EXPLORE: Game on!

By Jeff Pitts

Popular spectator sports and athletic events in and around Des Moines.

NOTE: Dates, times and other details are believed to be accurate, but changes are inevitable. Be sure to verify the information as the competition nears.

IOWA CUBS
Principal Park - One Line Drive, Des Moines
www.iowacubs.com
Enjoy peanuts, Cracker Jack and world-class baseball at Principal Park. The Iowa Cubs Triple-A baseball team is just one level below the big leagues, and central Iowa annually affirms I-Cubs games as the Best Local Outdoor Sporting Event in the city, according to CITYVIEW’s Best Of Des Moines poll. Play ball!

IOWA BARNSTORMERS
Indoor Pro Football (IFL)
Wells Fargo Arena - 730 Third St., Des Moines
www.theiowabarnstormers.com
The Iowa Barnstormers look to add to the franchise’s storied tradition this season under new Head Coach Les Moss while playing in the Indoor Football League.

DES MOINES MENACE
Valley Stadium - 4440 Mills Civic Parkway, West Des Moines
www.menacesoccer.com
The Des Moines Menace soccer team plays in the USL League Two and focuses on training and advancing soccer players who want to play professionally. The team is considered to be one of the top amateur soccer organizations in the U.S.

PRAIRIE MEADOWS
1 Prairie Meadows Drive, Altoona
www.prairiemeadows.com
Slot machines, table games, sports wagering, No-Limit Texas Hold’ Em Tournaments, big-name entertainers, full-service dining amenities, and don’t forget... live horse-racing, which begins in May and continues into September.

KNOXVILLE RACEWAY
1000 N. Lincoln, Knoxville - Marion County Fairgrounds
www.knoxvilleraceway.com
This one-of-a-kind dirt track is popularly known as the “Sprint Car Capital of The World.” Racing season begins in April and events are held most weekends of the summer.

BOONE SPEEDWAY
1481 223rd Place, Boone
www.raceboone.com
“Iowa’s Action Track,” this 1/3-mile high-banked dirt oval hosts high-speed racing sanctioned by the IMCA. Regular events include Modifieds, RaceSaver 305 Sprint Cars, Stock Cars, Northern Sport Modifieds, Hobby Stocks and ModLites. Events are held most weekends of the summer. Check online for a full schedule.
 
Game on 1
Iowa Cubs
Game on 2
Iowa Barnstormers
Game on 3
Prairie Meadows
Game on 4
Boone Speedway
FUN FACT: After the turn of the last century, many rural horse tracks transformed into auto-racing ovals. Since Iowa had so many for its size, the state ranks as one of the racingist states in the nation, according to many experts.
Living history

OUTSIDE THE BOX...

LIVING HISTORY FARMS
11121 Hickman Road, Urbandale
www.lhf.org
It is almost impossible to avoid learning at Living History Farms (LHF). This interactive outdoor history museum recreates the historical daily routines of yesteryear’s farm families by actually “living history” as people from the past would have. LHF constructs authentic simulations of typical historical farm sites that illustrate major changes in agriculture.

DON’T MISS: Catch a Walnut Hill Bluestockings 1870s-rules baseball game played by staff and volunteers. The contests feature “gentleman’s rules,” which means: no mitts allowed, the batter gets to call the pitch, and no cussin’ or spittin’. Kids have a chance to bat around at the end of the game, and admittance is included in the price of regular admission to LHF.