Iowa City Downtown District www.downtowniowacity.c

The Iowa City Downtown District is one incredible place to discover unique dining and shopping treasures.

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What to do Downtown Iowa City-Valentines Day Weekend

Valentines day is right around the corner, two weeks to be exact.  To make your life a little easier, we have created a list of dinner, breakfast and dessert places to spend your Valentines Day weekend at! For more information, click the name of the business or give them a call!  Happy Valentines Day! 

B R E A K F A S T 

1. Bread Garden 

Bread garden will be offering a Breakfast in Bed option for Valentine's Day, offered in both full and half size (full serves 2, half serves 1). Breakfast includes mini quiche, house-made sausage, fresh fruit, house-made danish, chocolate truffle, and fresh squeezed orange juice.   Full - $35.00 // Half - $18.00 -- add champagne for an additional $10

2. Motley Cow

Motley Cow will be offering brunch and dinner on Valentines Day.  Their dinner menu will be posted onto their social media pages very soon.  For more information, give them a call at [phone].

D I N N E R 

1. One Twenty Six 

One Twenty Six will be offering a special Valentines Day course meal menu. The menu will be as follows.  For more information, Call at 887-1909 or email: [email protected]

2. Pullman Bar & Diner 

Pullmans if offering a special Valentines Day dinner.  They will be featuring several specials for dinner service on February 14th this year. Here's what you can expect

Appetizers: poached shrimp, Solerno compressed pineapple, blood orange, pickled and fried shallot, cucumber ribbons, green curry, cilantro seared Hudson Valley Foie Gras, Fernet French Toast, Luxardo cherries, hazelnuts, Luxardo liquid gel, compressed pears Mains: Seared smoked salmon, beet syrup, roasted beets, pickled beets, orange, smoked walnuts, mixed lettuces, charred scallion, dill Seared Flat Iron steak , carrot Romesco, smoked carrots, poached leeks, Marcona almonds, Chimichurri, pickled red onion, chive batons, dill Dessert: Frangelico chocolate chiffon, Earl Grey ice cream, cinnamon ice cream, Frangelico Gelee, hot chocolate 

Be sure to get your reservation in for February 14th, as it is first-come, first-served seating for half of the restaurant and reservation-only for the other half. Call at 319-338-1808 to make reservations! 

3. Share Wine Lounge 

Share Wine Lounge is offering a 4 course dinner on both Saturday the 13th and Sunday the 14th.  The four course dinner will be $50.00 and $70.00 if paired with wine. Be sure to make your reservations as soon as possible! 

4. Givanni’s 

You had me as pasta. Givanni’s will be open on Valentine's Day from 5pm-9pm and they will be offering a special Valentines Day dinner that will be featuring a a limited menu and will also be offering 1/2 priced bottles of wine.  Reservations are encouraged by visiting www.Givannis.com or by calling 319-338-5967.  

5. Baroncini 

Baroncini’s is offering a special Valentines Day menu for Sunday the 14th and will be accepting reservations starting 1:30pm to 9:30pm. Please call 319-337-2048 to make your reservation. Space is limited.

6. Joseph’s Steakhouse 

Joseph’s Steakhouse will be having a V-day special for two menu, as listed below. Be sure to get your reservation in online or call [phone].

7.  Brix Cheese shop and Wine Bar 

If you aren’t into the traditional sit down dinner or two, this ones for you! Brix is hosting a Winter Wine Social.  Wine, cheese and Chocolate; what more could you want.  The social will be on February 14th from 5 to 8pm.  Tickets are $50.00 per person and are limited so be sure to get yours as soon as possible, by calling 319-359-1999  

S W E E T S 

1. Sweets and Treats 

Sweets and Treats will be offering 2 free chocolate strawberries when you purchase a pound.  As well as free gift wrap! 

2. Mollys Cupcakes 

Molly’s cupcakes is offering a made to order special Valentines Day cake.  Your choice of flavor and decor.  Be sure to get your order in before its too late! Call [phone] to place your order. 

3. Aspen Leaf Frozen Yogurt 

Aspen Leaf will be offering a 10% discount on hand dipped chocolate covered strawberries when you Pre-order before February 7th. They are also offering a free apple with purchase of three on Feb 13th and 14th. For more information call 319-351-972

Written by: Roshni Chokshi                                                                                   

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Downtown and UICCU Exceed $10,000 Giving Goal for United Way

“We put a new twist on the campaign this year and I’m very pleased with how our businesses and the community responded to support the United Way of Washington and Johnson Counties,” stated Nancy Bird, Executive Director of the Iowa City Downtown District. The ICDD partnered with the University of Iowa Community Credit Union to match donations, resulting in and offering of close to $11,000 for the United Way over the holiday season.Donations poured in through several event, including the December Holiday Market, the Downtown Gingerbread House Competition, and a social media campaign. The ICDD has developed a refined approach to events that ensure each event or initiative includes strong partnership with other organizations and a mechanism to give back to the community.

“Our commitment to the communities we serve is consistent with the credit union philosophy of “people helping people,” according to UICCU President/CEO Jeff Disterhoft. “UICCU was pleased to be able to partner with the ICDD to sponsor the Holiday Market and help United Way provide vital social services in our region.”

“A special thanks goes out to the volunteers that supported the activities during the Market and Gingerbread House competitions, and special gratitude to the generosity of the downtown businesses and the incredible UICCU match funding,” said United Way President & CEO Katie Knight. “The donations will be investing in improving peoples’ lives in Johnson County.”  

The following Downtown businesses participated in the cash campaign:

Active Endeavors

Beadology

Chait Galleries

Discerning Eye 

Downtown Dental Health Center

The Englert Theatre

Hamburg Inn #2

Hands Jewelers

The Haunted Bookshop

Herteen & Stocker Jewelers

Iowa Book LLC

Iowa City Downtown District

Neumann Monson

Pagliai’s Pizza

Prairie Lights

Textiles

Velvet Coat

Downtown banks, including Hills Bank and Trust, MidwestOne, US Bank, and Wells Fargo, are also traditionally large donors to the United Way but participate in separate workforce campaigns not reflected in the $10,000 goals.

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In 4 days join us in #downtowniowacity #pedmall for our Downtown Holiday Market sponsored by UICCU. The best gifts items downtown has to offered will be all in our beautifully decorated holiday tent. From 10am-5:30pm, on Dec 12th, enjoy an open cash bar, while finishing your holiday shopping. #thisisiowa #ShopSmall #ourdowntownistoocute #iowacity (at Iowa City, Iowa)

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During the #HolidayMarket sponsored by UICCU, on Dec. 12th in Black Hawk Mini, we will hosting a raffle worth over $1,000 to downtown businesses. All proceeds will go to #unitedway. Tickets are $2. #iowacity #tistheseasondowntown #downtowniowacity #ShopSmall #this

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Downtown Spreads Holiday Cheer with Gingerbread House Competition

Gingerbread House Competition for Adults & Kids in Black Hawk Mini Park set 

Date/Location: December 12th, 7pm-11:30pm- Black Hawk Mini Park 

Each year, Downtown Iowa City is filled with a packed schedule of holiday activities. Along with the traditional Saturday activities scheduled, new for 2015, the ICDD will introduce an inaugural Downtown Gingerbread House Competition for both children and adults. The Downtown Gingerbread House Competition will be held on the night of December 12th, inside of a holiday heated tent in Black Hawk Mini Park. The event will be ticketed; tickets will be $40/gingerbread house and each house can have up to 4 people. Each group will have 1 hour to completely construct and decorate their houses. The shifts will be 7-8pm; 8:30-9:30pm, 10-11pm. Tickets are extremely limited with only 30 gingerbread house tickets available per shift. "We are thrilled to introduce this wonderful new holiday tradition to our schedule of winter programming," said Director of Operations, Betsy Potter. "It is a going to be a really fun night, with delicious homemade gingerbread by a downtown bakery, live music, and dozens of pounds of candy. This event will be an experience in itself, groups of children, families, and adults going head to head over candy houses." This new downtown event will be a night event following the Downtown Holiday Market sponsored by UICCU that will take place in the same tent and location during the day. Tickets for the first ever Downtown Gingerbread House Competition go on sale, Tuesday, November 3rd at downtowniowacity.com. To attend this event, you must pre-register by purchasing a $40 ticket and choose what shift you would like to participate.  A ticket includes entry for parties of up to four people, gingerbread house pieces, royal frosting for decoration and construction, candy supplies to decorate, and boxing so you can take your creation home for the holidays! While competitors are busy at work on their festive candy-coated gingerbread houses,a holiday cash bar will be open to spectators and participants serving up speciality holiday drinks, Big Grove beer, and wine. There will be three one-hour shifts of the competition and winners will be announced and receive a prize at the end of each shift. Winners of the gingerbread categories will go home with a Downtown Iowa City gift card of up to $100! Gingerbread houses will be judged by local bakers in the following categories: Best Overall Execution ($100 prize)  Most Creative/Inventive ($75 prize) All supplies for the construction and decorating of the gingerbread houses will be provided and are included in the $40 gingerbread house ticket, competitors are free to bring extra supplies for their creation. All houses must be 100% edible! See the entire list of downtown holiday events here: http://downtowniowacity.com/pages/events/tis-the-season-downtown.php Tickets will be available online HERE ### The Iowa City Downtown District is a 501(c)6 non-profit organization that provides a leadership directive for the District mission and serves as a mechanism to more efficiently implement District-wide marketing, programs, events and projects to the benefit of all businesses within it, the University of Iowa, community members, and the region at large. Since its inception in 2012, the Downtown District continues to forge an exciting and deliberate path forward towards cultural vibrancy, resiliency, and sustainability in Downtown Iowa City. Contacts for more information include: Betsy Potter, Director of Operations, ICDD, [email protected] or 319-354-0863 Haley Holton, Special Events and Marketing Intern, [email protected]

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NORTHSIDE OKTOBERFEST set for Oct 3rd Introduces a Number of Festival Changes

DATE/TIME/LOCATION: Oct. 3, 2015 - Northside Marketplace- SodaFest begins at 10 am- Brewmaster Access begins at 11 am- General Admission begins at 12 pm- Festival closes at 4 pm IOWA CITY BREWFEST MARKS 20th YEAR While Northside Oktoberfest celebrates its fifth year, Iowa City Brew Fest, certainly the festival's main attraction, will mark its 20th year, having found its home on the Northside at the 2011 inaugural Oktoberfest event. "The beer lovers of Iowa have spoken." Says Doug Alberhasky of John's Grocery. He says the event's endurance is a testament to its focus on education - developing a culture centered around the appreciation of craft beer and craft brewing - a year-round focal point for management at John's Grocery as well as at the festival. "When brewers say this is one of the best festivals that they do every year, it's because of the fact that we have such passionate, educated beer lovers and that is a direct result of doing this for so many years." "To have 20 years of doing this shows that we're doing education right and the beer lovers of Iowa are always thirsting for something new and different, and," Alberhasky adds, "they are responsible enough that we can keep this going." General Admission passes (($40.00 -- available online atwww.northsideoktoberfest.com or at John's Grocery) include a commemorative glass,noon entry to the festival, and unlimited access to samples until the festival closes at 4 p.m. Brewmaster passes (now sold out) cost $50 and include a commemorative glass, early entry to the festival, t-shirt, and access to the Real Ale Contest. INTRODUCING: REAL ALE CONTEST, PRESENTED BY WHITEDOG AUTO The 2015 event will introduce the Real Ale Contest - Nine leading regional brewers will go toe-to-toe with new, custom ales, brewed just for this event. "We're excited to be a part of an event that highlights new creative work being done in the region," says Evan Evans, founder and owner of Iowa City's Whitedog Import Auto Service, the contest's presenting sponsor. Votes will be cast by Brewmaster pass holders only at the closed event taking place at11 am. "We like supporting Oktoberfest, and appreciate the participation of all the Brewmaster pass holders." Evans said. "It will be great to give them something special, and of course it will be fun to get our guys out of the shop for the day, meet the public, and have a good time during this amazing event." Breweries will include: Big Grove Brewery (Solon, IA), New American Brewing Co. (Ankeny, IA), Exile Brewing Co. (Des Moines, IA), Peace Tree Brewing Co. (Knoxville, IA), Kalona Brewing Co. (Kalona, IA), CIB Brewery (Carson, IA), Lion Bridge Brewing Co. (Cedar Rapids, IA), Tallgrass Brewing Co. (Manhattan, KS), Summit Brewing Co. (St. Paul, MN) SODAFEST PRESENTED BY IOWA CHILDREN'S MUSEUM Northside Oktoberfest is a kid-friendly festival that offers plenty of entertainment for all ages. The Iowa Children's Museum has taken the lead on organizing the Soda Fest area, which will include several inflatables, sports activities in partnership with RedZone Youth Football League and Diamond Dreams Sports Academy.  La' James International College will be there doing hair and makeup. "We're excited to be a part of it," says Jill Donnenwerth, director of development for the Iowa Children's Museum. "The museum will be there with 8-10 games and craft activities that will be 'make & take', and there will also be a big giant slide and a rock wall." Donnenwerth added. FOOD AT THE FESTIVAL Northside restaurants will be open for business, and several will have a vending presence outside of their stores, with booths in fixed locations on Linn Street, or with mobile vending throughout the festival. Recent additions to the Northside neighborhood, Northside Bistro and Pops Old & New BBQ will each have a presence at the event. NORTHSIDE OKTOBERFEST + IOWA CITY DOWNTOWN DISTRICT In partnership with the Northside neighborhood, Iowa City Downtown District is a lead organizer of the festival. "Over the last couple of years we've been supporting the Northside neighborhood's interest in helping them grow the festival, help them better manage the festival layout and make sure that it's well marketed." said Nancy Bird, executive director of the Iowa City Downtown District, whose service area includes the Northside Marketplace. "The highlight for me is to see the cameraderie and community grow out of the businesses  marketing for - and with - one another, and seeing the success of that in their actual bottom line. I think everyone involved has been really pleased with the trend here, and it's really fun - that's the biggest thing. In the past 19 years, the Iowa City Brewfest and Northside Oktoberfest have raised over $250,000.00 for local charities. A SPECIAL NOTE FOR HAWKEYE FANS The best place to watch the Hawkeyes take on Wisconsin will certainly be Northside Oktoberfest and Iowa City Brew Fest, where the game will be broadcast on the largest big screen in the state (12 feet tall by 18 feet wide), right in the center of the Bier Garden!

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University of Iowa will Give First 1,000 Students 5 Free Tickets to Fall Culinary Event Downtown on August 26th!

The University of Iowa is preparing to welcome students back to campus next week with dozens of activities including a collaborative event with the Iowa City Downtown District: Taste of Iowa City. As an extra offering, on Wednesday, August 26th, the first 1,000 students to show their student ID at the UI ticket booth will receive 5 free tickets to use during the event.

Taste of Iowa City, now in it's 9th year, attracts thousands each year to the four-hour food festival. The event offers students an opportunity to sample a variety of foods from over 40 restaurants in downtown. The highly anticipated culinary festival, presented by MidWestOne Bank, will be held Wednesday, August 26th from 4-8pm. 

 "Taste of Iowa City gives community members and students the chance to try new restaurants, see new menu items at their favorite restaurants and explore what downtown Iowa City has to offer", said Betsy Potter, Director of Operations for Iowa City Downtown District. "Each year the event grows in the number of families and students that attends and so do the food options offered, it is the best way to find out what options are available in downtown Iowa City." 

 Attendees will have the opportunity to sample as many stops as they'd like in exchange for tasting tickets. Tickets are only $1 a piece and samples range from 1-5 tickets per sample as determined by each location. Tickets are currently on sale at MidWestOne Bank Downtown Iowa City and will also be available from 4-8pm during the event on August 26th at six different ticket booths located throughout downtown.  In addition to the food samplings happening at the 40+ downtown locations, there will be a game area set up in the Black Hawk Mini Park including corn hole, frisbee golf, giant dominos, and photo booth. There will be a number of entertainers including balloon artists, caricaturist, a wondering a capella group, and more!  

Festival Details:

Event starts at 4pm and goes until 8pm

UI Student ticket booth will require UI student ID- 1st 1,000 students will receive 5 free tickets

Although the festival is part of UI Welcome Back Week the community is also invited to attend

Tickets  are currently on sale at MidWestOne Bank in Downtown Iowa City or will be available day of at 6 event tickets booths located throughout Downtown and Northside Marketplace

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Downtown Iowa City Businesses OPEN on July 4th

Spending your July 4th in Downtown Iowa City for Jazz Fest or fireworks?

Check out the list of restaurants and retailers that will be open this Friday and their hours and specials for 2015! 

*Please note that these businesses & hours were submitted to ICDD and others may also be open, make sure to check their websites.

Pullman Bar & Diner- 10am-12am (17 S Dubuque St) 

Tailgate- 10am-9pm (30 S Clinton St) 

Ragstock- 10am-7pm (207 E Washington St)  *$5 Clearance Orange Sticker Sale

Pancheros Mexican Grill- 10:30am-3am (32 S Clinton St) 

Martini’s- 2pm- 2am (127 E College St)  *4th of July drink specials

AKAR- 10am-6pm (257 Iowa Ave) 

Quinton’s Bar & Grill- 11am-2am (215 E Washington St) *$6 appetizers 3pm-6pm

The Mill- 10am-2am (120 E Burlington St) 

Crepes de luxe Cafe- 11am-2pm & 5pm-9pm (309 E College St)

FilmScene- 10am-10pm (118 E College St) *10am Music Man screening 

John’s Grocery- 7:20am-2am (401 E Market St)

Short’s Burger & Shine- 11am-12pm (18 S Clinton St)

BoJames- 11am-2am (118 E Washington St) *$6.99 Cheeseburger baskets & Chicken Strip Salads

Iowa City Yacht Club- 11:30am-2am (13 S Linn St) *Friday: Local on the 8's  Saturday: Charles Walker Band

Gabe’s- 4pm-2am (330 E Washington St) * Party in the beer garden 

Donnelly's Pub- 11am-2am (110 E College St)

Airliner- 11am-2am (22 S Clinton St)

Baroncini Ristorante Italiano- 5:30pm-10:30pm (104 S Linn St)

Sports Column- 10am-2am (12 S Dubuque St)

Daydreams Comics- 10am-2pm (21 S Dubuque St)

Silver Spider- 10am-6pm (Old Capitol Town Center, 201 S Clinton St #154)

Molly's Cupcakes- 10am-10pm (14 S Clinton St)

Sicily Boutique- 10am-5:30pm (115 S Dubuque St.) *Summer Sale! 15% off new arrivals

TSpoons- 8am-12pm (Old Capitol Town Center, 201 S Clinton St) *Specials on Cold pressed Iced coffee

Joe’s Place- 11am-2am (115 Iowa Ave) *"America" themed specials at night.

Aspen Leaf Frozen Yogurt- 11am-12am (125 S Dubuque St)

Yotopia Frozen Yogurt: Iowa City’s Original FroYO- 11am-12am (132 S Clinton St) *Jazz up your froyo with FREE FRUIT Sauces all weekend long. Freedom to fill: $4 all-you-can-fill when you redeem their Facebook offer

The Den- 10am-10pm (123 E Washington St)

Hamburg Inn- 6am-10pm (214 N Linn St)

Sweets & Treats- 12pm-5pm (Old Capitol Town Center, 201 S Clinton St,)

Graze-10:30am-2pm Brunch, full menu 2pm-10pm (115 E College St)

Clinton Street Social Club- 4pm-2am (18 1/2 S Clinton St,)

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500+ Will Give $50,000+ in Downtown Iowa City!

When:June 18, 2015 5:00pm to 7:00pm

Where:Downtown Iowa City, Dubuque Street in between Washington/Iowa

Press Contact:

Leighton Smith Email: [email protected] Phone:[phone] 

Unprecedented local giving event

100+Women Who Care+100+Men Who Care partner to raise up to $50,000K for our Community.

Historic Dubuque street closing to support event. 500 are expected to attend

*Who?

All members of both the men and women chapters are invited to attend.

The public is welcome

Not yet a member? Simply show up at the event and we'll get you added to our member list at check-in!

Socialize, network, learn about local charities/non-profits and make a difference, all under 2 hours!!

*What?

100+Women Who Care+100+Men Who Care:Hawkeye Chapter first annual joint meeting. Downtown Iowa City.

1. Show up and bring a blank check for $100

2. Network/mingle/socialize... enjoy complimentary beer or wine while listening to the live band.

3. Listen. Members have the option to nominate a local charity/non-profit. We draw names of 3 nominations at random. Each member selected will make a 3 minute presentation on the non-profit/charity they nominated.

4. Vote. Members vote on which cause to support.

5. The charity/non-profit with the most votes receives the donation from all members. ($100 each)

6. Feel good. You were a part of something pretty powerful and amazing.

It's fast, simple, amazingly effective and fun!

*When?

June 18th. Check-in starts at 5pm, meeting portion will begin at 6pm, ends at 7pm.

*Where?

Dubuque Street - between Iowa & Washington

[downtownic]

20 Things To Do In Iowa City This Summer

Summer is here and downtown Iowa City has activities to offer everyone! 

1.) Bread Garden Patio

Enjoy relaxing outdoors with drinks, food, or just to be outside. You can also choose to be in the sun or covered, your choice! 

2.) Sunset Salsa Dancing In The Downtown Pedestrian Mall 

Spend an evening listening to great music and dancing, occurs once a month, and everyone is welcome!

3.) See a Show At The Mill 

Known already to be a great restaurant in the downtown area, The Mill, also provides nightlife and shows ranging from bands to comedy. Check one out, the atmosphere won’t disappoint! 

4.) Head to The Farmer’s Market

Check out Iowa City’s Farmer’s Market on Wednesday nights or Saturday mornings. Local farmers, entrepreneurs, and artists are all available in one spot! 

5.) Free Movie Series

Come out to the Pentacrest at the University of Iowa for free movies all summer long! Happens at 8:45pm every Saturday night.

6.) Artfest

This huge festival brings out all sorts of artists and talent to be sought out. This great atmosphere not only has art, but also has food, drinks, and live music. Coming up June 5th - 7th!

7.) Jazzfest

This festival pays tribute to jazz music in such an inspiring way, come pay a visit and enjoy good music, drinks, and food. July 2nd - 4th. 

8.) Soulfest 

Come to downtown Iowa City to see some of the great soul music with live entertainment each day! August 28th - 30th. 

9.) Friday Night Concert Series

Every Friday a new band will come together and preform in the center of the Pedestrian Mall. Stand or bring a chair, you won’t want to leave! 

10.) Attend a Film Screening

Head over to Filmscene in downtown Iowa City to catch a screening of new and upcoming films, including popular ones like Who Took Johnny?

11.) Attend a Karaoke Night 

A lot of local nightlife in Iowa City offers karaoke to guests. Get a group of friends, check it out, and show off some talent!

12.) Run A 5K

Stay healthy and active this summer, your entire family can register to run any 5K in the area! 

13.) Iowa City Downtown District Sidewalk Sales 

Many downtown retailers participate in this event and provide special offers for customers. Come take a walk around the city while also scoring great deals from your favorite retailers! July 16h - 18th. 

14.) Enjoy a Delicious Brunch at Graze

The brunch at Graze offers delicious food for a great price. Take a stroll through the downtown area and enjoy great food! 

15.) Art Galleries

Rainy Day? Come see one of the many art galleries Iowa City has to offer. 

 16.) Yoga Classes

Iowa City has multiple yoga studious here for your use, take a class and try it out! All levels of experience are available. 

17.) Workout Class at Iowa City Fitness

Not into yoga? Stay healthy and check out one of the many classes offered at Iowa City Fitness. 

18.) Gallery Walk 

During this event many downtown galleries and retailers will be hosting artists and special events. Come see what its all about while also grabbing a glass of wine! June 5th! 

19.) Patio At Gabe’s 

Want more patio action? Check out Gabe’s patio for great drinks, scenery, and live music! 

20.) See a Show At Bluemoose 

Nightlife is always available at Bluemoose, see their list of upcoming performers and pick one to see! 

[downtownic]

EXTRA! EXTRA! Read all about it! Excited to have our 4th #downtowniowacity magazine out for Spring/Summer. Want a print copy? Email [email protected] and we'll mail you one! #iowacity #thisisiowa #greatdowntowns #downtownliving #doitdowntown

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Valet Parking comes to #downtowniowacity this week! Beginning May 15th, you can drop off your car across from @englerttheatre for $10 on Friday and Saturdays. Our goal is to make downtown as accessible as possible for everyone. #valet #downtown #iowacity #thisisiowa #uiowa (at U.S. Bank)

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Gorgeous #spring morning in @downtowniowacity! #thisisiowa #Iowacity #greatbuildings #pedmall #iowalove

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New  Parking Option coming to Downtown Iowa City

-Valet Parking Pilot Launches Friday, May 15th

IOWA CITY -(May 6, 2015)- The Iowa City Downtown District (ICDD) will launch a new valet pilot parking program this month on Friday May 15, 2015. Introducing valet parking to Downtown Iowa City's parking options is aimed at targeting and supporting customers that are looking for premium convenience to urban parking.  The valet pilot will run May 15-June 20, 2015 and will be centrally located in the heart of downtown at the US Bank parking lot at 21 S. Linn Street (across from the Englert Theatre).

"Valet parking has been something that our organization has wanted to try for some time," said Nancy Bird, Executive Director, Iowa City Downtown District.  "The momentum from business owners was there to test the market this Spring for a potential future permanent program." The valet pilot will launch over the University of Iowa graduation weekend, where thousands of visitors are expected to area.

For the initial pilot, eleven downtown businesses will be financially supporting the program: Takanami, Formosa, Givannis, Active Endeavors, Iowa Chop House, Joseph's Steak House, Pullman Bar & Diner, Hands Jewelers, MC Ginsberg Objects of Art, Catherine's, and Clinton Street Social Club. The pilot program will be priced at $10/car for an anticipated break even number.  The ICDD is coordinating the effort with third party company Keck Parking, that currently operates with significant experience in the Des Moines market.

The new valet parking service is part of an ongoing effort by the City of Iowa City and ICDD to enhance the Downtown parking experience. This new pilot will be in addition to the First Hour Free parking program launched by the City and ICDD in 2013 to incentivize the public to park in the public parking garages by providing the first hour free. "We are very pleased with the feedback we have received on the First Hour Free program," said Chris O'Brien, Director of Transportation Services for the City of Iowa City.

The City of Iowa City will be using the pilot program to collect data to help guide ICDD's future valet ambitions. "We know that many enjoy walking in or aren't bothered at all by parking, but we're hoping valet can reach those that find stress around it at peak times and it will help them enjoy all the energy the Downtown area has to offer all over again",said Bird.

Valet Parking Pilot Details:

Starts: Friday, May 15

Hours of Service: Fridays from 5pm to 10pm and Saturdays 12pm to 10pm (Except for the Iowa Arts Fest weekend June 5 - 6)

Pilot End: Saturday, June 20

Cost: $10 per car flat fee total (for pilot program)

Drop off / Pick up location: US Bank drive through lot at 21 S. Linn Street across from the Englert Theatre

Car storage: Tower Place or Chauncey Swan Parking garages

###

The Iowa City Downtown District is a 501(c)6 non-profit organization that provides a leadership directive for the District mission and serves as a mechanism to more efficiently implement District-wide marketing, programs, events and projects to the benefit of all businesses within it, the University of Iowa, community members, and the region at large.

Contacts:

Nancy Bird, Executive Director at [email protected] or phone [phone].

Chris O'Brien: [email protected] or phone [phone].

Etre Restaurants - George Etre: [email protected] or 319-512-8691

Active Endeavors - Mark Weaver: [email protected] or 319-400-2414

Englert Theater - Sarah Shonrock: [email protected], or 319-688-2653

Hands Jeweler's - Bill Nusser: [email protected], or 319-331-0306

The Pullman Bar & Grill - Nate Kaeding: [email protected] or 319-512-8225

MC Ginsberg's Objects of Art - Mark Ginsberg: [email protected]

Catherine's - Catherine Champion: [email protected]

Keck Parking - Blake Siberz, [email protected], or 515-244-5325

[downtownic]

Our Saturday #fashionweekend Live Sculpture Garden. #downtowniowacity #Iowacity #fashion #livemodels #pedmall #downtownliving

[downtownic]

@tailgateiowa with @yotopiaiowacity enjoying the #fashionweekend #lipbar- thank you @tcosalon! #downtowniowacity #iowalove #iowacity #iowa

[downtownic]

@tailgateiowa #lipbar @tcosalon #downtowniowacity #iowalove #fashionweekend #Iowacity