Tune in for Fall Festival 2024 on Iowa PBS
Words Fall Festival on a blue green background with leaves around the border

Tour some of the iconic structures in Council Bluffs, follow Rick Steves as he eats his way through Europe, learn more about the animals in All Creatures Great and Small, and revel in music from The Temptations, Chicago, Il Volo and more during Fall Festival 2024. Taking place November 17, and November 23–December 4, this year’s event is filled with music, history, drama, Iowa architecture and more.

During the pledge drive, viewers will have the opportunity to support the programming and services they enjoy all year long, ensuring that Iowa PBS continues to educate, inform, enrich and inspire Iowans across the state.

The schedule for Iowa PBS .1 is below. Visit iowapbs.org for the full Fall Festival 2024 broadcast schedule, encore broadcasts, thank-you gifts and programs airing on Iowa PBS WORLD .3 and Iowa PBS Create .4.

Local

  • Historic Buildings of Iowa: Council Bluffs, Tuesday, November 26 at 7 p.m. — All aboard! Journey west and ride the rails to Council Bluffs, where historic buildings and landmarks tell the tale of the innovators and explorers who would come to define this gateway to the American West.
  • Historic Buildings of Iowa: Mason City and Clear Lake, Sunday, November 24 at 11:30 p.m. — Explore the art and architecture of Mason City and Clear Lake through Frank Lloyd Wright’s Prairie School style, one of the premier art museums of the Midwest, and sites dedicated to some of the most acclaimed musicians of the 20th century.
  • Meredith Willson: America’s Music Man, Saturday, November 23 at 3 p.m. —  He performed under Sousa and Toscanini. He scored films for the likes of Chaplin and wrote popular songs performed by Sinatra and The Beatles. And when the River City boys band marched on Broadway, Meredith Willson caught the whole world’s ear.
  • Tractor Wars, Sunday, November 17 at 4 p.m. — By the 1920s, Deere, Ford and International Harvester were in a battle to develop a reliable tractor that would become part of everyday agriculture.
  • Timeless Tractors, Sunday, November 17 at 1 p.m. — This program about antique tractors traces the history of the tractor through events that have shaped the evolution of farming.
  • Timeless Tractors: The Collectors, Sunday, November 17 at 2:30 p.m. — Explore the deep reverence tractor lovers share for the iron horses that ushered in a new era of farming.

Music

  • ’60s & ’70s Soul Celebration (My Music Presents), Saturday, November 30 at 7 p.m. — The legends of ’60s and ’70s soul music return to perform their biggest hits. Featuring The Temptations, James Brown, Patti LaBelle, The Chi-Lites, The Spinners, Sam Moore and more in this classic R&B and soul compilation.
  • All New Rock, Pop and Doo Wop, Saturday, November 23 at 7 p.m. — Full-length performances include: Johnny Maestro, the Duprees, Jay Back, Little Anthony and the Imperials, and many other artists from the ’50s and ’60s.
  • The Big Band Years (My Music Presents), Saturday, November 30 at 5 p.m. — Nick Clooney and Peter Marshall host a nostalgic look at hit makers and songs of the 1930s and ’40s.
  • Chicago & Friends: Live at 55, Saturday, November 30 at 10 p.m. — Join Chicago as they perform their biggest hits with special guests, recorded live in Atlantic City.
  • Classical Rewind (My Music), Saturday, November 23 at 1:30 p.m. — From the romantic mood of Beethoven’s “Moonlight Sonata” to the dramatic emotions of Orff’s “O Fortuna,” this special visits the greatest compositions and composers of all time.
  • The Doobie Brothers With Michael McDonald: 50th Anniversary at Radio City Music Hall, Saturday, November 30 at 11:30 p.m. — Celebrate 50 years with the hitmaking band, who have sold more than 48 million records worldwide.
  • The Everly Brothers — Harmonies From Heaven, Sunday, December 1 at 2 p.m. — Featuring archival interviews with Don and Phil, and interviews with artists they influenced, this special tells the story of two Midwestern boys who became some of the most influential musicians in rock ’n’ roll.
  • Great Performances: Patsy Cline: Walkin’ After Midnight, Monday, November 25 at 8 p.m. — Recorded at Nashville’s legendary Ryman Auditorium, this special honors Patsy Cline’s legacy with her signature songs, and memories from those she knew and influenced.
  • Great Performances: Rodgers & Hammerstein’s 80th Anniversary: My Favorite Things, Sunday, November 24 at 5:30 p.m. — Explore the vast repertoire of these musical theater pioneers in this star-studded concert.
  • Il Volo in the Valley of the Temples, Monday, December 2 at 10 p.m. — Join the acclaimed Italian trio for a stunning concert in a breathtaking Sicilian setting.
  • Lawrence Welk Holiday Special: Great Moments and Memories, Saturday, November 23 at 4:30 p.m. — Nine stars of the Lawrence Welk Musical Family host this special filled with moments and memories spanning 30 years of Christmas holiday shows.
  • Mannheim Steamroller 30/40, Sunday, November 17 at 5:30 p.m. — Great songs from the Mannheim Steamroller Christmas annual tour include “Deck the Halls” and more.
  • Simon & Garfunkel: The Concert in Central Park, Saturday, November 23 at 10:30 p.m. — Join the iconic duo and the 500,000 fans who came out for this once-in-a-lifetime 1981 concert.
  • This Land Is Your Land (My Music Presents), Saturday, November 23 at 9 p.m. — The Smothers Brothers and Judy Collins host a look at the evolution of modern American folk music.

Drama

  • All Creatures Great & Small: Tricki & Friends, Sunday, December 1 at 7:30 p.m. — This special celebrates the animals in this popular series by revisiting favorite scenes and going behind the scenes to learn more about the creatures viewers love.
  • Vienna Blood: Analyzing the Hidden Truths, Sunday, December 1 at 10:30 p.m. — Go behind the scenes of this thrilling murder mystery series set in Vienna in the early 1900s.
  • Wolf Hall on Masterpiece, Sunday, December 1 at 9 p.m. — In the season 1 finale, Henry’s love for Anne Boleyn has given way to anger and distrust, and he instructs Cromwell to rid him of his second queen.

General

  • America’s Home Cooking: Easy Recipes for Thrifty Cooking, Saturday, November 30 at 11 a.m. — Chris Fennimore welcomes guest cooks who present recipes that are easy on the cook and the pocketbook.
  • America’s Home Cooking: Sweets, Saturday, November 23 at 10 a.m. — This special celebrates everyone’s favorite course — dessert! Host Chris Fennimore walks you through some of his favorite, mouth-watering recipes.
  • America’s Home Cooking: When in Rome, Saturday, November 30 at 9 a.m. — Host Chris Fennimore and company take you on a tour of authentic recipes from Rome and demonstrate the simplicity of Roman cooking.
  • America’s Test Kitchen Celebrates 25 Years, Saturday, November 30 at 1 p.m. — Celebrate the 25th anniversary of the most-watched cooking show on public television.
  • Mary Berry’s Highland Christmas, Saturday, November 23 at noon — Spend Christmas in Scotland with Mary Berry and enjoy some traditional delights.
  • The Mustangs: America’s Wild Horses, Wednesday, December 4 at 7 p.m. — Explore how the American icon, the mustang horse has become entangled in controversy.

History

  • Henry Louis Gates Jr. — The Fabric of America, Tuesday, December 3 at 7 p.m. — Explore the work of one of the most renowned, respected and popular cultural historians.
  • Ken Burns: One Nation, Many Stories, Sunday, November 24 at 3:30 p.m. — Explore the acclaimed filmmaker’s more recent work in interviews with Burns and his colleagues.
  • Kinnick: The Documentary, Thursday, November 28 at 8:30 p.m. — The story of Nile Kinnick — child of the Depression, winner of the Heisman Trophy and pilot in World War II — unfolds in cinematic detail in this feature documentary.
  • Leonardo da Vinci: The Disciple of Experience, Sunday, November 24 at 1 p.m. — Leonardo apprentices as an artist and craftsman in Florence, where the Renaissance is in full bloom. He shows extraordinary talent but struggles to finish commissions.

Travel

  • Great Scenic Railway Journeys 30th Anniversary Special, Sunday, November 24 at 8 a.m. — Gain access to some of America's best railway adventures, from the Rocky Mountaineer to the Skyrail.
  • Rick Steves’ European Christmas, Saturday, November 30 at 3 p.m. — Rick Steves celebrates Christmas in England, France, Norway, Germany, Austria, Switzerland and Italy.
  • Rick Steves’ Festive Europe, Friday, November 29 at 6:30 p.m. — Rick ventures into the Parisian streets on Bastille Day and takes in the royal pageantry in London.
  • Rick Steves’ Great German Cities, Saturday, November 23 at 8 a.m. — Rick Steves explores the German cities of Hamburg, Dresden, Leipzig, Frankfurt and Nürnberg.

Lifestyle

  • Easy Yoga for Arthritis With Peggy Cappy, Saturday, November 30 at 6 a.m. — Peggy Cappy effectively addresses arthritis relief through the practice of yoga.
  • Memory Makeover With Daniel Amen, M.D., Saturday, November 23 at 6 a.m. — Dr. Daniel Amen talks about how you can improve your memory.
  • Supercharge Your Brain: Maximizing Your Cognitive Abilities, Sunday, November 24 at 6:30 a.m. — Join Dr. Lisa Genova to discover ways to enhance brain health for the rest of your life.
  • Young Forever With Mark Hyman, M.D., Saturday, November 30 at 7 a.m. — Dr. Mark Hyman challenges viewers to reimagine their biology, health and the process of aging.