Wheelchair tennis is kind of like traditional tennis, but with wheelchairs. That sounds obvious, but the two sports are remarkably similar. The only adaptation is wheelchair players get two bounces instead of one. “Maneuvering your chair around and taking the figure eights and stuff on the court is really what I’ve learned, how to hit […]
Central Iowa
Posted inArts & Entertainment
Art Week Des Moines 2023 tasks local artists like Jordan Brooks with capturing the spirit of five Des Moines communities
On Friday, June 16, Art Week Des Moines kicks off its ninth year showcasing area artists and connecting them with one another, as well as their community. This year, Art Week has introduced Art Week Fellows: a handful of artists tasked with overseeing specific art pop-ups within five neighborhoods around the Des Moines metro, drawing […]
Posted inCentral Iowa
Pride Sports League ensures every athlete in Central Iowa has a league of their own
Rich Rumsey is an active guy. He likes to play volleyball, dodgeball and go biking. But when he joined Pride Sports League in 2019, it wasn’t for sports. It was for the community. “It’s an organized way to find other people that are similar to yourself,” he said. “It’s a great way to meet people.” […]
Posted inArts & Entertainment
Iowa-born author Paul Kix to discuss the 10 weeks in Birmingham that changed America, chasing WWII ghosts in Des Moines
The biggest challenge Paul Kix faced writing his first book: spies aim to leave nothing behind. “I was chasing a ghost,” the author and journalist said regarding The Saboteur, his 2018 nonfiction text. “The point of the [WWII French] Resistance was, you will never have a paper trail … That’s why I had to go […]
Posted inWeekender
Weekender Central Iowa! Iowa Craft Brew Festival | Tim Capello | Native Gardens
READ THE LATEST | SUPPORT LITTLE VILLAGE | SHOP PERKS THE WEEKENDER Your weekly editor-curated arts compendium Get out and get moving this weekend! Summer is just around the corner, and you can find teasers of it even now: Enjoy a patio drag brunch, experience the Salisbury House Garden Party or wander the Iowa Craft Brew Festival (June is, […]
Posted inArts & Entertainment
House of Large Sizes returns to the stage in Cedar Falls with swagger for first shows in 10 years
It takes serious swagger to pull off the kind of rock and roll House of Large Sizes became known for over 35 years ago. The intricate, machine-gun timing of the songs, the energetic delivery and the ear-splitting volume all rely on a certain confidence and attitude to pull off convincingly. At a pair of shows […]
Posted inWeekender
Weekender Central Iowa! Shrek Rave | BYOBrass | Lauren Vilmain | Mr. Bill
READ THE LATEST | SUPPORT LITTLE VILLAGE | SHOP PERKS THE WEEKENDER Your weekly editor-curated arts compendium This weekend is all about the music! Sway your hips to some of Iowa’s own or enjoy a musical vacation with traveling artists. You can choose to pull up or bring a chair. Visit Noce, Platform, xBk and other venues to feel […]
Posted inCommunity/News
Photo Gallery: ICON Water Trails and Iowa Rivers Revival host a big cleanup in Des Moines
Iowa Confluence Water Trails (ICON) and Iowa Rivers Revival joined forces for a huge clean up around Des Moines on Friday morning, May 19. Volunteers kicked off the clean-up with a gathering at Captain Roy’s for safety tips, safety vests, gloves, grabbers and both reusable and standard trash bags. Originally, the cleanup included a water […]
Posted inCentral Iowa
‘Pokémon’ voice actor Sarah Natochenny discusses 17 years as Ash Ketchum ahead of Des Moines Con 2023
Ash Ketchum has been to at least eight different regions in the world of Pokémon since his adventures began, but June marks the first time Sarah Natochenny — Ash’s English voice actor of the past 17 years — will be in Des Moines. It’s a visit she inadvertently prepared for two decades ago. “I wrote […]
Posted inCommunity/News
Photos: Drag storytime reaches capacity at Des Moines’ downtown public library as Pride Month approaches
Iowa Safe Schools and Polk County supervisor Matt McCoy hosted an all-inclusive drag storytime at the Des Moines Central Library on Sunday, May 21. Storytellers included celebrity baker Andrew Fuller (Is It Cake?), as well as drag performers Vana B and Robin Graves. Supporters crowded the library entryway hoping to attend the event, but as […]
Posted inArts & Entertainment
The first Greenbelt Music Festival kicked off summer with banjos, brews, music and Mummies
May 19 and 20 marked Clive’s inaugural Greenbelt Music Festival, a (mostly) bluegrass-focused fest held at the Horizon Events Center. Shockingly well done — especially for a new event — Greenbelt drew several thousand attendees during its two-day span. Five dollars from every ticket sold was donated to the Clive Community Foundation, which will use […]
Posted inCentral Iowa
LV Recommends: Naughtea, Iowa’s only K-dog joint, lets you customize your tea and ‘dog in endless ways
Naughtea, a Korean corn dog and bubble tea shop located in a strip mall in quintessential suburbia, smells of fresh, high-class corn dog breading. Rabbit imagery hangs on the walls of this Ankeny business, which debuted at the end of 2022, including bunny versions of the Mona Lisa and Girl with a Pearl Earring. A […]
