Iowa

Pride events span across Iowa for 2025. Find ways to celebrate LGBTQ+ Iowans near you.

Published

6 months ago

June 5, 2025

Pride events span across Iowa for 2025. Find ways to celebrate LGBTQ+ Iowans near you.

Who’s ready to celebrate? June marks Pride Month and LGBTQ+ Iowans across the state will be celebrating their community’s history and culture with plenty of parades and events throughout the month.

Here’s where to find LGBTQ+ community events across Iowa in June.

(Events are organized in chronological order)

SUX Pride

Sioux City is celebrating Pride the first weekend of June, with a diversity march, main stage acts, vendor booths, food trucks, story times and more. Saturday night, all events are 21+.

When: 7 p.m. on June 5, 5 p.m. on June 6 and 11 a.m. on June 7

Where: Virginia and Fourth Street, Sioux City on June 5 and 6, Sioux City Convention Center on June 7

Quad Cities Pride Festival

The Quad Cities are bringing a weekend packed with entertainment. From a Pride Choir and dance party, to DJs and drag queens, or vendors and activities, they’ll have it all. Passes start at $10 for daily admission.

When: 4 p.m. on June 6, 12 p.m. on June 7

Where: Schwiebert Riverfront Park, Rock Island, Illinois

Capital City PrideFest

Capital City Pride is celebrating it 46th PrideFest in Des Moines. The three-day event is hosted in the heart of the Historic East Village and will feature local drag queens, DJ performances, full festival activities like games and vendors and much more.

When: 5 p.m. on June 6, 9 a.m. on June 7, 10 a.m. on June 8

Where: East Village of Des Moines

Dubuque Pride Festival

Dubuque is celebrating the LGBTQ+ community with performances, local vendors, food trucks and plenty of family-friendly fun at their festival. The event is free, and welcomes all ages.

When: 12-5 p.m. on June 7

Where: Town Clock Plaza, downtown Dubuque

Annual Ottumwa Pride Block Party

Celebrating its fifth year, the Ottomwa Pride Block Party is switching things up for an afternoon of fun in the sun. Soak in the pool and positive energy and celebrate love and inclusivity.

When: 4-10 p.m. on June 7
Where: The Beach Ottumwa

Bi-State Unity Pride Parade

The annual Quad City Unity Pride Parade is back. The parade links Iowa and Illinois by crossing the Mississippi River using the Centennial Bridge.

When: 11 a.m., June 14
Where: Starts at Chill Ice Cream & Eats (421 River Drive, Davenport)

Let Love Fly

Kites will soar over North Liberty in honor of Pride. There will also be activities and giveaways from community groups. All ages are welcome.

When: 11 a.m. – 3 p.m. on June 14
Where: Centennial Park, North Liberty

Des Moines People’s Pride

A community-based and centered event, Des Moines People’s Pride is back for its third year and will consist of local vendors, artists and performers. “The purpose of DSM People’s Pride is to be a safe, inclusive event for all people in our community, which means maintaining a cop-free space and requiring masking,” according to its website.

When: Noon – 4 p.m., June 14
Where: Water Works Park (2201 George Flagg Parkway, Des Moines)

Burlington Pride in the Park

With more than 60 vendors, Burlington Pride in the Park is back and bigger than ever. There’s entertainment scheduled, a parade and pet parade and of course plenty of drag shows.

When: 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. on June 21
Where: Crapo Park

Iowa City Pride and Parade

Iowa City’s Annual Pride Festival is back to celebrate the LGBTQ+ community. Join for vendors, activities, drag shows, a parade and more.

When: Noon-10 p.m. on June 21
Where: Downtown Iowa City

Oskaloosa Pride in the Alley

Oskaloosa is hosting Pride in the Alley. Join for a photo booth, puppets, vendors and more.

When: 1-6 p.m. on June 21
Where: 109 South Market Street, Oskaloosa

Ankeny Pride

Ankeny is celebrating its fourth annual pride at the end of the month with a talent show, rainbow run, pet parade and plenty of vendors. Find out more at ankenypride.org.

When: 4-9 p.m., June 21
Where: Southview Middle School (1020 Southwest Cherry Street, Ankeny)

Burlington Pride on the Riverfront

Burlington is also hosting a day full of community and support at the end of June. There will be mindfulness yoga, a parade, main stage entertainment and more.

When: 8 a.m. on June 28, 9 a.m. on June 29
Where: Burlington’s Great River Bridge riverfront

Valley Junction Pride

Valley Junction is hosting its second-ever Pride celebration this year, which will include a pet parade by Bone-A-Patreat, drag story time, a maker’s market, entertainment and plenty more.

When: 10 a.m. – 4 p.m., June 29
Where: 137 Fifth Street, West Des Moines

Know of an event we missed? Email iowaconnect@gannett.com for consideration.

Victoria Reyna-Rodriguez is a general assignment reporter for the Register. Reach her at vreynarodriguez@registermedia.com or follow her on Twitter @VictoriaReynaR.

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Iowa

Republican Wendy Larson wins Iowa House special election

Published

5 hours ago

December 10, 2025

Press Room

Republican Wendy Larson wins Iowa House special election

Republican Wendy Larson has won a special election in northeast Iowa’s House District 7, retaining House Republicans’ supermajority in the state Legislature.

Larson, of Odebolt, will fill the seat of former Rep. Mike Sexton, R-Rockwell City, who resigned Sept. 19 to take a job as Iowa state director of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s rural development office.

Larson won with 70% of the vote, defeating Democrat Rachel Burns, who received 30%, according to unofficial results from the Iowa Secretary of State’s office.

“I’m very blessed to have the opportunity to serve House District 7,” Larson said in a statement. “Throughout this campaign, I vowed to be a common-sense, conservative leader for rural Iowa in the Statehouse. I look forward to delivering on promises that I campaigned on, including protecting landowner rights, providing property tax relief and protecting our children. I’m eager to carry the voices of House District 7 to Des Moines and deliver results for rural Iowa.”

House District 7 includes Sac, Pocahontas and Calhoun counties, as well as portions of western Webster County.

Larson is a deaconess at Kiron Baptist Church and a volunteer at the Mobile Food Pantry. She and her husband, Chad, have three children. Larson holds a bachelor’s degree in marketing from Colorado State University.

Larson campaigned on protecting landowner rights from eminent domain, opposing vaccine mandates, strengthening Second Amendment rights, fighting illegal immigration and “protecting our children from political indoctrination” in school, according to a news release from House Republicans.

With Larson’s win, Republicans retain their 67-seat supermajority in the Iowa House.

House Speaker Pat Grassley, R-New Hartford, praised Larson’s 40-point victory in a statement.

“Unsurprisingly, House District 7 awarded Wendy Larson a resounding victory today,” he said. “Iowans continue to reject out-of-touch liberal agendas and opt instead for more of the common sense, freedom-loving approach you’ve come to know from Iowa House Republicans. We are proud to have a strong leader for House District 7 in Wendy Larson and we look forward to her joining us in the Iowa House.”

Larson previously ran against Sexton in a Republican primary in 2024, losing that race 51% to 49%.

Iowa Democratic Party Chair Rita Hart thanked Bruns for running and praised her campaign.

“Rachel Burns ran a gutsy and inspiring campaign, and the results of her hard work were clear tonight — overperforming by 11 points and forcing Republicans to spend over $35,000 in a district that Donald Trump won by 52,” Hart said in a statement.

Iowa has seen half a dozen special elections for the Legislature in 2025

Larson’s win marks the fifth special election for the Iowa Legislature in 2025.

In January, Democrat Mike Zimmer pulled off a surprise victory over Republican Kate Whittington in an eastern Iowa Senate seat that Chris Cournoyer vacated when she became lieutenant governor.

Republicans narrowly held a House seat that became vacant after former Rep. Martin Graber died unexpectedly of a heart attack. Republican Blaine Watkins defeated Democrat Nannette Griffin in March.

And in April, Democrat Angelina Ramirez won a special election to the Iowa House to replace Sami Scheetz, who resigned after being appointed to fill a vacancy on the Linn County Board of Supervisors. Ramirez defeated Republican Bernie Hayes.

Democrat Catelin Drey in August won a special election for the Iowa Senate seat previously held by Rocky De Witt, who died of pancreatic cancer. She defeated Republican Christopher Prosch, breaking Senate Republicans’ supermajority in the 50-member chamber.

Polk County residents will head to the polls for one final election on Dec. 30 to fill the Senate District 16 seat left vacant by the death of Sen. Claire Celsi in October.

Stephen Gruber-Miller covers the Iowa Statehouse and politics for the Register. He can be reached by email at sgrubermil@registermedia.com or by phone at 515-284-8169. Follow him on X at @sgrubermiller.

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Iowa

See where Iowa women’s basketball is ranked in the latest Coaches poll

Published

17 hours ago

December 9, 2025

Press Room

See where Iowa women’s basketball is ranked in the latest Coaches poll

After thumping Rutgers in its Big Ten opener, Iowa women’s basketball remained at No. 12 in the latest USA TODAY Coaches poll released Dec. 9.

The Hawkeyes (9-0, 1-0 Big Ten Conference) picked up a 79-36 win over the Scarlet Knights on Dec. 6 to remain unbeaten. Iowa has held opponents under 60 points six times already this season.

This week brings Iowa’s toughest challenge yet. The Hawkeyes head to No. 10 Iowa State (10-0) for their Dec. 10 challenge at Hilton Coliseum. Iowa then returns home to face Lindenwood on Dec. 13.

Dec. 9 women’s basketball Coaches poll

UConn
Texas
South Carolina
UCLA
LSU
Maryland
TCU
Michigan
Oklahoma
Iowa State
North Carolina
Iowa
Vanderbilt
Baylor
Kentucky
OIe Miss
USC
Tennessee
Notre Dame
Louisville
Ohio State
Oklahoma State
Washington
Michigan State
Alabama

Dargan Southard is a sports trending reporter and covers Iowa athletics for the Des Moines Register and HawkCentral.com. Email him at msouthard@gannett.com or follow him on Twitter at @Dargan_Southard.

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Iowa

Iowa leaders react to farm aid package

Published

1 day ago

December 9, 2025

Press Room

DES MOINES, Iowa — President Donald Trump announced plans Monday for a $12 billion Farmer Bridge Assistance Program. The package will include one-time payments will be available to Iowa farmers. The USDA said its in response to temporary trade market disruptions and high costs.

Many lawmakers and other leaders reacted to the news.

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Iowa farmer Cordt Holub took part in the roundtable in Washington, D.C. He thanked Trump for the economic assistance package.

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