Don’t let the cold or snow stop you! Grinnell offers enjoyable activities both inside and outside during the winter months. Enjoy the arts and plenty of recreational opportunities while you’re spending time in town.
Music
December is the month for music in Grinnell. Savor a performance by Grinnell College ensembles including the student groups like the Grinnell Singers, the Grinnell Symphony Orchestra, the Jazz Ensemble, the town-gown Oratorio Society and Vox Feminae, an all female A capella group. Find this winter’s schedule on or community calendar.
Fine Arts
Enjoy local artists’ exhibitions at the Grinnell Area Arts Center gallery (Local Artist Market runs
through December 23).
The Grinnell College Museum of Art with its extensive permanent collection of contemporary paintings, prints and more provides a unique access to world renowned art in small town Iowa. From December 10-January 31, an exhibition of student comics will be on display. The project, generated as an assignment for Maria Tapias' class, Graphic Medicine: Reading Medical Comics Anthropologically, explors the burgeoning field of graphic medicine, works from the museum's collection and ways the comics can give voice to the patient experience and increase empathy among health care practitioners.
Wanting to create your own art? Check out the Stew Makerspace, an artists’ workshop for projects including ceramics, jewelry, fiber arts, woodworking and more. Check out the Grinnell Area Arts Council's calendar for drop in events or, if you’re local, sign up for a multi-week class!
Recreation
Take a walk around Arbor Lake, a beautiful piece of nature inside the City limits. Hike the Uhlenhopp Arboretum, where you can spend a night or two in a well-equipped cabin with great views of the rolling landscape and a firepit to keep you cozy. When the temperature drops, play your favorite indoor sports with friends and family—volleyball, basketball, tennis, pickleball all at the Grinnell Area Recreation Center.
Local History
Enter the past at the brand new Grinnell Historical Museum, which houses an extensive collection of artifacts and photographs that tell the story of Grinnell. The museum, located at 703 1st Ave, is open Tuesdays - Saturday afternoons.
Take in the various architectural styles in the city with an architectural tour including Louis Sullivan’s jewel box bank and the B.J. Ricker House, both fine examples of Prairie School buildings.
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