As summer reaches its midpoint, Greater Iowa City, Inc. is already looking ahead to Welcoming Week 2026, taking place September 10–19. The 2026 Welcome Week committee has created two new special events. Starting on Thursday, September 10th, Welcoming Week will kick off with a community meal in Coralville with the Coralville Food Pantry. The finale will include a first-ever soccer tournament, inspired by World Cup events across the United States. IC Compassion and the Church of the Nazarene will be heavily involved in planning the additional events.
Welcoming Week is an annual initiative organized by Welcoming America that brings together immigrants, refugees and long-time residents for a county-wide celebration of community connection. This year’s Welcoming Week will mark the first full year that Johnson County will celebrate its designation as a Certified Welcoming Community by Welcoming America, a distinction held by only 45 cities and counties across the U.S.
Since 2023, Greater Iowa City, Inc. has partnered with Johnson County in convening community leaders to plan Welcoming Week. Annual events include block parties, workshops, religious ceremonies, welcome festivals, and informational sessions. This year’s schedule of events will be released in the coming weeks.
Growing Interest and Support
In 2025, our cities and organizations collaborated with over 20 entities to host community activities across the County to showcase the array of services available to the over 15,000 immigrant residents who live here. Additionally, the governments of Iowa City, Coralville, North Liberty, Lone Tree and Johnson County all made proclamations recognizing Welcoming Week.
The increased momentum in Welcoming Week activities this year is an indicator of the local support to embrace shared prosperity for all Johnson County residents.
Why Welcoming Week Matters
Extensive data indicates that the simple message and value of “welcome” can have a powerful economic impact. Policies and cultures that welcome newcomers (such as immigrants and refugees) expand the labor force, increase consumer spending, and boost entrepreneurship. Businesses thrive when they can attract and retain talented people from diverse backgrounds. Entrepreneurs succeed when they feel connected to resources and networks. Communities grow stronger when everyone can contribute their skills, ideas and perspectives. Welcoming Week provides a collaborative framework to foster community belonging.
Johnson County continues to attract students, researchers, entrepreneurs, healthcare professionals, manufacturers, creatives and innovators from around the world. Their experiences, skills and perspectives help businesses solve challenges, fuel innovation across industries and strengthen our workforce.
Welcoming Week is a strong reminder that thriving communities are built through connection, collaboration and opportunity. When people from different backgrounds feel welcomed and supported, neighborhoods become stronger, businesses become more innovative and our local economy grows more resilient. These values align closely with Greater Iowa City, Inc.’s mission to build a vibrant regional economy that benefits everyone.
We invite businesses, community organizations and residents to participate in this year’s celebration by attending an event and supporting organizations working to create inclusive communities. Stay tuned to GreaterIowaCity.com and our social media on LinkedIn, Facebook and Instagram to see the full Welcoming Week 2026 calendar of events.
