EVENT UPDATES: Visit the Downtown District Staff in our NEW OFFICE located at Arts & Entertainment:
Click here for the best information on rescheduled and relocated events from many downtown arts & entertainment venues and organizations affected by flooding.
Wishing you a Holiday Filled With
Happiness, Laughter and Egg Nog
The Downtown District wishes you happiness, health and best wishes in 2009!
The weekend of December 11th recognized the six month mark of the
Please click here to review the six month progress report of the Recovery and Reinvestment Coordinating Team. As we continue to advocate on the behalf of our downtown partners during the rebuilding efforts, we welcome your feedback and comments.
Cedar Rapids Needs Help from Federal Lawmakers Outside of Iowa
The City of Cedar Rapids needs more funding from the federal government to help our community recover from the June flooding disaster. Our City Council and
- 10 sq. miles of the City impacted by flood
- 18, 623 estimated persons in flood-impacted area
- 1,360 estimated jobs lost as a result of flood
- 7,198 parcels of land flooded
- 5,390 residential properties (51% rental, 49% owner occupied)
- $2.4 billion estimated damage cost to publicinfrastrucutre and flood management.
For anyone whose friends or relatives do not have the contact information for their U.S. Senators or House members and go to http://whoismyrepresentative.com, type in their zip code and get their lawmakers names and contact information.
FIRE & ICE FESTIVAL 2008 - Thank you Cedar Rapids!
This year marks the 25th Annual parade, and recognizes nearly six months post-flood. Thank you to everyone who made thet festival such a success! Thanks again to this year's grand marshall's Chief Grahman, Chief Havlik and Sherrif Gardner. Also, big thanks to parade emcees Scott Schulte and Ric Swann, and guest judges Beth Malicki, Tiffany O'Donnell and Tara Thomas.
Congratulations to the following winners of this year’s parade:
Walking Unit:
Third Place: Girl Scouts of Eastern Iowa
Second Place: Grantwood All City Drum Core
First Place: Cedar Rapids Education Association
Decorated Vehicle:
Third Place: Isle of Iowa Parrothead Club
Second Place: ITC Midwest
First Place: NTS
Third Place: Can Shed
Seond Place: Czech Village-Czech Heritage Foundation
First Place: Brucemore
Best Animal Float: Committed to Downtown Find us on Facebook!
Third Place: ServiceMaster 380/First General
Second Place: Camp Bowwow in Cedar Rapids
First Place: Tom & Teri Bell-Clydesdales
Best Use of Theme (Ignight the spirit of our City):
Third Place: The History Center
Second Place: Temptations Fine Candies
First Place: The Arc of East Central Iowa
Thanks to our generous Corporate Sponsors Skogman Companies (Presenting Sponsor), Bankers Trust, Guaranty Bank, United Fire, Alliant Energy, US Bank, Smulekoff's, Rockwell Collins, Duffy's Collectible Cars, and Quality Chef Foods (a division of Heinz Company).
Thanks to media partners for their collaborative support: Z102.9, The Gazette, KCRG-TV9, Clear Channel Cedar Rapids/Iowa City, Corridorbuzz.com,KGAN-CBS-2, Fox 28, Cumulus Broadcasting, KWKB, KMRY, and Mediacom.
Full-page ads in The Gazette and the Corridor Business Journal marked the launch of our "Rebuild Downtown" campaign. Radio ads have begun, and the campaign will include other multi-media exposure as well. In order to be included on the "Committed to Downtown" list, flood-affected businesses had to confirm that they "plan to rebuild downtown and reinvest in the future of downtown." Some businesses signed up via this Web site. We reached others through a Business Recovery Survey conducted by the Chamber of Commerce and the Downtown District. While more than 200 businesses already have signed up, we know that there are many more out there that will return to downtown and may want to be listed with the other committed businesses. To get your business name added to our list, tell us of your interest via our Contact Us page on this Web site, or by calling Mallory at the Downtown District at 398-0449 or mallory@downtowncr.org. The complete list will be kept on the Committed page of this Web site and will be updated as often as possible.
You need this shirt!
You've seen it around town, and you need one - the Rebuild Downtown t-shirt. We'll have them out at events around town -- Uptown Friday Nights, the Outdoor Drive-in Movie Series, Downtown Farmers' Markets, etc., and they also are at places such as the Chamber of Commerce (424 First Ave. NE), Cedar Rapids Bank & Trust (500 First Ave. NE), and the Bever Avenue branch of Guaranty Bank (across from Bever Park). All we ask is that you make a free will offering to the Job & Small Business Recovery Fund. We'll collect cash and checks made out to the Downtown District and deposit it in the fund. For more information, call the Downtown District at 319-398-8269 or use the Contact Us page.
Visit www.facebook.com/pages/Cedar-Rapids-IA/Cedar-Rapids-Downtown-District/10938374641 to become a fan of our Cedar Rapids Downtown District group! It's another fun way to receive fast updates about Downtown District events, programs and news, with a chance let us know what you're thinking by leaving comments, too! The Downtown District would love to have your support!
Some of the most amazing pictures we've seen were taken not only by local and national media, but citizens of Cedar Rapids. Here are a few of them.
