Des Moines Events, Things to Do and Festivals 2014 / 2015

(Des Moines, Iowa - IA, USA)

At the end of January, the Winter Blues Festival offers an enjoyable interlude to the cold weather and a chance to warm up, being organized by the Central Iowa Blues Society and featuring various different performances by jazz bands.

As the weather improves in Des Moines, the events on offer start to become more plentiful. At the beginning of May, thousands head to the nearby Pella Historical Village to join in the Dutch-themed fun at the Annual Tulip Time Festival, while towards the end of June, the Des Moines Arts Festival is an enormous event, attracting in the region of 250,000 people.

Music and food is very much the subject of things to do in June, with highlights including performances by the Des Moines Symphony at Yankee Doodle Pops, concerts within East Village as part of 515 Alive, and delicious food at Taste of Des Moines. The Latino Heritage Festival in the early part of September continues this theme, with its live folk music and Latin American-style food.

Summer visitors should try to time their vacation to coincide with the Iowa State Fair, which was first held in 1854 and lasts just under two weeks. This event now draws crowds of around one million people, which makes this amongst the biggest state fairs in the whole of the United States.

Des Moines Calendar of Festivals and Events 2014 / 2015

January

• Monster Jam - early January, monster trucks perform tricks at the Wells Fargo Arena, at the Iowa Events Center.
• Winter Blues Fest - late January / early February, on different stages around downtown Des Moines, including the Marriott Hotel on Grand Avenue.

February

• Lincoln's Birthday - February 12th, a statewide holiday throughout Iowa, celebrating the birthday of Abraham Lincoln, who was born in 1809 and became the 16th president of the USA.
• Kidsfest - late February to early March, family themed activities are staged at the Iowa State Fairgrounds, within the William C. Knapp Varied Industries Building, on the corner of East University Avenue and East 30th Street.

March

• Springtime Ballet - early March, traditional ballets are held at the Des Moines Civic Center on Walnut Street.
• Iowa High School Basketball Tournaments (Boys and Girls) - early March, at the Iowa Events Center on 3rd Street.

April

• Drake Relays - late April, with athletics, track and field events, a half marathon and various other sporting activities, based at the Drake Stadium. Community events include street painting, an alumni awards ceremony and even a beautiful bulldog contest.
• Grand Blue Mile - late April, an ever-growing race around the streets of central Des Moines, which now reliably draws in excess of 13,000 runners, including former Olympians and some famed American record holders.

May

• Annual Tulip Time Festival - early May, held every year since the 1930s at the nearby Pella Historical Village, approximately one hour to the southeast. Each year at the beginning of May, literally thousands descend upon Pella, dressed in traditional Dutch costumes, to enjoy the colorful displays of tulips and the old windmills, not to mention the tasty ethic food, such as funnel cakes (fried batter with powdered sugar, jam or other toppings), poffertjes (Dutch batter treats), stroopwafel (caramel waffles) and strudel (thin pastry with a fruit filling).

June

• Des Moines Arts Festival - late June, a three-day event held over the last weekend of June, at the Western Gateway Park. Thousands of people now attend and enjoy acrobats, art exhibitions and activities, beers from local breweries, dance demonstrations, eclectic food stalls, live music and outdoor sculptures.
• Interrobang Film Festival - late June, public independent film and documentary screenings (short and long) as part of a competition, at the Western Gateway Park.

July

• Yankee Doodle Pops - early July, classical music with the Des Moines Symphony performing on the West Terrace of the Iowa State Capitol Building. This is a free open-air patriotic concert, with many people choosing to bring a picnic or purchasing hot food from one of the numerous vendors present onsite.
• 80 / 35 Music Festival - first Friday and Saturday in July, held at the Western Gateway Park and named after local interstates I-80 and I-35, which intersect on the northeastern corner of Des Moines. Around 40,000 people now attend this music fest, which was first held in 2008 and has seen headline acts such as the Flaming Lips, Galactic, Girl Talk, Public Enemy and Wu Tang Clan, amongst many others.
• 515 Alive - late July / early August, an urban arts and music festival held at venues within the historic East Village neighborhood.
• Taste of Des Moines - mid-July, over 50 food vendors gather around downtown Des Moines and provide the opportunity to sample an assortment of different cuisines.

August

• Iowa State Fair (Fairgrounds) - mid-August, highlights include the Butter Cow sculpture, various livestock shows and agricultural-themed competitions, plenty of free entertainment, beer tents and the Bill Riley Talent Search.

September

• Latino Heritage Festival - early September, a two-day event aimed at the resident Latin-American community, with live bands, Latino-inspired food, family activities, folkloric dancing demonstrations, dancing with celebrities, craft workshops, corn eating contests and more than 100 exhibitors. Initially held in 2002, this is now one of Iowa's largest cultural events, with thousands heading to Des Moines for this weekend of festivities.
• World Food and Music Festival - mid-September, with gourmet cuisine, multicultural dishes, cooking demonstrations and live music, based within the historic East Village.
• Heartland Acres Flea and Vintage Marketplace - late September, traders sell an assortment of antiques, collectibles, jewellery, art works and vintage goodies, held at Heartland Acres in nearby Waukee, to the west.

October

• World Food Prize / Norman E. Borlaug International Symposium - mid-October, a local awards ceremony attracting more than 1,000 people from over 60 countries around the world. In past years, the symposium has been held at the Marriott Downtown Hotel.
• IMT Des Moines Marathon - late October, the state's biggest marathon, starting and finishing on the Locust Street Bridge. A number of shorter races also take place, including a sponsored 3-mile / 5-km road race, with around 10,000 participants in total.

November

• Blue Ribbon Bacon Festival - regarded as the world's biggest and best baconfest, with the opportunity to taste endless rashers of bacon and related dishes. First held in 2007 and now attracting close to 10,000 attendees, there is also a bacon queen competition, eating contests, live music and more, at the Iowa State Fairgrounds.
• Jolly Holiday Lights- late November to early January, at the Waterworks Park on the George Flagg Parkway, raising funds for the Make-A-Wish charity.

December

• New Year's Eve - December 31st, at venues throughout the capital, including performances by the acclaimed Des Moines Symphony Orchestra.