Catch Des Moines

01/24/2025

You'll get a kick out of exploring Grimes, whether it’s sampling old school ice cream, forward thinking coffee, timeless restaurants, or state-of-the-art sports complexes. Greater Des Moines has something for everyone and is filled with communities worth shouting about!

Read about Grimes, our next City Spotlight, below:

You'll get a kick out of exploring Grimes, whether it’s sampling old school ice cream, forward thinking coffee, timeless restaurants, or state-of-the-art sports complexes. Greater Des Moines has something for everyone and is filled with communities worth shouting about!

01/23/2025

Local favorite, Simon's, is a semi-finalist for a James Beard Foundation Award! They are nominated in the Outstanding Hospitality category and finalists will be announced April 2.

Learn more about the award below:

The restaurant off Merle Hay Road is known for its great customer service.

01/22/2025

Sure, we like our tenderloins and sweet corn, but Des Moines' dining scene is nothing if not diverse. From warm bowls of noodles and sizzling steaks to tasty tacos and spicy curry, see what locals voted the best international cuisine in Greater Des Moines. Consider this your passport to flavor!

Sure, we like our tenderloins and sweet corn, but Des Moines' dining scene is nothing if not diverse. From warm bowls of noodles and sizzling steaks to tasty tacos and spicy curry, see what locals voted the best international cuisine in Greater Des Moines. Consider this your passport to flavor!

01/21/2025

This week, keep your eyes out for over 1,300 college students taking over Downtown Des Moines with the KCACTF Region V! Actors, singers, and more are enhancing their skills with workshops, performing live, and more.

Say hi if you see them around town and learn more about the event below:

01/21/2025

ICYMI: The lineup for Hinterland Music Festival has been announced! Headliners include Tyler, The Creator, Kacey Musgraves, and Lana Del Rey.

Find the rest of the lineup and learn more below:

A music festival held in the Iowa countryside. August 1-3, 2025.

01/17/2025

Check out a few behind the scenes moments from our cover story in our 2025 Visitors Guide 😎😋

Dive in to the food scene in Greater Des Moines here: https://www.catchdesmoines.com/side-dish/

01/15/2025

Drinking responsibly has never been easier! We’ve all heard of Dry January, but what about after January, or when a cocktail sounds good, but you don’t want the buzz? Greater Des Moines is overflowing with mocktail options. We’ve rounded up the best places to go to grab a cocktail, hold the alcohol.

Find your options below:

Drinking responsibly has never been easier! We’ve all heard of Dry January, but what about after January, or you’ve when a cocktail sounds good, but you don’t want the buzz? Greater Des Moines is overflowing with mocktail options. We’ve rounded the best places to go to grab a cocktail, hold ...

01/10/2025

Celebrate all things cycling January 25th at the Iowa Bicycle Coalition's Iowa Bike Expo & Bike Banquet at the Iowa Events Center!

The Iowa Bike Expo is one of the Midwest’s largest, one-day bike shows attracting over 5,000 cycling and outdoor enthusiasts. You can discover everything from cycling gear, destinations, community organizations, and so much more at this free-to-attend event! Following the Bike Expo will be the Iowa Bicycle Coalition’s exciting Bike Banquet, recognizing the power of the cycling community including keynote speaker Nelson Vails, who was the first African American to win an Olympic medal in cycling. The Banquet will feature other inspiring speakers, live music, food, drinks, and our renowned Silent Auction.

For a chance to win a free ticket to the Bike Banquet, comment what your cycling goals are for 2025. Winners will be selected on Wednesday, January 15!

Learn more about the event here: https://bikebanquet2025.eventbrite.com

*Winner will be notified via DM from the official Catch Des Moines account. We will never ask you to click on links or give credit card information!*

01/09/2025

You can meet and learn a bit about the Mount Rushmore of central Iowa chefs in the 2025 Visitors Guide — but that’s just the appetizer course. We caught each of these culinary icons between whipping up batches of co**ha cupcakes, carrot wellington and cavatelli to learn more about their night-off favorite, their top tip for home cooks and their literal secret sauce.

Read the Exclusive 5-Course Q&A here: https://www.catchdesmoines.com/side-dish/

01/08/2025

The 2025 Visitors Guide has something for every taste that will have you coming back for seconds. There’s so much to chew on throughout the guide, including a story spotlighting the buzziest concert venues, where to go to root, root, root for the home (or away) teams; and our cover story, where the top chefs in town dish on Des Moines’ secret recipe. It’s the must have travel companion for exploring Greater Des Moines.

Flip through the digital issue or request a FREE hard copy at www.catchdesmoines.com/plan/visitors-guide/

01/06/2025

New year, new ads. Keep your eyes peeled for some all-new Des Best lists in the new year and look for our ads on newsstands and social feeds everywhere! You can check out all the lists here: https://www.catchdesmoines.com/des-best/

01/01/2025

In this first edition of for 2025, cheer on competitive gymnasts, grab a bite at the Greater Des Moines Botanical Garden's new restaurant, find locally roasted coffee in the skywalk, and so much more.

Des Buzz is our monthly must-read feature of buzzworthy places and events in Greater Des Moines. Your “in the know” list of places to go!

Read it here: https://www.catchdesmoines.com/blog/stories/post/des-buzz-whats-trending-in-des-moines-for-january/

12/29/2024

Party poppers, confetti, balloon drops – it must be time for New Year’s Eve celebrations! Maybe you’re not a night owl or the kids don’t stay up until Midnight, we’ve got you covered with some great Noon Year’s Eve events. If staying out and counting down until the ball drops is your jam, there are plenty of spots around the metro that will be partying until the morning hours! No matter how you choose to celebrate, Greater Des Moines is ready to ring in 2025.

Find your plans here: https://www.catchdesmoines.com/blog/stories/post/new-years-eve-in-greater-des-moines/

12/25/2024

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays from everyone on the Nice List at Catch Des Moines!

12/19/2024

What gets you into the holiday spirit more than Christmas music? Driving around looking at holiday lights while listening to Christmas music. We’ve put together a list, with the help of locals, of the best holiday light displays in Greater Des Moines.

The list has been checked twice and includes where to go, when, how much tickets are, and where to grab a bite to eat or some hot cocoa for your evening of merriment. Find it below:

Experience holiday cheer this year in Des Moines. Discover a holiday tradition by visiting Jolly Holiday Lights to see the largest light show in Iowa.

12/17/2024

Don’t you just love sipping on a holiday cocktail while being surrounded by decorations? We sure do! Many local bars and restaurants are taking holiday decorations to a new level with their holiday pop-ups. So, get into the holiday spirit with some spirits and immerse yourself in the snow globe effect of the holidays.

Don’t you just love sipping on a holiday cocktail while being surrounded by decorations? We sure do! Many local bars and restaurants are taking holiday decorations to a new level with their holiday pop ups. So, get into the holiday spirit with some spirits and immerse yourself in the snow globe ef...

12/11/2024

Congratulations to the Principal Charity Classic on winning the President's Award at the PGA TOUR Champions annual awards ceremony! The President's Award is the top honor for a PGA TOUR Champions tournament and it was awarded to our very on local tournament.

The Principal Charity Classic raised a record $8.66 million in 2024. Learn more about the prestigious award below:

The Principal Charity Classic crowns champions but it won some hardware of its own Tuesday night, taking the PGA TOUR Champions President's Award