Kingston Village

Kingston Village sits just southwest of downtown Cedar Rapids and is home to two music venues that cover opposite ends of the scale. McGrath Amphitheatre is a naturalized, outdoor venue on the west bank of the Cedar River, built to handle everything from free community programs up to ticketed events of 5,000. Its 40-by-60-foot covered stage carries permanent rigging for amplified concerts. Open since 2014, the amphitheatre has hosted acts including Chicago, Everclear, Gavin DeGraw, and Barenaked Ladies, and more recently has booked artists across genres such as Little River Band, Russell Dickerson, and Cypress Hill. The concert season runs May through October, with community events continuing year-round. Big Grove Brewery & Taproom opened its Cedar Rapids location in 2023. The taproom is at 170 1st St SW, and its outdoor Kingston Yard serves as a secondary gathering and event space. Big Grove hosts live music events alongside its craft beer program, as it does at its other Iowa locations.