This weekend, the Iowa Environmental Council will bring the 20th Wild and Scenic Film Festival — “where activism gets inspired,” according to organizers — to Waukee. The festival was started by the South Yuba River Citizens League (SYRCL, pronounced “circle”), a California activist group focused on protecting the Yuba River Watershed. In addition to the […]
Central Iowa Arts & Entertainment
Posted inArts & Entertainment
Contact Buzz: What’s in a name? In his, musician DK Imamu Akachi finds, and spreads, empowerment
DeAn Michael Kelly has a vision. A creative one. He’s manifesting it through creativity, healthy choices, music and inclusivity — and it truly is inspirational. His personal evolution is the catalyst for the many projects he develops, as well as the next-generation leaders he encourages. His muse leapt into action, and he adopted “DK” as […]
Posted inArts & Entertainment
Get your Iowa lit fix at Beaverdale Books this fall
Nestled in a cozy town square off of Beaver Avenue, Beaverdale Books has been a space for Des Moines book-lovers since 2006. They offer a wide array of books from both local and farther flung authors, and the bookstore also boasts an impressive events calendar featuring author meet and greets, readings and book fairs throughout […]
Posted inWeekender
Weekender Central Iowa! Gurnfest | Wild and Scenic Film Festival | RenFest
READ THE LATEST | SUPPORT LITTLE VILLAGE | SHOP PERKS THE WEEKENDER Your weekly editor-curated arts compendium Festivals about this weekend in Central Iowa, from Gurnfest to PorchFest to the RenFest and more! Top pick? Why not take in a film fest? The Iowa Environmental Council is offering the South Yuba River Citizens League Wild and Scenic Film Festival […]
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After a three-year hiatus, the historic Beaverdale Fall Festival returns this month
It’s been almost three years since Des Moines’ Beaverdale neighborhood hosted their annual fall festival. That changes Sept. 16 and 17, when the festivities return to downtown Beaverdale, with some new and altered features. Patrons can hear live music from local acts such as The Maytags for some soul, Standing Hampton for ’70s and ’80s […]
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One studio has built a break dancing scene in Des Moines. Now, one of its students is hitting the national stage.
It all started with a vision: to highlight a style of dance that originated in the streets of New York during the early 1970s. Breakdancing evolved as music was transitioning from disco to hip hop, pioneered by the Black and Puerto Rican communities in New York City and spreading quickly across the country and the […]
Posted inCentral Iowa
‘It’s just the most Iowan thing’: A day at the Iowa State Fair with fair mega-fans, the Stumps
Since his freshman year of high school in 1969, Gary Stump has not missed an Iowa State Fair. “I had a girlfriend whose father worked at the fair and he got free tickets for everything,” Stump recalls. “And then when I was in college, a friend of mine worked there and he was able to […]
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Five questions with: Bestselling crime author Karin Slaughter
To promote her new book, Girl, Forgotten, the aptly named Karin Slaughter will be visiting Des Moines on Wednesday, Aug. 24 as a part of the Des Moines Public Library’s Authors Visiting in Des Moines series (AViD). The Georgia native and Save the Libraries founder’s newest novel is the sequel to Pieces of Her, a […]
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Contact Buzz: The history of the Iowa State Fair’s old, inclusive art show
Shawn Palek doesn’t enter competitions any longer. Lately, he prefers to sponsor shows and competitions for emerging artists, mentoring many. He continues to paint new works, with many murals to his credit. But in the early 2000s, the contemporary visual artist and arts advocate decided to venture into the Iowa State Fair Fine Arts Competition. […]
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Des Moines installs ‘art corridors’ along five bike trails, showcasing local artists
New art installations have changed the view along five of Des Moines’ popular bike trails. These “art corridors” include panels mounted to a line of metal posts, angled towards pedestrians and cyclists zipping down the trail. “If you’re familiar with kinetic art, or elliptic lenticular art, where no matter how you’re moving, you get to […]
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‘My Fair Lady,’ a problematic classic with amazing production, comes to Des Moines
My Fair Lady, presented by Lincoln Center Theater, opened at the Civic Center in Des Moines Tuesday night and almost every row was filled. The musical is an adaptation on George Bernard Shaw’s 1913 play Pygmalion, involving a professor of phonetics training a poor woman with a thick working class accent to pass as a […]
Posted inCentral Iowa
Indianola, the hot air balloon heart of the U.S., hosts the nine-day National Balloon Classic
In 1970, after seven years of moving from state to state, the U.S. National Hot Air Balloon Championship was held in Indianola, Iowa for the first time. Indianola’s wide open spaces made it desirable for ballooning, and the championship would return to town every year for the next 18 years. In 1989, the tournament went […]
