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The Gathering Barn
Photos: The Gathering Barn (www.thegatheringbarnllc.com)
A big white barn with fire pits, patios and farmland sunsets
Opened in 2020 just off I-80 in Williamsburg, The Gathering Barn is a large, bright event barn whose main room seats up to 500 — so 240 has space to breathe. Harvest tables, a full bar with bartenders, prep suites and cleanup are all part of the rental. Outside are a patio and fire pits, with indoor and outdoor ceremony spots and big sunsets over the fields.
A big white barn off I-80 with bartenders, setup and cleanup all in the rental — the most room for the money.
Why it works
- 75 Google reviews averaging 4.7
- Bartenders and a full bar are included in the rental
- The most space of any venue here, plus a patio and fire pits
- $6,000 on a spring Saturday
Watch out for
- A classic big-barn look rather than a designer interior
- No online calendar — you'll need to ask about dates
- About 30 minutes from the church
In the price
- Harvest tables and chairs
- Set up and tear down of tables/chairs
- Indoor and outdoor ceremony space
- Outdoor patio seating and fire pits
- Two preparation suites
- Quiet lounge
- Preparation kitchen
- Full bar, bartenders and glassware
- Bussing staff
- End-of-event cleaning service
Add-ons & extra costs
| Two-day package (Fri + Sat, or Sat + Sun until noon) | $7,000 |
| Three-day package (Fri, Sat and Sun until noon) | $8,000 |
How the money works
- Model
- flat rental
- Saturday
- $6,000, March–November (2026)
- Other days
- December–February $5,000 · Fridays and Sundays $5,000 · Friday–Saturday package $7,000
- Good to know
- Saturday rental March–November 2026: $6,000. Food is your caterer; the bar and bartenders are theirs and included.
2026 pricing · source. Prices for 2028 are usually set a year or two out and tend to rise 3–8% a year.
Rules of the house
- Catering
- Your choice — they recommend Dostal Catering, Jerry & Margie Catering and Iowa BBQ Company
- Bar
- Their full bar with bartenders, included
- Access
- Ask — weekend packages run through Sunday noon
- Ends
- Ask
- Season
- Year-round
| Main gathering room | Up to 500 seated |
| Patio and fire pits — cocktail hour and lounging |
Availability
Their availability page doesn't show dates yet — email them to ask about 2028 Saturdays.
Open their calendarWhat people say
“A nice simple elegant venue”
— Google review
Couples love
- Owners/staff repeatedly called helpful and responsive throughout planning
- Bartenders and day-of staff praised by name in multiple reviews
- Wide open gathering room plus patio and fire pits give a lot of usable space for the price
- Sunset-over-farmland views are a recurring highlight in photos
Mentioned as drawbacks
- One review mentioned the access road and parking
- One mentioned a sound-system hiccup during a ceremony
31 minutes from St. Thomas More
350 W Evans Street, Williamsburg, IA 52361
Where guests stay: No rooms on site. The Crest Country Inn is about a quarter mile away; Iowa City hotels are 30 minutes.
