Friday's 15th annual FRYFest features a former American Idol winner, Herky on Parade
Another full day of FRYFest will once again initiate the start of the University of Iowa football season.
The 15th rendition of all things Hawkeye is set for Friday, Aug. 30, and will be highlighted by a farewell to Herky on Parade 3.0, a Hall of Fame ceremony, and a performance from former American Idol headliner Maddie Poppe.
FRYFest also features The World's Largest Hawkeye Tradeshow, a marching band pep rally and more.
All events will be held in the area of the Iowa River Landing in Coralville.
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The day starts at 9 a.m. with the FRYFest Blood Drive, benefitting the UI DeGowin Blood Center, and run through 10 p.m. A full schedule is available on the FRYFest website.
Iowa native Maddie Poppe, who was crowned the champion of American Idol in 2018, will headline the free FRYFest musical performances. Poppe has more than 120,000 monthly listeners on Spotify and according to her website, hit number two on the iTunes pop charts for her album "Whirlwind."
Iowa City band James Tutson and the Rollback will open for Poppe. The opener will begin around 7 p.m., with Poppe scheduled to take the stage at 8:45 p.m.
Van Hayden Band will also perform during Friday's afternoon bags tournament.
Tickets are required for the evening bands but are available for free at the Coralville SCHEELS or the company's Hawkeye Trade Show booth.
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A goodbye, and a showcase, for Herky on Parade 3
FRYFest visitors can see all 101 Herky statues for the final time as Herky on Parade 3.0 comes to a close.
The statues dotted Johnson County from Solon to Tiffin since June are the latest in the decennial showcase of local artists of all ages.
Eighty-one of the 101 statues will be given to their artist sponsors though the remaining 20 will be part of a silent auction between Aug. 23 and Sept. 6. All proceeds will benefit two local school districts.
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Hawkeye Hall of Fame welcomes eight inductees
Eight former Hawkeye athletes will be inducted into the prestigious University of Iowa Hall of Fame as part of the FRYfest-ivities.
Inductees include:
Mike Boddicker, baseball
Sue Bury, field hockey
Rico Chiapparelli, men's wrestling
Adrian Clayborn, football
Laura Dvorak, women's tennis
Shonn Greene, football
Kevin Kunnert, men's basketball
Lindsey Meder, women's basketball
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This year's group has a long list of accolades and a big trophy cabinet. The class includes three NCAA team titles, seven Big Ten team titles, an NCAA individual title, eight All-American honors, 15 Big Ten honors, a Doak Walker award-winner and two Big Ten Player of the Year awards.
As is tradition, the athletes will participate in a panel during FRYfest and will be available for autographs.
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Ryan Hansen covers local government and crime for the Press-Citizen. He can be reached at [email protected] or on X, formerly known as Twitter, @ryanhansen01.
This article originally appeared on Iowa City Press-Citizen: FRYFest 2024 returns Friday with a former Idol winner, Herky on Parade
