Iowa
12 things to do this weekend in Des Moines include Savannah Bananas, Cy-Hawk game
If you want to stay on top of all the fun things to do in Des Moines, sign up for Off Hours, your free weekly newsletter from the Des Moines Register that showcases all things fun you can do in central Iowa. Recently, we’ve written about karaoke bars, where to go thrifting, where to buy crafts, vegan restaurants, gluten-free options, the Amana Colonies and where to buy plants. If you sign up for our newsletter, you get a whole list of fun places to go, things to do, what to eat, and more early Thursday morning in your inbox.
Shawntelle Madison
Thursday evening: Meet a Des Moines author during this free event at the Des Moines Central Library, 1000 Grand Ave., Des Moines. Shawntelle Madison kicks off the library’s 2024 Fall Author Series. Her new novel, “The Fallen Fruit,” covers “a family saga that follows a Black family that for two centuries has been cursed with the gift of time travel.” Madison also writes science fiction, romance, and fantasy books, include her urban fantasy series, “Coveted.” She’ll talk about her work starting at 5 p.m.
Ruth Harkin
Thursday evening: Former Sen. Tom Harkin’s wife, Ruth Harkin, releases her new book, “When My Husband Ran for President and Other Short Stories,” and launches it with a book signing at the Tom and Ruth Harkin Center on the Drake University campus, 2800 University Ave., Des Moines. The free event from 5 to 7 p.m. includes remarks from Ruth and former Iowa Supreme Court Justice Marsha Ternus. Ruth and Sen. Tom Harkin will be available for a brief question-and-answer session, followed by a book signing by Ruth in the atrium. The book will be available for purchase at the event, and all author proceeds from the book will be donated to The Harkin Institute endowment fund.
More: Ruth Harkin memoir shows wit, retrospection of pathbreaking Iowan who’s made a difference
Savannah Bananas
Friday night: Zany baseball antics courtesy of the Savannah Bananas take over Principal Park, 1 Line Drive, Des Moines, through Sunday. Tickets have been sold out for some time now, but if you got lucky, expect Banana Ball shenanigans against the Party Animals. On-field antics like choreographed dances, crazy rules (if a fan catches a foul bout, it counts as an out), crowd participation skits, and fun props are all part of the fun starting at 7 p.m.
More: The Savannah Bananas are headed back to Des Moines this week. Here’s what you need to know
‘It’s Only A Play’
Friday night: Step out for a meta night of theater when the Tallgrass Theatre Co., 2019 Grand Ave., West Des Moines, presents “It’s Only A Play.” The play takes place on opening night of “The Golden Egg” on Broadway, and Julia Budder, the wealthy producer, hosts a party at her home. Everyone awaits the reviews in her bedroom as celebrities enter downstairs. Tickets for the 7:30 p.m. show start at $33. The production runs on Fridays through Sundays through Sept. 22.
More: How to spend the perfect day in Valley Junction with restaurants, bars and shopping
First Friday
Friday night: Drop by Mainframe Studios, 900 Keosaqua Way, Des Moines, for First Friday from 5 to 8 p.m. The evening includes featured fashion artists who specialize in jewelry, design, and fiber. Find a henna artist, interactive photo displays, and craft activities during the free event that spans all five floors. From 7 to 8 p.m., see a fashion show in the Big Room.
Luenell
Friday night: The “Original Bad Girl of Comedy” Luenell takes the stage at Hoyt Sherman Place, 1501 Woodland Ave., Des Moines for an 8 p.m. show. See the star of the Netflix comedy special “Town Business” with tickets starting at $29.50.
Renaissance Faire
Saturday afternoon: Fetch ye olde turkey leg and a cup of meade and prepare to wander the nine stages and more than 50 vendors at the Renaissance Faire at Sleepy Hollow. The event returns with jousting, birds of prey, fire breathers and jugglers, minstrels, jesters, and belly dancers from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and Sunday at Sleepy Hollow Sports Park, 1408 Arthur Ave., Des Moines. Tickets start at $23 for those age 13 and older, free for kids. Buy tickets online. Continues next weekend as well.
Touchdown Tailgate
Saturday morning: Can’t make it to Iowa City to watch Iowa State take on Iowa? Head to Cowles Commons at 221 Walnut St., Des Moines, for Touchdown Tailgate. The event from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. includes free admission for the Cy-Hawk game, shown on two Jumbotron TVs. Find food trucks Farmboys BBQ, Roadside Tacos, Big Red Food Truck and Sweet Swirls as well as a private bar selling alcohol. Kickoff is at 2:30 p.m. Bring your own chair, too.
DSM Gamer Jazz
Saturday afternoon: Hear jazz band renditions from legendary video games such as “Super Mario,” “Street Fighter” and “Plants vs. Zombies” when the Des Moines Gamer Symphony Orchestra plays at Jamie Hurd Amphitheater, 4100 Millis Civic Parkway, West Des Moines. The free concert runs from 2 to 3 p.m.
Concours d’Elegance
Sunday afternoon: See vintage, classic, and exotic automobiles from around the world during the 2024 Des Moines Concours d’Elegance. The free event at the John & Mary Pappajohn Sculpture Park, Western Gateway Park, 1330 Grand Ave., Des Moines, runs from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
PorchFest
Sunday afternoon: See 24 bands play on Union Park porches for PorchFest from 11:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. The rolling music festival takes place on the front porches of the residents of Union Park in Des Moines, with music from a variety of genres. Festival attendees can migrate from one performance to the next to listen to the 45-minute sets of live music. See the map of homes at porchfestdsm.org.
Justin Willman
Sunday night: Magician Justin Willman brings his Illusionati Tour to Hoyt Sherman Place, 1501 Woodland Ave., Des Moines, at 7 p.m. Willman’s show includes an interactive evening of magic, comedy and mind-control. Tickets start at $42.50 to see the star of the Netflix series “Magic For Humans” and “The Magic Prank Show with Justin Willman.”
Susan Stapleton is the entertainment editor and dining reporter at The Des Moines Register. You can reach out to her on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram, or drop her a line at sstapleton@gannett.com.
What happens when you call 911?
Here’s everything a dispatcher does to get emergency services to your location when you dial 911.
Miguel Fernandez, NorthJersey.com
A 14-year-old Dyersville girl has died from injuries caused by a watercraft collision on Clear Lake on the 4th of July.
The crash involved five people in two personal watercrafts and occurred around 5:30 p.m. near the McIntosh Woods State Park boat ramp on a part of the lake called Little Lake, according to a release from the Iowa Department of Natural Resources.
Passengers on a nearby pontoon immediately helped the victims before the Iowa DNR water patrol and conservation officers, Ventura and Clear Lake fire departments, Iowa State Patrol, Clear Lake Police Department and the Cerro Gordo County Sheriff’s Office came on scene.
The release does not give the names of the four children involved.
A 35-year-old woman, an 11-year-old girl and a 12-year-old boy, all from Greenwood, South Carolina, were treated at the Mercy-One Medical Center in Mason City and released on July 4. A 15-year-old Mason City girl was transferred to the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, and is in serious condition.
While the investigation is ongoing, Iowa DNR officers have ruled out alcohol or other impairments as contributing factors to the crash, the release states.
Isabelle Foland is a communities reporter for the Register. Reach her at ifoland@registermedia.com.
As the Iowa State Cyclones get set for the 2026 campaign, the program is also looking toward the future and rebuilding a program that was hit hard by departures.
Last season, Iowa State battled a lot of injuries, but was still able to have a pretty good year. However, following the campaign coming to an end and before bowl season kicked off, the team lost head coach Matt Campbell to the Penn State Nittany Lions.
As expected, a lot of players from the program ended up leaving, leaving the team with nearly an entire roster to rebuild. However, new head coach Jimmy Rogers has been able to come in and make a good impression early on.
While Iowa State might not be as talented as they were last year, they have a good coach and a lot of depth. The Cyclones will be hoping that he can develop and get the most out of some of these new players, but the team certainly won’t be competing for a Big 12 title next season.
For Iowa State, with at least this year being a rebuild for the program, they will be looking toward the future. With that comes a need to recruit well, and that is something Rogers and the staff have been impressive at so far.
Iowa State Recruiting Class Shaping Up Nicely
Following the four-star addition of Chuck Alexander, who flipped from the Louisville Cardinals, the 2027 recruiting class is looking really strong right now for Iowa State. According to Rivals, they rank 49th in the country right now, and that is a strong place to be for the team.
With Alexander being the new top recruit for the team, he will be joining a class that has been highlighted by some good offensive talent so far. Running back Isaiah Hansen is regarded as a very good player at his position, and the team also has offensive lineman Will Slagle.
With the three top recruits so far being offensive players, a future core might be starting to come together for Rogers and the program. While the team might be a bit more defensive-minded this year, there is clearly a focus on improving offensively for the future.
Overall, with time still to go, this class could continue to get better. However, it is really encouraging to see what Rogers and the staff have been able to accomplish so far. Recruiting will be key for Iowa State to get back to where they want to be, and they are off to a strong start.
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SOLON, IOWA — As holiday weekend crowds head to Iowa lakes and rivers, state and national law enforcement agencies are urging boaters to make safety a priority — especially when it comes to alcohol and drugs on the water.
The push is part of Operation Dry Water, a national awareness campaign aimed at deterring impaired boating, reducing alcohol and drug-related incidents, and enforcing Iowa’s boating while intoxicated laws.
Iowa Department of Natural Resources officials say the holiday weekend is a time when they often see a spike in enforcement activity. Last year, the Iowa DNR reported interacting with more than 1,200 vessels and issued 382 citations.
Rachel Allis, the Iowa DNR’s boating education coordinator, said conditions on the water can intensify impairment.
“We don’t realize the effect the sun, water, the waves have. Simply stated, you can get dehydrated much quicker when you’re out on your boats,” Allis said. “So, all of those compounds with medication and everything else, so impaired drivers are really what we’re on the lookout for and what we’re concerned for. Nationally, about a third of all incidents occur with an impaired driver.”
At Lake Macbride State Park, boaters and paddlers said they’re also taking steps to avoid trouble on busy waterways.
“All of us love to be out here in nature and Macbride is so pretty. So, it’s just a good togetherness function,” said Angela Ranaud, who was kayaking during the holiday weekend. “Fisherman, we try to stay away from them, so we don’t interfere their catching. We try to stay away from the wakes; they tend to capsize. Other than that kayaks a pretty low danger type of sport, so we just like to be out in the water.”
Corey Scott, a holiday boater at Lake Macbride, said the lake’s horsepower restriction helps keep speeds down between Memorial Day and Labor Day, but he still watches closely for smaller craft and stressed the importance of sober operation.
“Macbride is nice and easy, 9.9 horsepower between Memorial Day and Labor Day,” Scott said. “So, that’s the nice part you don’t have people speeding up and down and everywhere, so really the only thing to look out for is anybody on paddleboats, kayaks, things like that. Again, out here people say well you’re only going 9.9 so it’s not ‘hey you can have a few beers’ and stuff like that; but that’s the main thing to be aware of. Making sure you have a sober driver and just be aware of your surroundings.”
To learn more about boater safety visit Iowa’s DNR website.
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