Events

Check out the Google calendar for events throughout the year for celebrating the five authors.

Events are also listed below.

Events Begin in May 2017 and run through May 2018

The Cedar Falls Authors Festival kicks off in early May, celebrating Robert James Waller’s work on Thursday, May 4, 2017.

Here is our currently confirmed list of further Authors Festival programs and their locales:

2017

May 2017: Launch of Robert James Waller

Thursday, May 4: Eight Songs by Robert Waller: An Appreciation of his Music & Poetry at the Hearst Center for the Arts, 7 p.m.

• Friday, May 5: "Bridges and Bridges: Two Takes on the Same Story" at the Hearst Center for the Arts, 7 p.m.
• May 18 – June 25: Marjorie Nuhn: Selected Works Exhibit at the Hearst Center

Energetic works in vivid watercolor by the late Cedar Falls artist Marjorie Nuhn are displayed. The Hearst Center’s collection of work by this independent woman artist was begun in 1989 by her brother Ferner Nuhn who gave 43 works to the newly formed James & Meryl Hearst Center for the Arts. The Hearsts themselves were collectors of Ms. Nuhn’s paintings and left the watercolor, “Sartori House,” to the citizens of Cedar Falls when they made their generous bequest of land, property, and funds in 1983.

Hearst Center Hours: Tuesday & Thursday 10 a.m.-9 p.m., Wednesday & Friday 10 a.m.- 5 p.m., Saturday & Sunday 1-4 p.m.

• Sunday, May 14: Writers of the Cedar Valley, Cedar Falls Public Library Meeting Room, 1:00-4:00 p.m.

June 2017: Launch of Ruth Suckow

• Saturday, June 10: Annual Meeting of the Ruth Suckow Memorial Association at the Cedar Falls Public Library, 10 a.m.
• Saturday, June 10: Discussion of Suckow's novella “A Part of the Institution” at the Cedar Falls Public Library, 1:00 p.m.
• Saturday, June 10: Installation of the Sculpture honoring Ferner Nuhn and Ruth Suckow Nuhn in the Sculpture Garden at the Hearst Center, 3:00. Followed by a Reception right after the installation. Visitors are encouraged to browse the exhibit of Marjorie Nuhn's paintings: she was Ferner's sister.
• Saturday, June 10: Program on the play Just Suppose: The Story of Iowa Novelist Ruth Suckow, which was written by playwright Rebecca Christian for the 1992 Celebration of Ruth Suckow's 100th birthday. "Writing and Touring Just Suppose: The Story of Iowa Novelist Ruth Suckow" at the Hearst, Rebecca Christian and Lenore Howard, who portrayed Ruth Suckow in the one woman play, will speak at the Hearst Center for the Arts, 7 p.m.
  • Sunday, June 18: Writers of the Cedar Valley, Cedar Falls Public Meeting Room, 1:00-4;00 p.m.

July 2017: Launch of Nancy Price

In July, we celebrate Nancy Price, (1925- ), who has given us 13 novels—five set in Cedar Falls, including “Sleeping with the Enemy” and “An Accomplished Woman.” The first was a 1987 Literary Guild selection and became the famous 1991 film starring Julia Roberts. Price also has given us a collection of poems and six short stories and she illustrates her books.

Friday, July 7 – September 20, 2017: Exhibition of “Original Book Illustrations by Nancy Price,” Hearst Center for the Arts.

Hearst Center Hours: Tuesday & Thursday 10 a.m.-9 p.m., Wednesday & Friday 10 a.m.- 5 p.m., Saturday & Sunday 1:00-4:00 p.m.

• Friday, July 14: Beer Garden and Music, sponsored by the College Hill Partnership (CHP): the event begins at 6:00 p.m.
• Friday, July 14: Cinema in Seerley Park, Screening of "Sleeping with the Enemy" in Seerley Park, 9 p.m. (Rated R) (This 1991 psychological thriller starring Julia Roberts is based on Price’s 1986 novel and is set in Cedar Falls).
• Saturday, July 15: College Hill Tour of Homes, College Hill Neighborhood, 1 p.m. College Hill Neighborhood, begin at Seerley Park, Cedar Falls. The tour includes Price’s past home and three others featured in “Sleeping with the Enemy” as well as the UNI president’s house.
  • Tickets for the Tour of Homes are $10 (which is a donation to CHP as a non-profit).
    • Buy Tickets prior to the event: Visitor and Tourism on Hudson Rd., Hearst Center for the Arts on W. Seerley Blvd. and Sidecar Coffee on the Hill.
    • Buy Tickets the Day of: Seerley Park Shelter and UNI President's home on College St.

The Tour includes five homes:

• 2310 and 2316 Tremont St.
• 421 E. Seerley Blvd. (all of which are all mentioned in “Sleeping with the Enemy”)
• It also includes a home on Iowa St. where Nancy lived with her family
• and finally, the UNI President's home on College St. Nancy spent her last years of high school there while her father, Malcolm Price, was president of the college. All proceeds go to support the College Hill Partnership. Tickets will be on sale by June 13th at the Hearst and at Visitor and Tourism Office on Hudson Rd.
• Sunday, July 16: 1 pm Reception for the Price Illustration Exhibit, followed by the program at 2.
• Panel Discussion, “Sleeping with the Enemy: Novel vs. Film”, Hearst Center for the Arts, 2 p.m. Panel participants include Grant Tracey (Professor and Cedar Falls Author), Greg Holt (UNI student), and Barbara Lounsberry (moderator); the author will be in attendance.

August 2017

• Saturday, August 5: Birthday Celebration & Readathon, Cedar Falls Public Library, 10 a.m.- 5 p.m.

Three of our authors have birthdays in August: Robert Waller (born August 1), Ruth Suckow (born August 6), and James Hearst (born August 8). Join us at the Cedar Falls Library, large meeting room on the second floor, for an all day Readathon and Treats! We will also celebrate other authors from Cedar Falls who were born in August.

• Cake and punch served to the public all day, while our three August birthday authors’ short stories and essays are read by Cedar Falls residents.
• August 10-13: "Just Ann," a Regent Studio Sampler Series at Oster Regent Theatre (Tickets required)

September 2017: Launch of James Hearst

• September 2017 – May 2018: Monthly “Cedar Falls Author Talk, Reading, Book signing, and Reception,” sponsored by the Cedar Falls Public Library. (These nine programs will feature Cedar Falls authors, including authors of children’s, young adult, and adult books)
• Wednesday, September 6: Local Author Showcase, Cedar Falls Public Library Meeting Room, 7:00-8:30 p.m.
• Thursday, September 7: James Hearst and the "North American Review" at the Hearst Center for the Arts, 7 p.m.
• Saturday, September 9: "I'm Published! Now What? A behind-the-scenes look at the crazy, wild and wonderful life of writers on the road," Jeffrey Copeland talk, book-signing and reception at the Cedar Falls Public Library (upstairs meeting room), 2 p.m.
• Thursday, September 14: James Hearst's Poems as Songs: Reprise and Update at the Hearst Center for the Arts, 7 p.m.
• Thursday, September 21: Newly discovered poems of James Hearst at the Hearst Center for the Arts, 7 p.m.
• Sunday, September 24: "Just Suppose: The Life of Iowa Novelist Ruth Suckow" at Hearst Center for the Arts, 2 p.m.
• Sunday, September 24: Herb Hake, Chalk Talks, 4 pm at the UNI Museum
• Thursday, September 28: Final Thursday Reading Series, Hearst Center for the Arts, 7 p.m.

October 2017: Launch of Bess Streeter Aldrich

• October: CF Authors Series, Cedar Falls Public Library,
• Wednesday, October 4: Local Author Showcase, Cedar Falls Public Library Meeting Room, 7:00-8:30 p.m.
• Saturday, October 14: Song of Years Site Tour, 9:30-12:30. Enjoy a guided bus tour of historic sites important to the Aldrich novel "Song of Years," the story of the settling of Cedar Falls by her ancestors. Call the Tourism Office, (319) 268-4266 for reservations. LIMITED RESERVATIONS! Meet at the Round Barn to get on the bus.
• Sunday, October 15: Song of Years Cemetery Walk, Cedar Falls Historical Society, 2:00-3:30 p.m.
• Monday, October 16: UNI Professor Jim O'Loughlin will present a program about Bess Streeter Aldrich's "The Woman who was Forgotten": a Multimedia Presentation & Discussion at the Cedar Falls Public Library at 7 pm on Monday, October 16th.
• Sunday, October 22: Film "Cheers for Miss Bishop", Oster Regent Theatre, 4:30 p.m.

November 2017

• Wednesday, November 1: Local Author Showcase, Cedar Falls Public Library Meeting Room, 7:00-8:30 p.m.
• Saturday, November 11: LitCon, Cedar Falls Public Library and Community Center, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
• November: National Novel Writing Month, Cedar Falls Public Library,
• November: CF Authors Series, Cedar Falls Public Library,

December 2017

• Wednesday, December 6: Local Author Showcase, Cedar Falls Public Library Meeting Room, 7:00-8:30 p.m.
• December: CF Authors Series, Cedar Falls Public Library
• Thursday, December 7: Holiday Book Fair, University Book & Supply, 5:00 to 7:00 pm. More details to come!

January through June, 2018

With Cedar Falls’ six nationally-known, best-selling authors celebrated in the first six months of the Festival year, the Festival’s major offering for the new year is its 12-program Cedar Falls History Writers Series, which highlights the fact that the city abounds with fine history writers.

Nine of the programs will occur on Sunday afternoons at the Cedar Falls Public Library. Additional programs will be presented at the UNI Library and at the New Aldaya Lifescapes Revue Performing Arts Center. Each program will be followed by a reception and book signing. The programs follow (roughly) a historical chronology to allow Cedar Falls residents to see the sequential unfolding of Iowa and city history:

January 2018

• Wednesday, January 3: Local Author Showcase, Cedar Falls Public Library Meeting Room, 7:00-8:30 p.m. Virginia Pillars.
• Sunday, Jan. 7, 2 p.m., Cedar Falls Public Library, “Cedar Falls in the Civil War,” Kenneth Lyftogt
• Saturday, Jan. 20, 2 p.m. -- Rod Library, Room 301 (third floor, elevator available), “Writing about Iowa’s Greatest Legal Case, Tinker v. Des Moines” Dr. John Johnson
• Sunday, Jan. 28, 2 p.m., Cedar Falls Public Library, “The Spirit Lake Massacre in Words & Pictures,” Gary Kelley

February 2018

• Wednesday, February 7: Local Author Showcase, Cedar Falls Public Library Meeting Room, 7:00-8:30 p.m. Jonathan Stull
• February: CF Authors Series, Cedar Falls Public Library,
• February: Adrianne Finlay's program and book signing of her young adult book Your One and Only
• Sunday, Feb. 18, 2 p.m., Cedar Falls Public Library, “The Opera Houses of Iowa, Act II: or, Does History Change?” Dr. George Glenn

March 2018

• Wednesday, March 7: Local Author Showcase, Cedar Falls Public Library Meeting Room, 7:00-8:30 p.m. Dave Hoing & Roger Hileman
• Sunday, March 11, 2 p.m. Cedar Falls Public Library. “Historical Fiction: Bringing the Story in History to Life,” Jocelyn Green Sunday, March 25, 2 p.m. Cedar Falls Public Library. Newspapers: We Can’t Live Without Them,” Jack Hovelson
• Saturday, March 31, 2 p.m. Rod Library, Room 301 (third floor, elevator available). “From May Queens to Feminists: Notable Women at Northern Iowa,” Jaycie Vos, University Archivist

April 2018

• Wednesday, April 4: Local Author Showcase, Cedar Falls Public Library Meeting Room, 7:00-8:30 p.m. Rick Hartzell
• April: National Poetry Month
• Saturday, April 7, "Blogging 101—A Panel and Workshop” for beginning bloggers at the Cedar Falls Public Library. Cherie Dargan, Mary Potter Kenyon, Jocelyn Green, and Robyn Mulder.
• Sunday, Apr. 8, 2 p.m., Cedar Falls Public Library, “Brothers’ Blood Seven Years On—New Insights,” Dr. Scott Cawelti
• Saturday, April 14, 2 pm, UNI Rod Library, "From Tutors to Panthers" (UNI's Rod Library, 2nd floor) with Jim Kelly
• Sunday, Apr. 29, 2 p.m., Cedar Falls Public Library, “The Tunis Speedway Chronicles,” Jim Volgarino

May 2018

• Wednesday, May 2: Local Author Showcase, Cedar Falls Public Library Meeting Room, 7:00-8:30 p.m.
  • Dorothy A. Winsor
• Saturday, May 12, 2 p.m., New Aldaya Main Street: The Revue Performing Arts Center, reception Elm’s Pub. “Lynn & Mary Nielsen’s I’ll Be Seeing You: The Letters & Diaries of an Iowa WAC in World War II,” Barbara Lounsberry, Mary Brammer, Scott Cawelti, Sue Hummel, Karin Leonard, Mary Nielsen, and Annelie Nielsen Heinen
• Sunday, May 20, 2 p.m., Cedar Falls Public Library, “Stories from Cedar Falls History: Faces, Places, & Cases,” Dr. David Whitsett

May: CF Authors Festival Wrap-Up Celebration

June 2018

The Ruth Suckow Memorial Association (RSMA) will return to the Cedar Falls Public Library for our Annual Meeting. Then, at 1 pm we will welcome the public to a brief address by Kenneth Lyftogt.

Saturday, June 9, 1 p.m., Cedar Falls Public Library (Second Floor Meeting Room), “Going to the Woods: Ruth Suckow and the Early 20^th Century Midwest,” Kenneth Lyftogt

Last Updated April 13, 2018