The modern U.S. holiday of Mother’s Day has roots in the pre-Civil War period. West Virginia woman Ann Reeves Jarvis created what she called Mother’s Day Work Clubs to teach mothers how to care for their children. Jarvis also organized a Mother’s Friendship Day in 1868 to initiate a settlement between the Union and Confederate […]
Des Moines events
Posted inArts & Entertainment
Des Moines artist Brittany Brooke Crow rips and rearranges self-portraits to explore form and vulnerability
For her new new exhibition, artist Brittany Brooke Crow turned her camera on herself, tearing photos printed on Hahnemühle Pearl paper and rearranging the pieces. Test Stripping — on display through May 5 at The LiFT bar in Des Moines’ Court Avenue District — depicts Crow’s battles with her fear of intimacy and vulnerability by […]
Posted inCentral Iowa
Five questions with Amanda Montell, podcast host and author of ‘Cultish’
Author Amanda Montell has never been to the Midwest before. But she’s rectifying that with a visit to the Des Moines Public Library on April 21 to talk about her 2021 release, Cultish: The Language Of Fanatacism. The event begins at 7 p.m., and is a part of the 2022 Authors Visiting in Des Moines […]
Posted inArts & Entertainment
Ballet Des Moines tackles hard science with light movement in one-night-only show ‘Of Gravity and Light’
Ballet Des Moines is giving audiences a science lesson through their one-night-only production Of Gravity and Light, Friday at the Des Moines Civic Center. Of Gravity and Light is a contemporary ballet production using science-inspired movement to depict gravity, push-pull feelings, “the terrible forces of the sun,” planetary orbit and rotation, and other spaced-out phenomena. […]
Posted inCentral Iowa
‘The bestselling show happens to be female-produced’: Comedian Coral Thede brings a kick-ass time to Teehee’s every month
Coral Thede’s house is as bright and welcoming as she is. The walls of her office space are a galaxy of pink, gold and blue. They provide a gentle background for the instruments, costumes and books strewn about in the signature chaos of a creative person. Her kitchen, familiar to those who tune into her […]
Posted inArts & Entertainment
Five questions with Rainbow Kitten Surprise, who just sold out Hoyt Sherman Place
After meeting at Appalachian State University in Boone, North Carolina, Rainbow Kitten Surprise (RKS to fans) has gone from recording music in their dorm rooms to becoming a festival favorite. In 2022, they are embarking on their first national tour since the start of the pandemic, 50 shows of which are already sold out. For […]
Posted inArts & Entertainment
Five questions with Mabel Gladly of Chicago disco-pop group Glad Rags
It’s no secret that the Windy City is home to many great indie artists of all genres. And being only five hours away, Des Moines gets to experience a lot of those artists when they hit the road. That’s the case with Glad Rags, a self-described art-pop collaboration of some of Chicago’s top musicians. The […]
Posted inCentral Iowa
‘Dance does everything’: Gateway Dance Theatre celebrates 50 years in Des Moines with Black history showcase
This year marks 50 years of education, training and performance for Gateway Dance Theatre, a Des Moines company fusing African-American, Caribbean, Asian, Indian and other international music and dance traditions, in addition to drama, science, visual arts and other disciplines. Gateway will celebrate all year long, starting on Feb. 26 with a Black History showcase, […]
Posted inFood & Drink
Iowa Craft Brew Festival releases tickets for 12th annual event at Water Works Park
Beer-lovers, rejoice! The Iowa Craft Brew Festival is back for its 12th year in 2022, and tickets are on sale now. The Iowa Brewers Guild, the organization responsible for putting on the festival, made its first real mark on the state when it lobbied to raise the alcohol limit for Iowa-brewed beers from 6 percent […]
Posted inArts & Entertainment
Des Moines’ Beaverdale Books brings back Local Author Fair, featuring six Iowa writers
Des Moines locals know Beaverdale Books as a cozy place to discover Iowa authors, and events like the Local Author Fair helped them earn that reputation. Beaverdale Books is hosting their first Local Author Fair since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic on Saturday, Feb. 12 from 1 to 3 p.m. Six authors will be […]
Posted inArts & Entertainment
Black creatives reframe Black stories in Des Moines speaker series at Mainframe Studios
Mainframe Studios and Showing Up for Racial Justice (SURJ) have teamed up for a four-part speaker series during Black History Month called Reframing Racial Injustice in Creative Communities. They are halfway through the series, and the next speaker — educator, advocate and polymath Abena S. Imhotep — will present on Sunday, Feb. 20 at Mainframe […]
Posted inArts & Entertainment
Raunchy rapper Schäffer the Darklord is cleaning out his closet
Schäffer the Darklord, a.k.a. STD, is a 47-year-old rapper who’d probably have a few words to say to his 20-something self if he had access to a time machine. “I feel like I made an impulsive decision to adopt the stage name in 2003,” Mark Schaffer said, “and all these years later, I do have […]
