Annual Events & Festivals - Annual Events

Music and food festivals, holiday celebrations, athletic competitions, and everything in between: There’s a lot happening at all times of the year in Des Moines, from small neighborhood bashes to citywide events. It all culminates in the Iowa State Fair, where the whole city seems to descend on the fairgrounds on the east side. Residents in particular take as much advantage as possible of the warmer seasons to get outside: The downtown farmers’ market is up and running at the very beginning of May, and it seems like a summer weekend doesn’t go by without some sort of festival downtown or in an outlying area. Winter doesn’t shut down gatherings, just moves them indoors, like the big minigolf tournament that takes place inside the downtown skywalk.

Most events are highly casual—strictly come-as-you-are. Many are free, but some charge admission. Food is an integral part of many events, and you can usually find vendors offering all sorts of comestibles at many of the gatherings listed below.

Take the following calendar with a grain of salt: While some events, particularly athletic contests like the Drake Relays and Hy-Vee Triathlon, happen at the same time year after year, others may change or drop off the calendar completely. It’s always a good idea to check before planning a trip out to a particular event.