Downtown Iowa City set to showcase the past year of
achievements and highlight future work
IOWA CITY, IA (May 20, 2025) – The Iowa City Downtown District (ICDD) will host its 2025 State of the Downtown Annual Meeting on Wednesday, May 21st, from 4:00 – 6:00 p.m. at the Iowa City Senior Center’s Assembly Room. The event will kick things off with a happy hour gathering, followed the full program featuring a short keynote from Jacqueline Robinette. Due to capacity of the venue, tickets for the event are limited.
The ICDD Annual Meeting event will highlight the past year’s key accomplishments, including the successful launch of the Downtown Ambassador Program, the debut of X Marks the Arts’ Free Week Winter Arts & Culture Festival, the reboot of the Downtown Dish as a podcast, and strategic business advocacy during city infrastructure improvements. With over 40 successful events executed and the new locatedowntowniowacity.com website unveiled, the ICDD has spent the year focused on fostering significant downtown engagement. A central focus of the meeting will be the presentation of organization’s 2025-2031 strategic plan, alongside the announcement of the Downtown Iowa City Self-Supported Municipal Improvement District (SSMID) renewal representing a critical next phase in Downtown Iowa City’s continued development and vitality.
The meeting will feature keynote speaker Jacqueline Robinette, Organizational Development Lead at Uncommon Bridges, who played an instrumental role in facilitating ICDD’s newly adopted 2025 – 2031 Strategic Plan. With extensive experience supporting downtown management organizations nationwide and as a member of the International Downtown Association Education Committee, Robinette brings valuable insights on downtown district enhancement strategies.
The evening will also take time to recognize Elsadig Ali as the first-ever Ambassador of the Year, acknowledging his exceptional contributions to the Downtown Ambassador program as it approaches its one-year anniversary.
Attendees will enjoy a happy hour from 4:00 – 5:00 p.m. featuring drinks from Wild Culture, catering by One Twenty Six, and desserts from Cookies & More, followed by the formal program from 5:00 – 6:00 p.m.
Tickets to attend the meeting are available for purchase online for $40, but are extremely limited due to capacity of the venue.
To learn more about the Iowa City Downtown District, visit www.downtowniowacity.com.
About Iowa City Downtown District: The Iowa City Downtown District is a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting and enhancing the vitality of Downtown Iowa City. Its mission is to champion the Iowa City Downtown District as a progressive, healthy, and culturally vibrant urban center of the region. Through strategic initiatives and community partnerships, the ICDD works to support local businesses, attract visitors, and create a dynamic downtown experience for residents and visitors alike.
