Really cool new monthly happening at a beautiful victorian mansion on the east side of Des Moines!…read moreOnce a month they will gather musicians, and artist to the space for performances in this rad mansion that also serves as an Air B and B. I didn't catch the whole first show, but there was a photography show by Dan Welk, Performances by local musicians, a special Opera performance, and then an open Mic to follow.. Also there were free pieces of pie, lemonade, and bottles of water! It was kid friendly and fun. I guess look for their facebook for upcoming performances! Oh I forgot to mention it was free too!

Oktoberfest is a great weekend in Des Moines, I recommend everyone should go have some fun and…read morepreferably dress up for it! Dressing for the occasion really makes it more fun. For a festival that is mostly about drinking the crowd is always nice and not too rowdy. Many men and women are happy to teach you to polka or even grab a stranger to share a boot of bier with. They always have great entertainment with live polka bands and several very entertaining contests for those in proper attire, such as the bier maiden competition. The limited food for venders outside Hessen Haus is always good, and the pastries from strudl Haus are always amazing. There are two things I think they need to improve on at this event. The first being they don't have many or even any sour biers most years. The second being they need more food vendors and variety. There is more to German food than just pretzels and brats. If they improved on these two items hands down this would be a five star review.

Love Des Moines Oktoberfest!! It's only 2 days long but I don't think I can handle much more. My…read morefavorite event is the tapping of he Golden Keg -- it's worth taking off work for!! Obviously the beer is the highlight of this event and there is plenty. Polka all day and night -- if you haven't tried to dance Polka it's easy! Just try!! Lots of friendly dancers will help you learn if you just step out and start trying. The rest of Oktoberfest is a blur -- but if I remembered it all it wouldn't be worth attending. Friendly people, great bier - eins, zwei, drei, gsuffa!!!

This event continues to get better year after year. And there is something for everyone:: live…read moremusic (3 stages!), parade, tons of kid events, food trucks, car show, craft sale, and so much more. Bring your family and friends for a good time.

I attended an Iowa Wild game in late December at Wells Fargo Arena and had a terrific time!…read more The arena is very efficient; parking is easily accessible and cheap ($10), with plenty to do and eat around the immediate area. However, the customer experience and exceptional customer service provided by the arena and Wild staff made it an outstanding overall experience. There is no bad seat in the house, and everyone working the event was kind and focused on making it a positive visit. Loved the entertainment between periods, the music, and the fun things throughout the stoppages in play. Plus, the team is quite good, and our seats were excellent. I'm returning on a future visit to Des Moines.

Attending Iowa Wild Hockey is always a fun event. Win or lose, it is exciting and a quick moving…read moregame. This is a family friendly environment and I love how they come up with different theme nights to engage the fans. A couple of weeks ago, we attend Pucks and Paws and last night was Kid's night. I would give five stars except, in typical sporting venue fashion, the concessions are outrageously priced, lacking in taste, and variety. Take your family out for a night of hockey, but eat first!

Cherished spot for so many Drake and community events…read more First time was for Tim Gunn from Project Runways talk and recently for a private party. Staff is outstanding and students are nearby to learn firsthand too. Seating is rather large for an indoor stadium.

This outdoor arena is home to Drake athletics, Relays, and several other community institutions…read more Not tone confused with the nearby Knapp indoor auditorium where Tim Russert and other notable people have spoken. Fantastic outdoor venue for football, Relays, and fundraiser events

Great place for high school graduation and much more! Parking is available every where but it does…read moreget packed so get here early. Bleacher seating and regular seating available.

Not my first time coming to the festival but it is always a fun time filled with culture, music,…read moreand amazing food!!! This festival usually is in July near the sculpture gardens and there is always a huge stage set up with live music. There is plenty of parking in the area! And plenty of ATM's as most vendors do not take cards. And at least this year if you came in before 5pm you could get in free. Otherwise the cost of admission is only a few dollars! This is one of the multiple wonderful cultural festivals in Des Moines! Can't wait to go back next year!

What a treasure for Indianola. Such a treasure of information about ballooning. If you can make it…read moreto the area, it's worth seeing.

I know NOTHING of ballooning barring that one trip I took up 20 years ago for my mothers fortieth…read more Girlfriend and I passed this on a road trip, shimmied up to the counter, and paid the $3 each. The volunteer docent had a wealth of knowledge on the.... hobby? Activity? Sport? Either way, he answered any and all questions before we took off throughout the museum. There were plenty of baskets, balloons, different types of capsule (even a styofoam one,) material samples, medals, trophies, etc. It could have been overwhelming, but everything was properly labeled, and easily explained to the clueless. There was a library in the back chock full of books and dvds. A small area for children's activities and a cute little gift shop await you at the end of loop, as well as clean bathrooms and more non-pushy, friendly staff. Look, I went in here knowing nothing and left with a nice overview and new respect for the science and work that goes in to this activity, which is what any small specialty museum should do. It's most definitely worth the entry fee, enter with an open mind, leave an hour later with a new appreciation.