Our Community

Fairfield, Iowa

Virtually Tour Our Community

Fairfield, Iowa, is a community that uniquely blends classic Midwestern charm with a progressive, globally-minded spirit. Here at the crossroads of tradition and innovation, you’ll discover a town renowned for its dynamic arts and culture, its thriving entrepreneurial ecosystem, and its dedication to wellness and sustainable living. From the vibrant energy of our historic town square and year-round farmers market to the world-class performances at the Fairfield Arts and Convention Center is a place of creative and conscious living. We invite you to explore our friendly neighborhoods, connect with our innovative community, and experience the warm, inclusive atmosphere that makes Fairfield a truly remarkable place to visit or call home.

Fairfield, Iowa

Fairfield gives off a bit of a different vibe than other small, Iowa towns. From the time of our creation, our city has been defined by those daring enough to be bold, courageous, and innovative, from our early settlers to our Civil War icons to the international movement that made its home here. Today, that spirit is reflected in a diverse, multicultural population that thrives on creativity, ingenuity, and entrepreneurship.

It’s that welcoming spirit that’s helped to define Fairfield as one of the coolest, most unique places in America, both to visit and to live. We invite you to stop in and explore what our city has to offer — you may be surprised at how easy it is to tune into our vibe.

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Recreation

Step into the gentle embrace of Fairfield, Iowa, where sprawling prairie landscapes and serene wetlands offer a peaceful retreat from the fast pace of everyday life. Here, you can leisurely pedal along picturesque biking trails, kayak at your own rhythm on placid lakes, and soak in the subtle beauty of nature that surrounds you. Dive deeper into our inviting outdoors and discover why Fairfield is the perfect destination for relaxation and escaping into a world where time moves at your pace.

There’s no better place than Fairfield to get out for a hike or a leisurely bike ride around town. The Fairfield Loop Trail passes through the prairies, woodlands, wetlands, old railroad corridors, over major bridges, and much more. The highlight of outdoor recreation in Fairfield, this 16-mile paved path built in 2009 encircles the city and serves as a connector between Fairfield and other outdoor destinations around Jefferson County.

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Arts & Entertainment

Fairfield, Iowa, is a vibrant hub for arts and entertainment in the heart of the Midwest, offering a surprisingly rich and diverse cultural scene. The city is a magnet for creative individuals, and a wide range of artists make their home in the area, contributing to the overall aesthetic productivity of the community.

At the center of its performing arts world is the magnificent Fairfield Arts and Convention Center (formerly the Stephen Sondheim Center for the Performing Arts), which houses the 522-seat Sodenheim Theatre. This state-of-the-art venue hosts an impressive calendar of events, including national touring productions, musical concerts spanning various genres, comedy shows, dance performances, and local community theatre productions, making it a cornerstone of entertainment for the entire region.

The visual arts are equally celebrated. The ICON Gallery has become a major showplace for local, regional, and Iowa artists, presenting some of the most respected and compelling shows in the Midwest.

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Places to Stay

Spend the night in Fairfield.

A good night’s sleep is just a phone call away! Whether you’re in town visiting friends and family, doing business, or just wanting to have fun, Fairfield is ready to roll out the welcome mat. Spending the night is easy with many arrangements available — including some pet-friendly options!

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Features of fairfield

Highlights of Our Community

Economy

We have a vibrant startup community that includes 400 small businesses that provide jobs to 3,000 people. Many business owners and leaders are homegrown alumni from our school, and they have raised a combined $200 million in venture capital. Our residents are big believers in giving back to the community, Fairfield’s Jefferson County ranks fifth among all U.S. counties in per-capita charitable contributions.

Sustainability

The Fairfield Go-Green Sustainability Commission was born in 2009. It’s a community-wide plan to incorporate sustainable practices throughout the city that has resulted in many all-green buildings and huge impacts in the areas of energy, transportation, and infrastructure. Fairfield has one of America’s largest concentrations of solar homes, and our EcoVillage is a community of permaculture homes that run completely on solar and wind power. Our town has a deep commitment to sustainability that has led to a boost in organic farming, which allows us to offer fresh farm-to-table food on campus and has made Fairfield, Iow, the 5th largest market for organic foods in the country.

Culture

Fairfield has become Iowa’s foremost arts center, with over 10 galleries and art venues. The Stephen Sondheim Center for the Performing Arts is centrally located in downtown Fairfield and is a 500-seat theater which hosts a wide range of plays, musicals, and other events. We also have a robust monthly Art Walk during warmer months that attracts visitors from all over the state. It’s not uncommon to meet people who drove from nearby states just to come to the ever-popular Art Walk!

Parks & Recreation

Fairfield offers students and community members many opportunities for recreation, including a 33-mile trail system perfect for walking, jogging, biking, and cross-country skiing in the winter. The network connects lakes, prairies, woodlands, wetlands, and a state preserve. In addition, 10 beautiful parks offer facilities including a fresh-water swimming lake with a sandy beach, playgrounds, shelters, picnic areas, and more.

Recognition

Named one of America’s best small towns to visit by Smithsonian Magazine, Fairfield is big on culture and thriving on creativity. Fairfield lives like a metropolitan community, earning distinctions such as one of Iowa’s “Great Places” and being dubbed “America’s most unusual town” by Oprah. Buzzfeed calls Fairfield one of “11 Coolest Small Cities It’s Time To Road Trip To.”

Take a look at this recent issue of The Iowan for a glimpse for our community and all of its offerings.

 

Around the Town

Local Favorites

Cafe Paradiso

Cafe Paradiso was born out of one man’s pure passion for great espresso. Owner Steve Giacomini has created his own unique blend of organic, shade-grown coffee beans, which he roasts daily on-site.

Cafe Paradiso is also a haven for artists and musicians. The dining room displays the talents of various artists and our stage provides a chance to hear both locally and internationally known musicians of all kinds.

Golden Sanctuary volunteers

Golden Magnolia Sanctuary

Golden Magnolia Sanctuary is a rural resilience hub grounded in community ownership, connectivity, and skill sharing. They are a safe space for community members to find sanctuary from hunger, foster creative connections, hold events, & play.

A community supported space for all.

IconArt Gallery

ICONART Gallery is a space for creative exploration, a welcoming environment for like-minded people, and a place where new ideas are born. Their mission is to acquaint you with the very best in contemporary sacred art, interpreting the long and rich tradition of historic art forms within the context of modern culture and contemporary art trends.

Fairfield Farmers Market

The Fairfield, Iowa Farmers Market is a vibrant hub offering a diverse array of locally grown produce, baked goods, crafts, and prepared foods. Known for its organic and specialty items like gluten-free options, the market provides a lively atmosphere often enhanced by live music. It operates year-round, with an outdoor season at Howard Park from May through October on Wednesdays & Saturdays, and an indoor season on Saturdays from November through April.