John McGivern’s Main Street

Catch Cedar Rapids on the big screen thanks to our friends at John McGivern’s Main Streets!

John McGivern is a six-time Emmy award-winning actor and host who shares his unique brand of storytelling to celebrate communities across the Midwest. John and his crew stopped in Cedar Rapids to film our community during the summer of 2024 and it’s officially live! Check out the episode on YouTube, and learn more about the locations they highlighted below.

Cedar Rapids Museum of Art

The Cedar Rapids Museum of Art houses more than 7,800 works of art spanning many eras from Roman antiquity to the present. The collection is particularly strong in American art, especially from the first half of the 20th century. There are a number of artists the Museum features, including the largest collection of works by Grant Wood. Located just three blocks from the museum you will find Grant Wood’s loft studio, where he lived and worked between 1924 and 1935. It was there that he painted American Gothic and many of his most famous paintings. The Grant Wood Studio is open April-December.

Matthew 25 and Groundswell Cafe:

Matthew 25’s organizational goal is to improve the health of people and neighborhoods in our community by investing in quality affordable housing, healthy food, educational opportunities, and community building. One way they accomplish that is through Groundswell Café, a “pay-it-forward” dining spot. Any tips that you leave when you purchase your own meal, are added into a fund that covers the cost of the meal of someone who may not be able to afford to buy a breakfast or lunch for themselves that day. The goal is to ensure anyone in the community can have access to fresh healthy food no matter their ability to pay.

NewBo City Market:

The NewBo City Market is a remarkable nonprofit organization home to unique food and retail business start-ups, community arts, entertainment, and educational events. This nonprofit business incubator and community hub for local artisans, entrepreneurs and creatives is housed at the heart of the city’s fun and walkable New Bohemia District. Through the Market’s business incubator program, The Hatchery, aspiring small business owners are able to launch their entrepreneurial dreams, experiment and learn with support including financial assistance grants, business development mentorship, educational resources and a community of peers. Graduates of the Market’s incubator can be found throughout the Cedar Rapids community.

National Czech & Slovak Museum and Library:

The National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library (NCSML), a National Smithsonian Affiliate, welcomes tens of thousands of visitors each year from across the country and around the world to learn about and celebrate Czech & Slovak culture. Museum guests can explore permanent exhibits including Faces of Freedom, along with other traveling exhibits throughout the year. In addition, the library attracts scholars, authors and Czech and Slovak Americans looking to research their family heritage.

The Hotel at Kirkwood Center:

The Hotel at Kirkwood Center offers accommodations for all parties, from the single business traveler to larger groups. The Hotel at Kirkwood Center also has the proud distinction of being one of the only luxury teaching hotels of its kind in the nation, serving as a learning laboratory for Kirkwood Community College’s Hospitality Arts program. The 300-plus students in this program work alongside experienced professionals to bring service of the highest level to patrons and guests.

Willie Ray’s Q Shack:

Willie Ray Fairley grills with a passion and love that you can taste in his food. Not only does he know how to make some mouth-watering barbeque, but he also happens to know how to pitch in and help out when people are in need. Follow along on social media as Willie Ray and his team at Willie Ray’s Q Shack jump into action anytime natural disaster strikes around the country to help feed people who are going through a tough time.

Raining Rose:

Based in Cedar Rapids, Raining Rose started in 1996 as a hobby creating lip balm out of a family kitchen. Since then, it’s grown to 300+ employees! The company is committed to creating products using only the highest quality ingredients, striving to use as many organic ingredients as possible. They believe in full ingredient disclosure and labels that accurately reflect the organic content of their products.