Editing Fairfield, Iowa (section)

==Arts and culture==
A library was established in Fairfield in 1853 and was the first library in the state of Iowa. It was first housed in a rented room off the city square. 
Fairfield's library became the first [[Carnegie Library]] outside of Pennsylvania or Scotland<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.scotcities.com/carnegie/early.htm|title=Early Carnegie Libraries|first=Gerald Blaikie, Glasgow|last=Scotland|website=scotcities.com|access-date=October 2, 2018|archive-date=August 10, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140810022518/http://www.scotcities.com/carnegie/early.htm|url-status=dead}}</ref> funded by [[Andrew Carnegie]], who donated $40,000 to build the library.<ref>{{cite book|author=Theodore Jones|year=1997|title=Carnegie Libraries Across America: A Public Legacy|publisher=John Wiley & Sons|isbn= 0-471-14422-3|page=2}}</ref> The Carnegie building on the corner of Washington and Court streets became the library's home on November 28, 1893. Then in May 1996, the library moved to its present location on West Adams Street. The library has over 220,000 items and received accreditation from the State Library of Iowa in 2009.<ref>[http://cityoffairfieldiowa.com/Public/TheCity/CityDepartments/PublicLibrary/index.cfm Fairfield Public Library at City web site] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110930162837/http://cityoffairfieldiowa.com/Public/TheCity/CityDepartments/PublicLibrary/index.cfm |date=September 30, 2011 }}</ref><ref>Fairfield Weekly Reader, September 16, 2009, pg 1</ref>

Fairfield is home to the Fairfield Arts & Convention Center (FACC), a {{convert|32000|sqft|m2|abbr=on}} building that cost $6&nbsp;million to build.<ref name="NPR"/> The complex consists of a 522-seat [[proscenium theatre]], a business [[pavilion]], meeting rooms, executive conference suite, art gallery, commercial kitchen, offices and outdoor plaza. The [[convention center]] features {{convert|7700|sqft|abbr=on}} of exhibition space and {{convert|5000|sqft|abbr=on}} of meeting space. The facility opened on December 7, 2007, with a theater named the Stephen Sondheim Center for the Performing Arts, after the American composer, [[Stephen Sondheim]].<ref name="wnewsj.com">Julie Robinson, "[http://www.wnewsj.com/main.asp?SectionID=49&SubSectionID=156&ArticleID=166954&TM=22442.7 Locals intern at Sondheim Theater in Iowa] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110718073636/http://www.wnewsj.com/main.asp?SectionID=49&SubSectionID=156&ArticleID=166954&TM=22442.7 |date=2011-07-18 }}," Wilmington News Journal, June 13, 2008</ref><ref name=Ledger>{{cite news |first=Diane |last=Vance |title=Local company creates art for Sondheim in New York |newspaper=The Fairfield Ledger |date=October 16, 2013 |page=1}}</ref>
As the first theater named after Sondheim, its opening production included seven Broadway actors connected with Sondheim's plays.<ref name="wnewsj.com"/><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.usagnet.com/state_headlines/state_story.php?tble=IA2009&ID=955|title=USAgNet.com – Iowa News -|first=Daniel L.|last=Schiller|website=usagnet.com|access-date=October 2, 2018|archive-date=October 3, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181003014232/http://www.usagnet.com/state_headlines/state_story.php?tble=IA2009&ID=955|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>"[http://broadwayworld.com/article/Broadway_Stars_Perform_at_Gala_Opening_of_Fairfield_Arts_Center_20071119 Broadway Stars Perform at Gala Opening of Fairfield Arts Center]," Broadway World.com, November 19, 2007</ref><ref>Adam Hetrick, "[http://www.playbill.com/news/article/113277-Original-Cast-Members-Fete-Sondheim-at-New-Midwest-Arts-Center-Dec-7-9 Original Cast Members Fete Sondheim at New Midwest Arts Center Dec. 7–9] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131219142118/http://www.playbill.com/news/article/113277-Original-Cast-Members-Fete-Sondheim-at-New-Midwest-Arts-Center-Dec-7-9 |date=2013-12-19 }}," Playbill.com, December 4, 2007</ref> In May 2010, the FACC facility became "essentially" city-owned, following a citywide vote.<ref>[http://ottumwacourier.com/local/x1936215562/Neighbors-Lippincott-enjoying-the-ride-in-Fairfield] Ottumwa Courier, Neighbors: Lippencott enjoying the ride in Fairfield, Matt Milner, July 31, 2010. Retrieved April 11, 2011</ref>

On the first Friday night of every month, Fairfield hosts the 1st Fridays Art Walk,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.fairfieldartwalk.com|title=Home|date=May 4, 2016|access-date=October 2, 2018}}</ref> which attracts more than 2,500 visitors and showcases local and national artists in downtown galleries and occasional live, outdoor music.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20110831111207/http://travelfairfieldiowa.com/pdf/embracing-art-2011.pdf] DesMoines Register, Embracing Arts, March 19, 2011</ref>

In 2009, a concert by [[The Beach Boys]] and [[The Nadas]] was held on the Fairfield Middle School grounds, as a benefit for the FACC and the city's Green Sustainability Plan.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thehawkeye.com/story/beachboys-090809|title="Beach Boys concert 'fun, fun, fun' for all" Hawkeye.com, 9/8/09|access-date=October 2, 2018}}</ref> The concert was sponsored by the [[David Lynch Foundation]]. This was the 40th and final performance of The Beach Boys' summer tour of 2009.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.davidlynchfoundation.org/newsletter/2009_summer.html|title=The Beach Boys|website=davidlynchfoundation.org|access-date=October 2, 2018}}</ref> Fairfield was selected by the Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs to be one of six Iowa Great Places to participate in new program to revitalize the cultural arts in 2010.<ref>"Fairfield selected for new Great Places program," Fairfield Daily Ledger, November 23, 2010</ref>

Fairfield has been described as an "international center" for [[Transcendental Meditation]];<ref name="NPR">Allen, Greg (August 31, 2004) Fairfield, Iowa, and its economic success, NPR</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Mantra with a mission; Feature Om or ominous? |first=Alex |last=Hannaford |work=Sunday Times|location=London (UK)|date=December 12, 2010|page=68}}</ref> a "national magnet" and "the world's largest training center" for practitioners of the [[Transcendental Meditation technique]].<ref>{{cite news|title=What You Get for ... $200,000|first=MIKE|last=POWELL|date=August 18, 2009|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/19/greathomesanddestinations/19gh-what.html}}</ref><ref name="TC1">{{cite book|title=Missing in America: Making an Eternal Difference in the World Next Door |first1=Tom |last1=Clegg|first2=Warren |last2=Bird|pages=17–18|publisher=Group|year=2007|isbn=978-0-7644-3563-8}}</ref> Many of its current residents moved there to participate in the group practice of the TM and [[TM-Sidhi program]] inside one of the two [[Golden Domes]] built in 1981 and 1982 on the [[Maharishi International University]] campus. Locally, TM practitioners are sometimes called "roos", slang for [[gurus]],<ref name=Reader>{{cite web|url=https://www.chicagoreader.com/chicago/fairfield-iowa-transcendental-meditation-silicorn-valley-mantra/Content?oid=26743992|title=How a tiny town in Iowa became 'Silicorn Valley|author=Greenfield, John|website=ChicagoReader.com|date=May 31, 2017|publisher=[[Chicago Reader]]|access-date=May 31, 2017}}</ref> a term they have appropriated, although they "refer to themselves as meditators".<ref name="Forbes"/><ref name=Kraus>[http://dir.salon.com/story/people/feature/2000/08/25/roos/index.html Kraus, Daniel, "Roo the day", ''Salon'' (August 25, 2000)] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100902034840/http://dir.salon.com/story/people/feature/2000/08/25/roos/index.html |date=September 2, 2010 }}</ref><ref>[https://www.nytimes.com/1997/11/08/us/in-cat-killing-case-town-sees-old-divisions-erode.html Johnson, Dirk, "In cat-killing case, town sees old divisions erode", ''The New York Times'' (November 8, 1997)]</ref> Fairfield natives are sometimes known as "townies". Yogic Flyers living in Fairfield who are not part of the university are said to be members of the "Town Super Radiance" (TSR) community.<ref>{{cite news |volume=18 |number=6 |date=November 27, 2002 |title=Exhibit by Students of Bill Teeple Features Talented Artists |work=The Review |publisher=MUM |first=Jim |last=Karpen |ref={{sfnRef|Review|2002b}} |url=http://www.mum.edu/TheReview/02-03/11-27-02.html |archive-date=August 4, 2012 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120804230410/http://www.mum.edu/TheReview/02-03/11-27-02.html |url-status=dead }}</ref> In 2004, National Public Radio reported that "after 30 years, many in Iowa are comfortable with Fairfield's TM community"<ref name="NPR"/> and a 2008 article in ''[[The Wall Street Journal]]'' said "natives lived uneasily with the outsiders...but the election of Mr. Malloy [in 2001]... helped ease those tensions".<ref name="NYT">Cooper, Christopher (January 3, 2008) In this farm town, gurus transcend party politics, ''The Wall Street Journal''</ref>

Author Jack Forem wrote in 2012 that Fairfield is home to one of the largest synagogues in Iowa and one of the largest Liberal Catholic Churches in the nation.<ref>Forem, Jack (2012) Hay House, Transcendental Meditation: The Essential Teachings of Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, page 185</ref> That year [[Oprah Winfrey]] visited Fairfield to interview citizens and was given a tour the town.<ref>Allt, Kate (March 20, 2012) [http://www.heartlandconnection.com/news/story.aspx?id=732419 Fairfield to be featured on Oprah Winfrey Network] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120423001613/http://www.heartlandconnection.com/news/story.aspx?id=732419 |date=April 23, 2012 }} ''Heartland Connection''. Retrieved December 31, 2012</ref> An account of her visit titled "America's Most Unusual Town", was broadcast in March 2012 via the [[Oprah Winfrey Network (U.S. TV channel)|Oprah Winfrey Network]].<ref>[http://www.oprah.com/own-oprahs-next-chapter/oprahs-next-chapter.html America's Most Unusual Town: Sundays at 9/8c on OWN] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120113190744/http://www.oprah.com/own-oprahs-next-chapter/oprahs-next-chapter.html |date=January 13, 2012 }} #Nextchapter, [[Oprah Winfrey|Oprah]].com. Retrieved March 27, 2012</ref><ref>[https://archive.today/20120724021943/http://www.desmoinesregister.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2012303240007 "Fairfield's fame levitates after Oprah's meditation"] Des Moines Register, March 24, 2012</ref>

{{wide image|Central Park, Fairfield, Iowa.jpg|1000px|[[Memorial Day]] in Central Park}}