FryFest 2020 canceled; smaller celebration possible before Hawkeyes’ October home opener
(Think Iowa City news release)
IOWA CITY, Iowa – In light of health challenges related to the growing COVID-19 pandemic Think Iowa City, the City
of Coralville, and the Eastern Iowa Airport have made the decision to cancel the 2020 FRYfest celebration.
FRYfest, presented by the Eastern Iowa Airport, is the annual celebration of things Hawkeye and the start of fall
athletics at the University of Iowa. It began in 2009 as a celebration to commemorate the renaming of 1st Avenue
as Hayden Fry Way and quickly became a tradition for Hawkeye fans to kick-off the athletic season.
“The decision to cancel FRYfest this year is incredibly difficult,” said Monica Nieves, Vice President of Special
Events at Think Iowa City. “We were hopeful that FRYfest would be an opportunity to bring our community back
together after a challenging summer of cancelations. The continued health concerns related to COVID-19
pandemic has forced our hand to cancel.”
The decision comes following weeks of conversations with the University of Iowa athletic department, the City of
Coralville, and the Eastern Iowa Airport.
“While this year’s decision is disappointing, we look forward to partnering with Think Iowa City to bring back the
event bigger and better than ever next year,” Pam Hinman, Director of Marketing & Communications at the
Eastern Iowa Airport, said.
The FRYfest committee has not ruled out the possibility of a smaller celebration if it can be done responsibly and
in accordance with local health guidelines prior to the Iowa Football Big Ten conference home opener in October.
FRYfest 2021 will be held on Friday, September 3, 2021.