Iowa City Songwriters Festival

Songwriting is the subject of this three-day music festival and conference, held by The Englert Theatre across downtown Iowa City. Concerts and sessions on the craft share the same stretch of days, so the writing process sits next to the performances. The Englert places the gathering across downtown, so a visit can take in more than the main theater. Begin with a concert block, then sit in on a session about how the songs get made.

Our take: Pair a downtown concert with a craft session so you hear the songs and see how they are built.