamber of Commerce Golf FUNdraiser.
This 4-person, 9-hole best shot golf tournament is held at Veteran’s Memorial Golf Course and all proceed benefit the Clear Lake Area Chamber of Commerce.
Event schedule is as follows:
10:30 a.m. Registration, Happy Hour, and Lunch
11:45 p.m. Rules Meeting
12:00 p.m. Shotgun Start
4 p.m. Member Social (cash bar and heavy appetizers – all members are welcome!)
At the Golf FUNdraiser, First Mates will be hosting their annual What the Duck?! fundraiser where you can purchase chances to win great prizes.
We hope you’ll join us!
Friday, July 19, 2024, 10:30am – 5:00pm
Veterans Memorial Golf Club, 2000 N Shore Dr
Live Music at TAP’d
We have some amazing country talent coming back over from Fort Dodge in 2023 Midwest CMO “Maverick of the Year Nominee”, Jesse Wilson! Jesse has some originals to share with us to go along with some great rock and country covers! Jesse takes the stage at 9!
Friday, July 19, 2024 at 9:00 PM
Visit the Facebook event
TAP’d, 313 Main Avenue
City Wide Garage Sales
Families, clubs, and organizations are invited to participate in Clear Lake’s City-Wide Garage Sales. This community event is fun for collectors, families and bargain hunters from around the area. Find good bargains! Shop the Citywide Garage Sale! Map and listings will be in the Clear Lake Mirror Reporter.
Weekend of July 20, 2024
Visit the Mirror Reporter’s website
City-wide
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 20, 2024, 7:00am – 8:00am
Visit the event website
Downtown Seawall $2 per session
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 20, 2024, 9:00am – 12:00pm
Visit the Farmers Market on Facebook
Surf Ballroom Parking Lot – 460 N Shore Dr
Antique & Classic Boat Show
The Clear Lake Antique & Classic Boat Show will be held Saturday, July 20th at the downtown seawall next to Clear Lake’s City Park.
Classic wooden and fiberglass boats from Century, Chris-Craft, Higgins, and more will be displayed on land and water from 9am-3pm.
Boat owners will be on hand to answer questions about their restored boats.
Registration for boat owners and admission for the viewing public is free.
Awards will be given for both “Skipper’s Choice” and “People’s Choice.” Attendees and owners will be invited to submit their favorites to the Host Committee.
At the conclusion of the show, a boat cruise will depart from City Dock (weather permitting). All registered participants are invited to a free social and awards presentation at the Clear Lake Yacht Club following the cruise. To register your boat, email wrc@surfballroom.com with the following details: boat manufacturer and model, length, power, boat name, and owner name.
Saturday, July 20, 2024, 9:00am – 3:00pm
Visit the Facebook Event
Iowa Storytelling Festival
Join us for a renewed event this year, highlighting local authors as well as professional storytellers. Held at the Ventura Community Center, this event is a partnership between several Cerro Gordo County Libraries and is fun for all ages.
10am: doors open to the public
10:30am: Will Stuck, Children’s Stories
11:30am: lunch break
1pm: Bob Gasch, Campfire Stories
2:30pm: Maureen Korte, History of Storytelling
Saturday, July 20, 2024, 9:00am – 2:30pm
Visit the Library’s website
Ventura Community Center
Galilean Labyrinth Open House
Enjoy complimentary admission and guided tours, along with refreshments. Experience the musical stylings of Old Man Dan, featuring his original songs inspired by a journey well-traveled. The outdoor mowed walking path is sprinkled with wildflowers, Bible verses, and surrounded by cultivated flower beds. Sit in the gazebo, enjoy nature, and reconnect with your spiritual side.
Our labyrinth is open to the public from dawn to dusk every day.
Saturday, July 20, 2024, 9:00am – 12:00pm
Visit the Facebook event
Highway 18 – West of Clear Lake
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 20, 2024, 9:00am – 11:00am
Visit the event website
Surf Ballroom Enrichment Center, 509 Buddy Holly Place
Ruck Iowa Veterans Hike
Ruck Iowa’s mission is to facilitate fun physical events for veterans, develop lasting relationships, promote positive mental health, and build camaraderie. Ruck Iowa is hosting a local hike event for veterans that align with our mission and vision. The event will be a leisurely hike through Clear Lake, IA. Local veterans will be able to form connections with other veterans and build a sense of camaraderie. A meal will be provided at the end of the event as well as door prizes. This year, the hike will start and end at Pine Tree Park shelter.
Saturday, July 20, 2024, registration will start @ 10am, hike will begin @ 11am
Visit the event website
Pine Tree Park
Live Music at TAP’d
TAP’d brings back Maclane Powell for a Saturday Night Show!! Let’s bring it in for one of our very own Clear Lakers! Maclane will play a nice mixture of classic and new country while mixing in some southern rock! You’ll hear all the great songs from Willie Nelson & Waylon Jennings to Garth Brooks & Lynyrd Skynyrd! Mac takes the stage at 7 (before and after the Maddie & Tae concert at the Surf)!
Saturday, July 20, 2024, first show at 7pm and again after the Surf Concert
Visit the Facebook event
TAP’d, 313 Main Avenue
Maddie & Tae: Here’s to Friends
Award-winning duo Maddie & Tae are drawing praise for their No. 1 debuting The Way It Feels album release with Rolling Stone saying the new music is “anchored around their stellar vocal pairings and some of the tightest harmonies on Music Row.” Together as longtime friends and music collaborators, Maddie Font and Taylor Kerr co-wrote 14 of the album’s 15 tracks including the Platinum-certified No. 1 country radio hit, “Die From A Broken Heart,” which Esquire calls “their finest moment yet.” The pair also co-wrote two brand new holiday songs to join a collection of classics for their first ever holiday project- We Need Christmas.
Maddie & Tae first broke out in 2013 with their brilliant counter to bro-country, the Platinum-selling smash, “Girl In A Country Song,” which took Country radio by storm, skyrocketing to the top of the charts and quickly going PLATINUM. The duo became only the third female duo in 70 years to top the Country Airplay charts, also earning trophies from the Country Music Academy and Radio Disney Music Awards along with multiple ACM, CMA and CMT Award nominations. Maddie & Tae have received widespread praise from Associated Press, Billboard, Entertainment Weekly, NPR, The Tennessean, The Washington Post, Glamour and others. The celebrated duo has toured with country music’s hottest stars including Carrie Underwood, Dierks Bentley, Brad Paisley and more.
Saturday, July 20, 2024, doors open at 8:00pm
Purchase tickets here
Surf Ballroom, 460 N Shore Dr
$25 advance / $30 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 21, 2024, 10:00am – 11:00am
Church in the Park’s Website
City Park
Lions Chicken BBQ
Annual Noon Lions Chicken BBQ Fundraiser, serving from 10:30am-2pm or until sold out. Meal includes a half grilled secret-recipe chicken, coleslaw, roll, cookie, and beverage.
Sunday, July 21, 2024, 10:30am- 2:00pm (or until sold out)
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!
Fanfare of Wakakusa Hill – Itaru Sakai
The Big Four – Karl King arr. James Swearingen
Overture To A New Millenium – Ed Huckeby
The Lion King – Elton John/Hans Zimmerman, arr. Paul Lavender
Down a Country Lane – Aaron Copland trans. Patterson
The Bandwagon – Philip Sparke
Caribbean Holiday – Richard Otto
The Chicken Dance – Werner Thomas arr. Michael Sweeney
Pentland Hills – arr. Capt. Jimmy Howe
The Star Spangled Banner – John Stafford Smith arr. Jack Stamp
Sunday, July 21, 2024, 1:00pm – 2:30pm
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.
The Mercury 3 is a rootsy rockabilly 3-piece band that has been a staple at festivals, parties, bars, clubs, car shows, special events, and anywhere a good is had in the upper Midwest. This Mason City Iowa based group features Dan True on guitar, Matt Root on drums, and Jeremy True on upright bass. They play a blend of Rockabilly favorites with a few surprises mixed in.
Sunday, July 21, 2024, 5:00pm – 6:00pm
Visit Central Garden’s website
Central Gardens of North Iowa Activity Lawn, 800 2nd Ave N
Movie Monday – Matinee
Join us for a movie on the fourth Monday of each month at 1:00 pm. Check out the Clear Lake Library website for details on the selected movie. Popcorn and lemonade will be provided.
Monday, July 22, 2024, 1:00pm – 3:00pm
Visit the Library’s website
Clear Lake Public Library, 200 N 4th St
Movie Monday – Evening Showing
Join us for a movie on the fourth Monday of every month at 5:30 pm. Check the Clear Lake Library website for details about the selected movie. Popcorn and lemonade are provided.
Monday, July 22, 2024, 5:30pm – 7:30pm
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 22, 2024, 6:00pm – 7:00pm
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 22, 2024, 6:30pm – 8:30pm
The VFW, 219 Main Ave
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 23, 2024, 9:30am – 10:30am (weather permitting)
Visit Central Garden’s website
Central Gardens of North Iowa, 800 2nd Avenue North
TechTalk: Young Professionals Take on Tech
Join us at TechTalk for a panel discussion looking at emergent technology from the eyes of North Iowa’s next generation of professionals and leaders. Register at https://techtalk.zohobackstage.com/TechTalk-Stellar-Industries#/ TechTalk creates a space for sparking new ideas and conversations between innovators, entrepreneurs, investors, educators, technologists, community members, and community partners. TechTalk’s goal is to engage, encourage, and elevate technology in North Iowa by creating the opportunity for meaningful interactions. Members are interested in adding more value to each month’s event while supporting and growing North Iowa’s creative class, including tech employees and employers. TechTalk is a community-organized event and meets monthly.
Tuesday, July 23, 2024, 5:00pm – 7:00pm
Visit the event website
Lake Time Brewery, 801 Main Ave