Classic Gatherings Time after Time — Timeless Iowa Venues for Winter Events

While shiny, new and modern locales can lend a contemporary kick to your gathering, there’s really something to be said for holding your winter event at a venue that is classic, sophisticated and timeless. Spend time at many of these and you’ll notice a sense of history in the architecture, grandeur in the furnishings, and quite simply, culture in the air.

Winter events demand splendor in unforgettable places! Choosing a venue such as the The RiverCenter | Adler Theatre with its impressive space, classically designed architecture and stunning Art Deco style will meet that demand and then some. If it’s elegance you seek, look no further than the Prairie Winds Event Center. With its old world charm and soaring open spaces, you can accommodate as many as 400 guests in the exquisite ballroom, wings and mezzanine. A glimpse of the future is reflected in the Mid-America Center, the Heartland’s premier entertainment and convention center. Stylish and contemporary, the arena seats up to 9000, while the convention center measures 24,000 square feet. Don’t have quite that many guests? Consider the Grand River Center. Hugging the shoreline of the mighty Mississippi, this stunning venue is the ideal space for meetings and conferences with the enchanting all glass “River Room” or the massive Exhibit Hall.

Even in the winter months, golf and country clubs offer picturesque and refined settings. For many, Whispering Creek Golf Club - with its unique clubhouse called “The Barn,” pub and beautiful banquet space--is the definition of wonderful. Still others would point to the excellent cuisine, stunning course views and contemporary bar and grill at Fox Ridge Golf Club as a superb choice. Then again, why not visit Ridge Stone Golf Club where fireplace, cozy atmosphere, and a tasty menu await visitors to the restaurant. The two-level facility can host up to 325 people as well. And while grand is great, simply elegant is lovely too. Willow Creek Golf Course offers warm surroundings, fabulous cuisine and dramatic views.

For those who want stylish surroundings and mouthwatering menu options, restaurants offer the perfect blend of gourmet choices with gracious surroundings. To that end, Atlas Restaurant is an Iowa favorite. Offering several cozy options for private dining and menus that rival any kitchen in town, it is the go-to place in Iowa City. The Indigo Palette dazzles guests with delicious menu options, music and entertainment stage, a private dining area and striking art crafted by local artisans decorating the space. The always popular Dos Rios attracts those looking for intimate, colorful space and a mouthwatering menu of Guadalajaran recipes and top shelf tequila. Centro invites guests to enjoy private dining in a unique urban setting with a delectable selection of foods, including local favorite, New York-style coal-fired pizzas.

If you’re counting on classy, don’t count out community centers. The days when these locations were just a spot to play basketball are long gone. Instead, they are vibrant places like the North Liberty Community Center with banquet facilities for up to 400, onsite kitchen and nearby aquatic center. Or the Des Moines Performing Arts Civic Center with space available in the Civic Center, Temple Theater, Stoner Theater, Nollen Plaza and more. Guests who attend receptions or events at the Windsor Heights Community + Events Center enjoy the handsome, lodge-like space in its peaceful setting, with two kitchens, outdoor pavilion and free parking. The Crown Point Community Center offers the ideal place for a unique gathering with space for as many as 100 people.

With all the choices available for your winter event, why not go with the tried, the true and the timeless?