Join us every Saturday from May 3rd to September 27th for Northside Saturday Nights!

Curated by The Englert Theatre and sponsored by Hills Bank, Suzanne Stock, and Urban Acres, this FREE music series promises to ignite the Northside community with outdoor performances from talented local artists. Grab a seat at any of the available tables on the Northside Outside street or bring your own chairs. Whether you’re a music enthusiast or just looking for a fun evening out, this event guarantees something special for everyone. And what’s better than enjoying great tunes? Pairing them with delicious food and drinks from our Northside businesses, of course! Attendees can order from any of the Northside restaurants and savor their treats on the street while soaking in the ambiance of Northside’s sights and sounds.

Additional support for the music series comes from Think Iowa City, Phoebe Martin Realtor, and KCL Engineering.

Mark your calendars, rally your friends, and make Northside Saturday Nights your go-to spot for a weekly dose of music, culinary delights, and good vibes. We’ll see you on the Northside!

Mars Hojilla
Saturday, September 6 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM

mars hojilla (pronounced “oh-heely-uh”) is the pop-rock alter ego of Urbana-based singer/songwriter Myles Evangelista (he/they). Born to two kickass Filipino immigrants in Peoria, Illinois, mars’s first musical love was the household’s MAGIC SING Karaoke Machine, which fostered in him a love of classic pop and rock by scoring him highly on Queen, ABBA, and Elton John songs. mars overlays his pop- and emo-inspired music with lyrics that explore every corner of human emotion and dive deep into his perspective on love, heartbreak, and growing pains in the transgender experience. “mars hojilla” is so named firstly for his mother, who gave him her maiden name as a middle name, and secondly for the cashier at the I-80 Arby’s, who misheard his actual first name for a planet.

mars hojilla has come a long way from his first performance under the name in June 2022, having since recruited the musical wizardry of bassist/violinist Logan Kha (he/him) and drummer Chloe Weidl (she/her) during his five-year tenure at the University of Iowa. After breaking into the scene during Iowa City’s Mission Creek Festival in April of 2023, the band has only brought the noise across the Midwest with each following performance.