Listen Up Iowa was a school project for University of Northern Iowa student, Olivia Novak, from September to November of 2017. We will feature some of her pieces from time to time.
This was originally published the Listen Up Iowa website on Sep 18, 2017.
When people think of music festivals, they probably think about notorious ones like Lollapalooza, Coachella, or Bonnaroo, but Iowa has plenty of music festivals worth checking out. To make it easier on you, I’ve gathered five Iowa music festivals that stand out.
80/35
I couldn’t make this list without including 80/35. For two days in early July, Western Gateway Park comes to life with progressive indie and jam music. The festival is organized by the Des Moines Music Coalition, a non-profit company dedicated to building up the music community in Des Moines.
Boasting both free and paid stages, anyone is welcome to come an enjoy. DMMC brings in well-known artists like NAS, Weezer, The Decemberists, and Wu-Tang Clan, but also features many local artists. They even dedicate time to high school performances, encouraging young musicians.
80/35 celebrated its 10th anniversary this year, hosting artists like The Shins and MGMT. And it doesn’t show any signs of stopping.
