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EXPLORE: Events

October

Saturdays in October: Downtown Des Moines Farmers Market from 8 a.m. to noon. desmoinesfarmersmarket.com
Weekends in October: Phantom Fall Fest every Friday, Saturday and Sunday at Adventureland Park. Enjoy family-friendly thrills during the day, then — when the sun goes down — scream your way through four haunted houses and three scare zones. 3200 Adventureland Drive, Altoona; adventurelandresort.com
Oct. 1: Middlebrook Farm Fall Fest with free pumpkin decorating and face painting, plus a food truck, farmers market vendors and crafts for kids. 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. 4300 Cumming Ave., Cumming; middlebrookfarm.com
Oct. 1: Oktoberfest at Reclaimed Rails Brewing Co., 101 Main St. S.E., Bondurant; reclaimedrailsbrewing.com
Oct. 1: Polk City Fall Fest with a farmers market, food stands, inflatables, corn dig, pumpkin decorating and more in the Polk City town square from 3-7 p.m.; gopolkcity.com/fallfest
Oct. 2: Windsor Heights Book Fair celebrates more than a dozen local authors at this first annual event, noon to 6 p.m. at Masonic Lodge, 1141 69th St., Windsor Heights; facebook.com/WindsorHeightsBookFair
Oct. 5: BrownWinick Art of Wine Dinner. Delicious food paired with natural wine, inspired by different art pieces. 6 p.m. at the Des Moines Art Center, 4700 Grand Ave., Des Moines; winefestdesmoines.com/events
Oct. 7, Nov. 18, Dec. 16: Family Fun Night at 6 p.m. at Jester Park Outdoor Recreation and Wellness Center; 12112 N.W. 128th St., Granger; polkcountyiowa.gov/conservation/events
Oct. 7-8: Halloweenapalooza at the Bridge View Center of Ottumwa. Zombie walk, costume contest, live music, horror film celebrities and internationally recognized film festival. 5-11 p.m. on Friday, noon to midnight on Saturday. 102 Church St., Ottumwa; halloweenapalooza.com
Oct. 7-9: “The Book of Mormon” at Des Moines Civic Center; 221 Walnut St., Des Moines; dmpa.org
Oct. 8: Cars and Coffee from 8-11 a.m. at 5901 Mills Civic Parkway, West Des Moines; carsandcoffeedsm.com
Oct. 8: Fall Festival from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at South Sports Complex, 750 S. James St., Grimes; grimesiowa.gov
Oct. 8: Community Table: Storytelling & Local Food Festival from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Franklin Avenue Library, 5000 Franklin Ave., Des Moines; dmpl.org/events
Oct. 8: Raccoon River Rally festival with cardboard boat races, fun zone, food trucks, beverage tent, business expo and live music. 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. at Raccoon River Park, 2500 Grand Ave., West Des Moines; wdmchamber.org/raccoon-river-rally
Oct. 8: Bill Burr (Slight Return) comedy tour at 7 p.m. at Wells Fargo Arena; 223 Center St., Des Moines; iowaeventscenter.com
Oct. 8: Moonlight Seed Harvest with Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation and Polk County Conservation. Gather for a meal and storytelling from Iowa’s indigenous people, then harvest and restore the prairie by the light of the moon. 4-7:30 p.m. at Chichaqua Bottoms Greenbelt, 11204 N.E. 118th Ave., Maxwell; inhf.org/events
Oct. 8: High Trestle Hawk Watch guided by expert birders at the High Trestle Trail’s main viewing platform. 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Closest parking is 2335 QF Lane, Madrid; inhf.org/events
Oct. 8: Eat.Drink.Architecture, a three-hour tour through the Drake Neighborhood, starting at the University Library Cafe, 3506 University Ave., Des Moines; iowaarchfoundation.com
Oct. 8: Wauktoberfest from 5-11 p.m. German cuisine, polka band, beer garden and music. Downtown Triangle at Ashworth Drive and Sixth Street; facebook.com/WaukeeAreaHistoricalSociety
Oct. 8-9: Madison County Covered Bridge Festival in Winterset; madisoncounty.com/covered-bridge-festival-2
Oct. 13: Ship, Shop & Stroll at The District at Prairie Trail, S.W. District Drive, Ankeny; thedistrictpt.com
Oct. 14: Gallery Night showcasing local and international artists across several Valley Junction galleries. 5-9 p.m. along 100 to 300 blocks of Fifth Street, West Des Moines; valleyjunction.com/events
Oct. 14-16: Iowa Home Show from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Varied Industries Building, 3000 East Grand Ave., Des Moines; iowahomeexpo.com
Oct. 14-15: Fall Bulb Market featuring more than 100 unique bulb varieties selected by Botanical Garden horticulturists and volunteers. 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Greater Des Moines Botanical Garden, 909 Robert D. Ray Drive, Des Moines; dmbotanicalgarden.com
Oct. 14-16: “Annie Jr.” by the Penguin Project at Des Moines Playhouse, 831 42nd St., Des Moines; dmplayhouse.com
Oct. 15-16: Great Iowa Pet Expo gathering pet-lovers for entertainment, tradeshow, adoptions, education, shopping and lots of cuddles. 4-H Exhibits Building, Logan Ave., Des Moines; greatiowapetexpo.com
Oct. 15-29: Family Halloween at Living History Farms offers historic trick-or-treating, pumpkin bowling, story-telling and horse-drawn wagon rides. Check website for dates and times. 11121 Hickman Road, Urbandale; lhf.org
Oct. 16: IMT DSM Marathon and half-marathon, plus the Bankers Trust Marathon Relay, Principal 5K Road Race and MercyOne Children’s Hospital Kids Run. desmoinesmarathon.com
Oct. 16: Geocache Pumpkin Hunt at 1 p.m. at Yellow Banks Park, Prairieview Shelter, 6801 S.E. 32nd Ave. Pleasant Hill; polkcountyiowa.gov/conservation/events
Oct. 20, Oct. 27, Nov. 3: Sip & Shop after work hours, with activities and beverages at participating stores. Along Fifth Street in Historic Valley Junction, West Des Moines; valleyjunction.com/events
Oct. 20-22, 27-29: “Salem” by Ballet Des Moines at Stoner Theater, 221 Walnut St., Des Moines; balletdesmoines.org
Oct. 22: Pumpkin Fest will include a costume parade, pumpkin decorating and carving contest, and more in downtown Carlisle; carlisleiachamber.org
Oct. 22: Iowa Inferno natural bodybuilding championships at Franklin High School, 4801 Franklin Ave., Des Moines; nattyrevolution.com
Oct. 22: Bondu Spooktacular including a donut eating contest, costume contest, spooky scavenger hunt and several youth activities. 2-4 p.m. at City Park, 201 Main St. S.E., Bondurant; cityofbondurant.com/community-events-and-festivals
Oct. 22: The Salvation Army: Unmasking the Singer. Costumed local celebrities will entertain to raise funds starting at 7 p.m.; Hoyt Sherman Place, 1501 Woodland Ave., Des Moines; hoytsherman.org
Oct. 23: Trunk or Treat with Waukee Public Safety from 4-6 p.m., 1300 S.E. LA Grant Parkway, Waukee; waukee.org
Oct. 23: Community Jazz Center honors local jazz heroes at its Annual Hall of Fame and Special Recognition Awards at Noce. Reception and dinner at 5 p.m.; awards and performances at 6 p.m. 1326 Walnut St., Suite 100, Des Moines; cjc-dsm.org
Oct. 25: Trick or Treat Around the Lake from 5-7 p.m. Copper Creek Lake Park; 4390 E. University Ave., Pleasant Hill; pleasanthillchamber.org
Oct. 25: Des Moines Storytellers Project: Obsessions as told by Des Moines Register journalists. 7 p.m.; Hoyt Sherman Place, 1501 Woodland Ave., Des Moines; hoytsherman.org
Oct. 25-30: “Fiddler on the Roof” at Des Moines Civic Center; 221 Walnut St., Des Moines; dmpa.org
Oct. 25-30: “The Crown - Live!” at Temple Theater, 1011 Locust St., Des Moines; dmpa.org
Oct. 26: Trick or Treat with First Responders. 5:30-7 p.m. at Fire Station 38, 10225 N.W. 62nd Ave., Johnston, followed by activities and treats at the Bridge Church next door; cityofjohnston.com
Oct. 28: Wine, Witches & Brews, hosted by the Indianola Downtown Association. 5-9 p.m. in the Indianola Downtown Square
Oct. 28 - Nov. 13: “Harriet the Spy” at Des Moines Playhouse, 831 42nd St., Des Moines; dmplayhouse.com
Oct. 29: 5K Boos & Brews with the Iowa Brewery Running Series. Run, walk or jog the course and receive a free local craft brew at the finish line. Enjoy other event festivities, games and giveaways. Noon at Fox Brewing, 103 S. 11th St., West Des Moines; breweryrunningseries.com/iowa
Oct. 29: Trick AND Treat with the Animal Rescue League. Dress your pup in a costume and earn them treats through tricks. Human trick or treaters are also welcome. 5452 N.E. 22nd St., Des Moines; arl-iowa.org/events
Oct. 29: Trick or Trees at the Greater Des Moines BOOtanical Garden. Participate in creeptastic education activities, spooky botanicals, entertainment and trick or treating. Costumes encouraged. 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. 909 Robert D. Ray Drive, Des Moines; dmbotanicalgarden.com
Oct. 29: Halloween Hikes: The Great Migration & Day of the Dead Festival. Register at eventbrite.com. 5-8 p.m. at Pammel Park Lodge; 1818 Pammel Park Road, Winterset
Oct. 29: Charlie Berens comedy show at 8 p.m. Stephens Auditorium, 1900 Center Drive, Ames; center.iastate.edu/events
Oct. 29-30: Reggie’s Sleepout. Gather a team and sleep on the field of the Drake Stadium in solidarity with homeless youth in Iowa. 2719 Forest Ave., Des Moines; reggiessleepout.org
Oct. 30: Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) celebration of Mexican traditions. 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Des Moines Art Center, 4700 Grand Ave., Des Moines; desmoinesartcenter.org
Oct. 31: Halloween on the Hill. Walk or drive through horrifically decked out historic homes in the Sherman Hill neighborhood. 6:30-8:30 p.m. shermanhilldsm.org/events/halloween-on-the-hill

November

Nov. 3: All Access Live! A live broadcast and taping of the Avey Grouws Band for Iowa Public Radio at xBk Live, 1159 24th St., Des Moines; xbklive.com
Nov. 3: Discover Ankeny from 5-8 p.m. at FFA Enrichment Center, 1055 S.W. Prairie Trail Parkway, Ankeny
Nov. 4-6: Des Moines Holiday Boutique at Hy-Vee Hall; 730 Third St., Des Moines; iowaeventscenter.com
Nov. 5: 5K Beer Run with the Iowa Brewery Running Series. Free beer and other event festivities, games and giveaways. 11 a.m. at Twisted Vine Brewery, 112 S.E. Fourth St., Des Moines; breweryrunningseries.com/iowa
Nov. 10: 2022 Morsel Combat. Central Iowa chefs will prepare small plates and compete for “Top Chef” and “People’s Choice” awards, with live music and auctions fundraising for the fight against hunger. 5:30-9 p.m. at Prairie Meadows Event Center, 1 Prairie Meadows Drive, Altoona; mealsfromtheheartland.org
Nov. 11: Iliza Shlesinger’s “Back in Action” comedy tour at 7 p.m. Des Moines Civic Center; 221 Walnut St., Des Moines; dmpa.org
Nov. 11: JP Sears comedy show at 8 p.m. 2100 N.W. 100th St., Clive; horizoneventscenter.com
Nov. 12: Living History Farms Race returns after two years. Costumes are encouraged, but prepare to get muddy. Registration at 9 a.m. or online. 11121 Hickman Road, Urbandale; lhf.org
Nov. 12: Downtown Winter Farmers Market from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the Court District, Des Moines; dsmpartnership.com/desmoinesfarmersmarket/winter-market
Nov. 12: 5K Beer Run with the Iowa Brewery Running Series, a no-pressure fun run (or walk) with festivities and free swag. 11 a.m. at Mistress Brewing Company, 1802 N. Ankeny Blvd., Suite 108, Ankeny; breweryrunningseries.com/iowa
Nov. 12: Wine & Clay, a new community event debuted by the Des Moines Arts Festival. Artwork and demonstrations in the earth arts medium. Purchase a handmade plate to fill with appetizers from Gateway Market. 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the Valley Junction Activity Center, 217 Fifth St., West Des Moines; desmoinesartsfestival.org
Nov. 12: Bert Kreischer’s “The Berty Boy Relapse” comedy tour at 7 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. Des Moines Civic Center; 221 Walnut St., Des Moines; dmpa.org
Nov. 13: Girls on the Run festival at 12:30 p.m. and 5K at 2 p.m. Principal Park, 1 Line Drive, Des Moines; gotrcentraliowa.org
Nov. 17, Dec. 1, 8, 15: Jingle in the Junction, with three blocks of free entertainment, more than 125,000 holiday lights, and extended hours at local boutiques and businesses. 5-9 p.m. along 100 to 300 blocks of Fifth Street, West Des Moines; valleyjunction.com/events
Nov. 18-19: Des Moines Whiskey Festival at The River Center, 340 S.W. Third St., Des Moines; dsmwhiskeyfest.com
Nov. 19: North Pole Craft & Vendor Show from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Adventureland Inn, 3200 Adventureland Drive, Altoona
Nov. 19: Champagne & Chocolate at the Greater Des Moines Botanical Garden. 6-9 p.m. at 909 Robert D. Ray Drive, Des Moines; dmbotanicalgarden.com
Nov. 19: Taylor Tomlinson in “The Have It All” comedy tour at 7 and 9:30 p.m.; Hoyt Sherman Place, 1501 Woodland Ave., Des Moines; hoytsherman.org
Nov. 19-20: “The Nutcracker” ballet at Franklin Junior High Theater, 4801 Franklin Ave., Des Moines; myscbd.com
Nov. 22-27: “Come from Away” at Des Moines Civic Center; 221 Walnut St., Des Moines; dmpa.org
Nov. 24: Des Moines Turkey Trot with 5K, 5 Mile and Tot Trot runs for an annual Thanksgiving tradition through downtown Des Moines or “virtually” anywhere. Register online or on race day, 7-8:15 a.m. at Renaissance Savery Hotel, 401 Locust St., Des Moines; desmoinesturkeytrot.com
Nov. 24-27: Disney on Ice presents Frozen and Encanto at Wells Fargo Arena; 223 Center St., Des Moines; iowaeventscenter.com
Nov. 25: Festival of Lights starting at 5 p.m. in Winterset, 112 N. John Wayne Drive, Winterset; madisoncounty.com/special-events
Friday evenings, Nov. 25 to March 31: Dome After Dark. The Greater Des Moines Botanical Garden will be illuminated with unique lighting displays and luminarias. (No Dome After Dark on Dec. 9.) 909 Robert D. Ray Drive, Des Moines; dmbotanicalgarden.com
Nov. 25-27: Festival of Trees & Lights at Iowa Events Center, 833 Fifth Ave., Des Moines; unitypoint.org/blankchildrens/festival-of-trees.aspx
Nov. 26: Small Business Saturday. Support local shops and restaurants around the metro.
Nov. 26: Entirely Kids Day at the Des Moines Art Center. 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at 4700 Grand Ave., Des Moines; desmoinesartcenter.org
Nov. 27: Norwalk Tree Lighting & Santa Drive-Thru from 5-6 p.m. at O’Leary’s Celebration of Life, 1020 Main St., Norwalk; norwalkchamber.org/calendar
Nov. 30: The Illusionists - Magic of the Holidays at 7:30 p.m. Stephens Auditorium, 1900 Center Drive, Ames; center.iastate.edu/events

December

Dec. 1-4: Christkindlmarket. Experience a centuries-old European holiday tradition at this annual Christmas market with food, shopping and entertainment. Principal Park, 1 Line Drive, Des Moines. christkindlmarketdsm.com
Dec. 2: Light Up Polk City from 6-8 p.m. in the Polk City town square; gopolkcity.com/light-up-polk-city
Dec. 2: WinterFest from 6-8 p.m. at Waukee’s Downtown Triangle, Ashworth Drive and Sixth Street; waukee.org/476/WinterFest
Dec. 2-3: Hometown Holiday Celebration in Adel; adelpartners.org/signature-events
Dec. 2-18: Rodgers & Hammerstein’s “Cinderella” at Des Moines Playhouse, 831 42nd St., Des Moines; dmplayhouse.com
Dec. 3: Polar Plunge supporting Special Olympics Iowa at Raccoon River Park. Plunge solo or as a team, or if you don’t feel like jumping into frigid waters, choose the “Too Chicken to Plunge” option. 2500 Grand Ave., West Des Moines; soiowa.org/ways-to-give/fundraising-events
Dec. 3: Windsor Wonderland at Hy-Vee, 7101 University Ave., Windsor Heights; windsorheights.org
Dec. 3: Downtown Winter Farmers Market from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the Court District, Des Moines; dsmpartnership.com/desmoinesfarmersmarket/winter-market
Dec. 3: Dazzling in the District at Prairie Trail, S.W. District Drive, Ankeny; thedistrictpt.com
Dec. 3: Family Christmas at Living History Farms. Enjoy simple holiday traditions like tree decorating, holiday printing, cookie decorating and visiting Santa. 11121 Hickman Road, Urbandale; lhf.org
Dec. 3: Merry & Bright Parade starting at 5 p.m. in Bondurant’s downtown area, followed by a Santa Social at the library, then a tree lighting ceremony at 7:30 p.m. Bondurant Community Library, 104 Second St. N.E., Bondurant; cityofbondurant.com/community-events-and-festivals
Dec. 3: Holidays at the Town Center from 6-8 p.m., Merle Hay Road and N.W. 62nd Avenue, Johnston; johnstontowncenter.com
Dec. 3-4: “The Nutcracker” ballet at the Civic Center, 221 Walnut St., Des Moines; iowadancetheatre.org
Dec. 4: 3K Winter Beer Run with the Iowa Brewery Running Series. Brrrr…. enjoy the beer — it’s free at the finish line! Noon at Confluence Brewing Company, 1235 Thomas Beck Road, Des Moines; breweryrunningseries.com/iowa
Dec. 4: Grimes Holiday Celebration, a drive-through event with Santa, trivia, goodie bags, tree voting contest, holiday lights and music. 5-7 p.m. at Grimes South Sports Complex, 750 S. James St., Grimes; grimesiowa.com
Dec. 6: Alton Brown Live: Beyond The Eats – The Holiday Variant at 7:30 p.m. Des Moines Civic Center; 221 Walnut St., Des Moines; dmpa.org
Dec. 8: “Wheel of Fortune Live!” at 7:30 p.m. Des Moines Civic Center; 221 Walnut St., Des Moines; dmpa.org
Dec. 8-11: “The Nutcracker” by Ballet Des Moines at Hoyt Sherman Place, 1501 Woodland Ave., Des Moines; balletdesmoines.org
Dec. 9-10: Bells, Bows & Boutiques Tour, a self-guided shopping and dining road trip traveling four communities; madisoncounty.com/special-events
Dec. 10: Santa Fun Run with Fleet Feet DSM, Santa suits included. 521 E. Locust St., Des Moines; fleetfeet.com/s/desmoines/events
Dec. 10: Home for the Holidays. 5-8 p.m. in the Indianola Downtown Square; indianolachamber.com
Dec. 10-11: Winter Solstice Market runs 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and noon to 4 p.m. Sunday. 116 S. First Ave., Winterset; madisoncounty.com/special-events
Dec. 11: Light Up Carlisle. Take a tour of the town and view holiday decorations, lighted displays, and of course, Santa; carlisleiachamber.org
Dec. 13: Des Moines Storytellers Project: Generosity as told by Des Moines Register journalists. 7 p.m.; Hoyt Sherman Place, 1501 Woodland Ave., Des Moines; hoytsherman.org
Dec. 16-17: Light the Night and celebrate the arrival of winter with a hike, bonfire and cocoa. Jester Park Nature Center 12130 N.W. 128th St., Granger; polkcountyiowa.gov/conservation/events
Dec. 22: “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer: The Musical” at Des Moines Civic Center; 221 Walnut St., Des Moines; dmpa.org
Dec. 31: Ultimate NYE 2k22 Gala with dinner and hors d’ oeuvres, champagne toast, Legacy Band from Atlanta and more. Holiday Inn, 6111 Fleur Drive, Des Moines. Tickets at eventbrite.com.

January

Sundays, January through March: Botanical Blues winter concert series at the Greater Des Moines Botanical Garden, 909 Robert D. Ray Drive, Des Moines; dmbotanicalgarden.com
Jan. 3-8: “Cats” at Des Moines Civic Center; 221 Walnut St., Des Moines; dmpa.org
Jan. 6-22: “Go, Dog. Go!” at Des Moines Playhouse, 831 42nd St., Des Moines; dmplayhouse.com
Saturdays, January through March: Learn on Saturdays, 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the Greater Des Moines Botanical Garden, 909 Robert D. Ray Drive, Des Moines; dmbotanicalgarden.com
Jan. 31: Secret Life of Bears at 7:30 p.m. Des Moines Civic Center; 221 Walnut St., Des Moines; dmpa.org
Jan. 31 - Feb. 2: Iowa Ag Expo at Iowa Events Center, 730 Third St., Des Moines; iowaagexpo.com
Jan. 31 - Feb. 5: “Forbidden Broadway: The Next Generation” at Temple Theater, 1011 Locust St., Des Moines; dmpa.org

February

Feb. 3-19: “The Piano Lesson” with Pyramid Theatre Company at Des Moines Playhouse, 831 42nd St., Des Moines; dmplayhouse.com
Feb. 7-19: “Six” at Des Moines Civic Center; 221 Walnut St., Des Moines; dmpa.org
Feb. 11: Chowder Winter Ride traveling approximately 10 miles, from Bondurant to Berwick and back on the Chichaqua Valley Trail. Check-in at 10 a.m. at Reclaimed Rails Brewing Co., 101 Main St. S.E., Bondurant; cityofbondurant.com/community-events-and-festivals
Feb. 17: Ancient Aliens Live: Project Earth brings the long-running History Channel program to life at 7:30 p.m.; Hoyt Sherman Place, 1501 Woodland Ave., Des Moines; hoytsherman.org
Feb. 21: ZuZu African Acrobats at 7 p.m. Stephens Auditorium, 1900 Center Drive, Ames; center.iastate.edu/events
Feb. 24: Gibney Company dancers at Des Moines Civic Center; 221 Walnut St., Des Moines; dmpa.org
Feb. 24-25: “Balanchine+” by Ballet Des Moines at Hoyt Sherman Place, 1501 Woodland Ave., Des Moines; balletdesmoines.org
Feb. 24 - March 12: The Hundred Dresses” at Des Moines Playhouse, 831 42nd St., Des Moines; dmplayhouse.com