Public Events Calendar

Featuring more than 200,000 dazzling lights throughout 17 acres of outdoor gardens, this walk-through light show includes popular favorites, as well as fun new surprises. Experience captivating tunnels that surround you with color, massive laser-lit disco balls, dynamic light strands dancing across a frozen lake, a whimsical re-creation of the game time favorite Candy Land, and so much more. Don’t miss the lights, colors, music and magic of Winter Wonderscape.

Featuring artists, makers, and crafters, our fall sale has something for everyone on your list! From budding creatives on campus to professional artists, you will find pottery, blown glass, jewelry, decor, accessories, and prints. Sales support individual artists, The Workspace, and the Gaffer’s Guild.

The Professional and Scientific Council at Iowa State is an advocate and resource for professional and scientific employees. The council identifies the needs of its members, provides relevant information, and recommends beneficial policies to the university's administration. Meetings are open to the public.

Doors open at 3 p.m., and a 30-minute program will begin at 3:30 p.m. President Wendy Wintersteen will retire on Jan. 2, 2026.

Join University Museums for a virtual program exploring the life of Mary C. Petersen (1936–2024) and her lasting connection to Iowa State's artistic legacy. Learn how her contributions and generous gift have helped preserve the work of her father, sculptor Christian Petersen, and shaped ongoing efforts to document his impact on campus and beyond.\n\nVirtual on ZOOM, please register for the Zoom link information\n

Speaker: Lynn Cominsky
2025 Fall Sigma Xi Lecture

Albert Einstein’s most famous equation is E=mc 2 – but what does it really mean? When scientists observe the high-energy Universe, light from exploding stars, blazing galaxies and monstrous black holes illuminate Einstein’s vision. Gamma-ray satellites such as the Swift explorer mission and the Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope are tools that allow us to explore the Universe in ways that Einstein could only imagine. Professor Lynn Cominsky from Sonoma State University is a scientific co-investigator on these two high-energy NASA missions and will share recent discoveries that have changed our views of the Universe.

This lecture recording can be found on the Available Recordings page approximately two business days after the event and will remain accessible for three weeks.
Co-Sponsors: Sigma Xi, Committee on Lectures (funded by Student Government)

Don't miss this FREE Cyclone Cinema showing of The Fantastic Four: First Steps!

Featuring artists, makers, and crafters, our fall sale has something for everyone on your list! From budding creatives on campus to professional artists, you will find pottery, blown glass, jewelry, decor, accessories, and prints. Sales support individual artists, The Workspace, and the Gaffer’s Guild.

WinterFest is the annual celebration of the winter season at Iowa State. Preceding prep week, WinterFest provides a unique combination of winter-themed events, activities, displays, and traditions to help students relieve their end-of-semester stress and connect with the Ames community.

Hosted by the University Museums' interns and staff, in conjunction with ISU Winterfest, celebrate the holiday season at the Farm House Museum. Take part in free Victorian yuletide themed activities and crafts while you enjoy holiday treats.\n

Don't miss this FREE Cyclone Cinema showing of The Fantastic Four: First Steps!

Why go to the club when Salsa Magic brings the club right to you? There simply isn’t a more exciting, interactive, diverse & educational form of entertainment than Salsa Magic. Salsa Magic has taught in over 800 + cities around the World teaching the international styles of Merengue, Bachata, and Salsa!

Swedish folk’appella group, Kongero, will host a performance at Stephens Auditorium as part of their four-week U.S. tour on Friday, December 5 at 7:00 pm.  For a portion of the performance, they will be joined by ISU treble voice choir, Cantamus. 

Kongero is a Swedish vocal group, consisting of the four female folk music singers Lotta Andersson, Emma Björling, Sofia Hultqvist Kott, and Anna Wikénius. Kongero was formed in 2005 when the original members all met at a Nordic folk music conference. There they started singing together and found that their voices and harmonies blended perfectly, complimenting each other’s voices. Since 2005, they have performed their polyphonic a capella folk music (which they coin Folk’apella) all over Europe, Asia and the Americas, singing in concerts and leading workshops in traditional Swedish vocal music and vocal harmonies.

Kongero’s repertoire consists of traditional and original songs and tunes arranged by the band members. Kongero’s music tells tales of life, with moving love songs, dramatic medieval ballads, witty ditties, and spirited dances, in their native Swedish tongue. Traditionally, Swedish songs were sung solo by a woman, with Swedish mouth music most often performed solo by a man. Kongero’s polyphonic music is characterized by tight harmonies, inciting rhythms, and the clarity of their beautiful voices that bring traditional Swedish folk song into modern times.

Tickets are on sale now through www.ticketmaster.com or at the Stephens Auditorium Ticket Office. General admission tickets are $15 for adults and $5 for ISU students and youth under 18.  Additional charges may apply at point of purchase.

About Cantamus

Cantamus is a treble-voice ensemble created in 2000 and is one of four major choral ensembles at Iowa State University. Singers are selected by audition, range in year from freshmen to graduate students, and come from many fields of study across campus. They all share an enthusiasm for new and challenging repertoire, along with a love for adventurous programming. Recent commissions include works by Jodi Goble, Brad Burrill, Pietro Ferrario, Ko Matsushita, Levente Gyöngyösi, Abbie Betinis, Eric Barnum, and Nathaniel Adams.

Cantamus features in at least four major concerts each year. The ensemble has received invitations to give solo performances at the 2024 MidWest ACDA Conference, the 2010 and 2004 North Central ACDA Conferences, the 2017 and 2013 National ACDA Conferences, and the 2004 National MENC/NAfME Convention. In the Summer of 2025, Cantamus toured to Finland and Sweden to perform with international folk quartets, Kardemimmit and Kongero, and compete in the Tampereen Sävel international vocal festival where they were awarded the highest ranking of three gold stamps.

Enjoy festive family fun at the Farm House Museum in partnership with the Ames History Museum. Victorian yuletide themed crafts and holiday treats will be provided. Tours of the historic home in full period decoration will also be offered throughout the afternoon as well as the chance to meet and take a picture with Santa. It's the perfect start to the holiday season for families and friends.

Event hosted by University Museums and the Ames History Museum. Sponsorship provided by Carol Pletcher.

ISU Theatre presents the Ten-Minute Play Festival

Don't miss this FREE Cyclone Cinema showing of The Fantastic Four: First Steps!

ISU Theatre presents the Ten-Minute Play Festival

Iowa City punk rockers Lipstick Homicide and Des Moines rock band Bat Problem at the M-Shop tonight!