Mission Creek Fest

Mission Creek Festival 2018 lineup (Carrie Brownstein, Built to Spill, Julien Baker, more)

Misson Creek Festival returns to Iowa City in 2018 from April 3-8. In case you’re unfamiliar with the festival, here’s some background information:

Mission Creek is a riveting 6-day artistic experience for our community that builds on the cultural geography and capital of downtown Iowa City. Programming focuses on performance, literature, and special community events.

Nestled in the heart of downtown Iowa City, with most venues within a five minute walk of each other, Mission Creek thrives on intimacy and cross-medium experiences, turning music lovers onto new literature, writers onto new music, and expanding appreciation of arts, community, and culture. Our focus is on quality, independent-minded sounds, words, and events. We are keen on emerging artists and embrace renegade spirits who have been around for years. Intimacy is integral to the Mission Creek experience: Our smallest festival venue fits 50 people and our largest holds 1800; but most rooms are in the 200-300 capacity range, allowing for visceral connections between artists and audience.

The festival is presented and produced by The Englert Theatre, Iowa City’s 105-year-old historic performing arts organization.

The 2018 lineup includes live music from Built to Spill, Wye Oak, Julien Baker, Margaret Glaspy, Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith, Algiers, Cakes Da Killa, Laurel Halo, Xylouris White, S. Carey, Alex Zhang Hungtai, and more; plus a reading and performance by soul singer Jamila Woods, author Lidia Yuknavitch (The Small Backs of Children, Dora: A Headcase, The Book of Joan), and a conversation between Sleater-Kinney/Portlandia‘s Carrie Brownstein, actress Amber Tamblyn, and Bad Feminist author Roxane Gay. Check out the full lineup as it currently stands, below.

Tickets are on sale now. Watch a 2017 recap video:

Mission Creek Festival — 2018 Lineup
BUILT TO SPILL
WYE OAK
JAMILA WOODS (READING + PERFORMANCE)
CARRIE BROWNSTEIN + ROXANE GAY + AMBER TAMBLYN (IN CONVERSATION)
BASSEM YOUSSEF
JULIEN BAKER
LIDIA YUKNAVITCH
QUINTA BRUNSON & FRIENDS
MARGARET GLASPY
KAITLYN AURELIA SMITH
ALGIERS
CAKES DA KILLA
LAUREL HALO (LIVE + DJ SET)
HANIF WILLIS-ABDURRAQIB
XYLOURIS WHITE
DEB OLIN UNFERTH
THE WEEPIES
HORSE LORDS
S. CAREY
ONO
ALEX ZHANG HUNGTAI
HORSE FEATHERS
CURRENT JOYS
GORDI
PAUL CARY
SQUIRREL FLOWER
YOUNGER
PEANUT RICKY & THE FIENDS
HOT TANG
COLLIDESCOPE
EXTRAVISION
JACK LION
MISSION: BEAT
SISTER WIFE
PURCHA$E
ANCIENT POSSE
DANA T
BSTAR
CATHY LINH CHE
HELENE ACHANZAR
SARAH VIREN
ELIZABETH MOEN
WILLIAM JOHNSON
LINA MARIA FERREIRA CABEZA-VENEGAS
HAFIZAH GETER
SANDRA ALLEN
JESUS CARRASCO
LYZ LENZ
BRANDON TAYLOR
STEPHEN IRA
MELODY GEE
LAMBDA LITERARY
VIDA
KUNDIMAN
IOWA YOUTH WRITING PROJECT
THE BELIEVER
THE RUMPUS
DOROTHY, A PUBLISHING PROJECT
FORKLIFT, OHIO
THE IOWA REVIEW
TWO DOLLAR RADIO
and more