31. OKTOBERFEST DES MOINES
City: Des Moines, IA
Category: Annual Events & Festivals
Description: Music, German food, and, of course, beer—lots of beer—as this annual favorite spills out onto the street near Hessen Haus bar and restaurant just around the corner from the Court Avenue Entertainment District. A tented beer garden provides a place to suck down some suds while listening to oompah and watching polka dancers. Ten bucks gets you a mug and your first drink ticket. It all kicks off with the “tapping of the golden keg” and continues with musical acts of all kinds performing well into the night.
32. DIA DE LOS MUERTOS/DAY OF THE DEAD
City: Des Moines, IA
Category: Annual Events & Festivals
Telephone: (515) 277-2205
Address: 4700 Grand Ave.
Description: Come to a traditional Mexican Halloween celebration, with music, food, and activities. Traditional altars are on display in the museum’s main gallery, with information plaques explaining their historical importance in Mexico. Children will enjoy decorating calaveras, or sugar skulls, while a mariachi band entertains in the museum’s garden. Warm up with some Mexican hot chocolate and try some pan de muertos, or bread of the dead.
33. FAMILY HALLOWEEN NIGHTS
City: Des Moines, IA
Category: Annual Events & Festivals
Telephone: (515) 278-5286
Address: 11121 Hickman Rd.
Description: Wagon rides, Halloween stories, and displays of jack-o’-lanterns make this a good Halloween choice for families. There’s also trick-or-treating through the historic farming town on-site for kids 12 and under, and free popcorn and sodas for everyone. Admission is about $5 per person. Perfect for that feeling of harvest time in Iowa, with touches of an old-fashioned Halloween celebration. Just be sure to bring warm enough clothes in case the weather turns cold!
34. BEAVERDALE HOLIDAY BOUTIQUE
City: Des Moines, IA
Category: Annual Events & Festivals
Telephone: (515) 401-4145
Address: 2926 Beaver Ave.
Description: Get an early jump on Christmas shopping at this long-running holiday bazaar in the Beaverdale neighborhood on the west side of Des Moines. Over 100 vendors offer all sorts of arts and crafts and other unique gift ideas. There are also lots of yummy baked goods for sale. An on-site cafe gives you the chance to fuel up during the frenzy of shopping.
35. IOWA WINE & FOOD EXPO
City: Des Moines, IA
Category: Annual Events & Festivals
Description: Foodies, this is for you: row upon row of exhibition space with a dizzying array of food items, including an endless number of food samples. Countless wine and beer samples are available as well. Cooking demonstrations will show how to whip up some tasty concoctions, and numerous celebrity chefs cook on the event’s stage, as do local culinary artistes. Ticket prices vary, with multi-day passes available.
36. DOWNTOWN WINTER FARMERS’ MARKET
City: Des Moines, IA
Category: Annual Events & Festivals
Telephone: (515) 286-4928
Address: 400 Locust St.
Description: The perfect opportunity to stock up on meats and goodies for upcoming holiday dinners, this unseasonal holiday market is held in downtown’s main outdoor plaza and the adjacent commercial building, which has access to the skywalk. Lots of holiday gift possibilities are here, food items and otherwise. Over 120 vendors proffer jams, jellies, honey, wine, and yummy baked goods like pies, cakes, and cinnamon rolls. Musicians play festive Christmas tunes while you shop. Admission is free, and there’s lots of parking available at nearby garages. While you’re there, get a poinsettia to decorate your home.
37. HOLIDAY LIGHTS DES MOINES
City: Des Moines, IA
Category: Annual Events & Festivals
Address: 520 Robert D. Ray Dr.
Description: Usually held right after Thanksgiving at the downtown ice-skating rink, this event features the lighting of the city’s Christmas tree, as well as visits with Santa Claus, carriage rides, musical performances, and food vendors. The rink will be open for skating, and there’s a fireworks display right after the tree lighting. Admission is free, with free parking in the city lot north of the Armory building at 602 Robert D. Ray Dr., as well as in the lot east of City Hall at 400 Robert D. Ray Dr. Parking is also free at all city meters after 6 p.m. the day of the event.
38. JOLLY HOLIDAY LIGHTS
City: Des Moines, IA
Category: Annual Events & Festivals
Address: 2201 George Flagg Pkwy.
Insider Pick:
Description: This is central Iowa’s largest holiday lights display, with numerous holiday characters along a 3.5-mile route in a parklike setting. Also features Santa’s wish shop, where kids can meet Santa and have cookies and hot chocolate. It runs through the end of Dec and costs about $10 per car.
39. PRAIRIE CHRISTMAS
City: Des Moines, IA
Category: Annual Events & Festivals
Telephone: (515) 278-5286
Address: 11121 Hickman Rd.
Description: The spirit of Christmas as seen from historic Iowa comes to life, with horse-drawn wagon rides, tree trimming, and a visit with Santa Claus. Check out the old-time decorations in the historic Iowa farm village. Children’s activities include crafts and taffy pulls, and Santa’s workshop will be open for holiday gift shopping. Admission is about $5 per person.
40. HOLIDAY OPEN HOUSE
City: Des Moines, IA
Category: Annual Events & Festivals
Telephone: (515) 222-3642
Description: Running for several weekends in late Nov and early Dec, this is an old-fashioned Christmas event, with caroling, photos with Rudolph, holiday food vendors, and free carriage rides, plus a chance to meet Santa and Mrs. Claus. It’s a festive time, with some 150,000 Christmas lights strung above the 6 blocks of shops in the historic downtown area of Valley Junction—it should be easy to find gifts for the Christmas list here. Admission is free.
41. ZOO TOTS
City: Des Moines, IA
Category: Annual Events & Festivals
Address: 7401 SW 9th St.
Description: Kids get a chance to make crafts, hear animal stories, and eat yummy snacks at this popular event held Wed, Thurs, and Fri mornings over the course of a few weeks. Each event has a different theme revolving around an animal who will be the focus of the children’s activity for the day. A fee is charged, and it’s a good idea to register early.
42. HOLLY & IVY TOURS
City: Des Moines, IA
Category: Annual Events & Festivals
Telephone: (515) 274-1777
Address: 4025 Tonawanda Dr.
Description: Rooms are dressed up for the holidays at this historic house on the west side of Des Moines, near the city’s art museum. There are gingerbread houses on display and live holiday music. The house also features holiday lights and visits with Santa, although these may be later in the month. Tickets for the tour are around $15 for adults and $6 for children.