Upcoming Events

Keep up on the latest events with IPR!

Author Maria Semple - Moderated by IPR's Charity Nebbe

Thursday, April 16, 2026 at 7 p.m. | Des Moines Central Library, 1000 Grand Avenue, Des Moines, IA 50309

Join us for a conversation with author Maria Semple as part of the Des Moines Public Library's Authors Visiting in Des Moines series. Maria Semple is the bestselling author of Where’d You Go, Bernadette, Today Will Be Different, and This One Is Mine. Her upcoming novel, Go Gentle, will be released on April 14. IPR's Charity Nebbe will moderate the conversation, which will be followed by an author Q&A and book signing. Books will be available for purchase before and after the program courtesy of Beaverdale Books.

This event is free to attend. Doors open at 6 p.m. Free parking is available in the Des Moines Public Library parking garage, located below the library on Grand Ave, and on the surface lot on the corner of 10th St. and Grand Ave., across from the library. More information.

SOLD OUT: Spring 2026 Levitt Lecture with David Axelrod - Moderated by IPR's Ben Kieffer

Tuesday, April 28, 2026 at 7:30 p.m. | Hancher Auditorium, 141 E Park Road, Iowa City, IA 52242

Join us for the the spring 2026 Levitt Lecture, presented by the University of Iowa College of Law. Moderated by IPR's Ben Kieffer, the lecture will feature David Axelrod, a political strategist and commentator who served as chief strategist and senior advisor to President Barack Obama. He is also senior political commentator for CNN, Professor of Practice at Arizona State University, and host of the podcast “The Axe Files.”

This event is sold out, but you'll be able to hear highlights from the event on a future episode of River to River.

The Blind Spot: How Oligarchs Dominate Our Democracy - Moderated by IPR's Ben Kieffer

Thursday, May 7, 2026, 7:30 p.m. | The Englert Theatre, 221 E Washington St., Iowa City, IA 52240

Join us for a critical discussion on the influence of wealth in politics featuring Dr. Jeffrey Winters, political scientist and author of The Blind Spot: How Oligarchs Dominate Our Democracy. Winters is a professor of political science at Northwestern University and the Director of the Equality Development and Globalization Studies Program at Northwestern’s Buffett Institute for Global Affairs. Over the past three decades, Winters has gained an international reputation for his pathbreaking work on oligarchs and elites. Organized by the Iowa City Foreign Relations Council (ICFRC), this event will explore the evolution of oligarchy across the globe and through modern history, the dynamics between the ruling minority and the majority, and the implications it has for our democracy. The discussion will be moderated by IPR's Ben Kieffer, followed by a Q&A and a book signing.

Doors open at 6:30 p.m. Tickets to this event are free. Reserve yours today!

Founding Mothers Book Discussion with IPR's Charity Nebbe

Tuesday, June 7, 2026, 6-7:30 p.m. | Whipple Auditorium at the Cedar Rapids Downtown Library, 450 5th Ave SE, Cedar Rapids, IA 52401

Mark the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence with a discussion of the book Founding Mothers: The Women Who Raised Our Nation by Cokie Roberts during a live taping of the Talk of Iowa Book Club. Led by IPR's Charity Nebbe and a panel of experts, this conversation will honor the often-overlooked contributions of women in our nation's founding.

This event is free to attend. More information.

Looking for information on IPR trips and travel opportunities?

Head to ipr.org/travel for trip information or to reserve your spot today!