Events & Programs
View all upcoming live concerts, literature/poetry readings,
exhibition openings, and more below.
Email Programs Coordinator to propose an event at the Hearst Center.
Nature Quest, in collaboration with the CFPL, goes through May 2026! More info!​
Red House Studios: Located next door to the Hearst Center, this facility offers studio space to artists. We announce open lease opportunities on this site and our social media.
Upcoming
All events listed below are free, unless otherwise noted requiring pre registration via Civic Rec.
JULY
OUTDOOR FILM SCREENINGS
Tuesdays in July and August
Summer Nights, Silver Screens & Time Machines! This summer, the Hearst Center is taking movie night outside—because everything’s better under the stars!
Thanks to the generous support of one of our Friends of the Hearst members, we’re thrilled to bring you a brand-new summer tradition: Outdoor Film Screenings in the Garden!
What to Expect?
• This summer’s theme: classic & cult-favorite Time Travel movies
• A dreamy garden setting (fireflies included, no ticket required!)
• Bring-your-own-blanket-and-snacks vibes
• Time-bending fun for all ages
• Space is limited! Blankets closer to the screen, and lawn chairs further back in the garden.
Timeline (PG-13): Tuesday, July 29 at 8:45 p.m.
Time Bandits (PG): Tuesday, August 19 at 8:15 p.m.
PARTY ON THE PATIO
Thursdays in July from 5:00-7:00 p.m.
Music sponsored by Friends of the Hearst
Come jam with us to local live acoustic music on the patio. Thank you to Second State Brewery and FitPop for refreshments.
July 24: Four Count
July 31: Just a Bit Outside​
CEDAR VALLEY CHAMBER MUSIC OUTREACH PIANO RECITAL
Tuesday, July 22 at 6:00 p.m.
Pianist Peter Miyamoto performs selections from “Goyescas” by Enrique Granados (1911). The work of the Spanish artist Francisco Goya inspires this suite for piano. This work is usually considered to be one of the two crown-jewels in Spanish piano repertoire along with the Iberia Suite of Isaac Albeniz.
AUGUST
FRIENDS ANNUAL CELEBRATION WITH MUSIC BY BRAD & KATE
Thursday, August 7 at 6:00 p.m.
Sponsored by Friends of the Hearst
Let’s celebrate the special projects and events made possible through community support and Friends memberships! Enjoy a concert in the Sculpture Garden featuring local folk-pop duo Brad & Kate. La Calle and Try Piefood trucks on site. Bring a chair and your favorite beverage. Everyone welcome!
BOOK TALK WITH ROY R. BEHRENS
Sunday, August 17 from 2-3 p.m.
Roy R. Behrens discusses his book of twenty-five essays on surreal happenings in the history of Iowa and the Midwest, including Dali’s visit to Cedar Falls, Emerson’s walk across the ice on the Mississippi, Buffalo Bill’s doppelgängers, and the day when Grant Wood and Frank Lloyd Wright crossed paths. Behrens is professor emeritus of art and graphic design at the University of Northern Iowa. Dreams of Fields: Memory Traces of Iowa’s Past, Ice Cube Press, 2025 are available for purchase.
HYBRID! FINAL THURSDAY READING SERIES
Open mic at 7 p.m. and featured author at 7:30 p.m. Visit finalthursdaypress.com for virtual links.
The Final Thursday Reading Series is a collaboration of Final Thursday Press, the Hearst Center, the UNI College of Humanities, Arts and Sciences, and the UNI Department of Languages and Literatures. This event takes place on the final Thursday of each month.
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August 28: Dave Hoing and Roger Hileman Dave and Roger, authors of Shun the Heaven: An Antebellum Mystery, presents a reading with selected musical guests performing songs from the novel’s musical adaptation