The Blazing Saddle is open 365 days a year, but a Thursday afternoon at the bar is very different from a Friday or Saturday night. The doors open at 2 p.m., and the bar quickly fills with men, most at retirement age or approaching it. They’ll drink a few beers, or a cup of coffee, […]
Capital City Pride
The pair of artists behind Des Moines’ Pride murals, Cat Rocketship and Dani Awesome, have a colorful love story
Artists Cat Rocketship and Dani Awesome have created some big, head-turning work together: massive rainbow murals in the East Village and Historic Valley Junction; human-sized Iowa wildlife painted along a bike trail in West Des Moines; pop-up art markets and a pair of Etsy shops with over 7,000 sales of original prints, stickers, jewelry and […]
Events around Iowa to fill your Pride Month 2024 calendar
Though some cities in Iowa have already kicked off their official Pride festivities the first weekend of June — we see you Rock Island! — there is still lots to look forward to this Pride Season in SE and Central Iowa. Keep reading to check out some highlights of the plentiful array of celebrations happening […]
‘Visibility is education’: Pride Corner becomes part of Des Moines’ East Village
Pride Corner was unveiled in Des Moines’ East Village on Tuesday. All four corners of the intersection of East Grand Avenue and East Fifth Street are painted with curving images of the Progress Pride flag to celebrate the history and the presence of the city’s LGBTQ community. “We hope people will enjoy the beautiful art […]

