Each month, we highlight the most buzzworthy places and events in Greater Des Moines in a feature we call Des Buzz. It's your “in the know” list of places to go!
Iowa Wild
Your Iowa Wild are back on their home rink for their home opener on Friday, October 13 to take on the Henderson Silver Knights. Celebrate the start of the season with magnet schedules for the first 1,500 fans and catch the players wearing alternate white jerseys. They are home again on Saturday, October 14 with Hoptoberfest, as well as live music from Jager and the Polkameisters. These players will have you yelling gooooal!
Phantom Fall Fest
Adventureland Park is open after dark! Enjoy the return of Phantom Fall Fest weekends through October 29. During the day, Adventureland will have family-friendly fun, festive food, and plenty of rides and rollercoasters to enjoy. Once the sun goes down, the scaring begins. With four haunted houses and four scare zones, you’re sure to scream. Plus, watch out for the creepy characters exploring the park alongside visitors. Purchase tickets online for as low as $35!
Windsor Heights Fall Fest
Celebrate the start of fall at the 2023 Windsor Heights Fall Festival at Colby Park! The weekend begins with showing Hocus Park in the park on Friday, October 6. On Saturday, get your day started with a pancake breakfast or yoga in the park. Continue the fun of the day with a parade, bounce houses, vendor booths, and more. The day doesn’t end there – close out the night with food trucks, a silent disco, live music, fireworks, and more. Learn more here!
Oak Park
The newest restaurant on Ingersoll Avenue is set to open this fall. Showcasing their exceptional hospitality and exquisite menu, Oak Park is going to feel like home. With a garden in their own backyard, food will be freshly prepared daily using their own grown ingredients. A restaurant that will be familiar and a perfect addition to Ingersoll Ave. Set to open in October, you can learn more about Oak Park here.
Transform Any Room – Des Moines Art Center
Head to the Des Moines Art Center for their newest exhibition “Transform Any Room.” This exhibition takes the ordinary pieces of your home – rugs, blankets, pillows, and more, and turns them into sculptures, installations, and various forms of fiber work to demonstrate life events, social issues, and more. Celebrate the opening with a celebration on October 6 from 5 – 7 p.m. Refreshments will be served. Don’t miss the exhibition on display through January!
Haunted Scream Park
Sleepy Hollow Haunted Scream Park is returning for 2023! One of the largest and most elaborate Halloween theme parks in Iowa, the park is sure to please. With eight different scare attractions, there’s something for everyone. Explore one of Sleepy Hollow’s most popular attractions, Freakshow, for a scare with clowns and creatures or take a walk through the Island of Dr. Demonik. Open weekends through October from 7 p.m. – Midnight. Tickets are $30 for those 12 and up, get them here.
IMT Des Moines Marathon
Run, Des Moines, run! IMT Des Moines Marathon weekend returns Sunday, October 15. Join in on the fun by running a full marathon, half marathon, or even a 5k. This year the IMT Des Moines Marathon is partnering with the Des Moines Music Coalition to provide live music throughout the race, as well as at the finish line! Hear from local artists like John Burns, the Urbandale Community Jazz Band, The Tubador, and more. If you don’t want to do the actual running, the event needs a ton of volunteers throughout the course. Hand out water, cheer the runners on, and more!
The Slaughterhouse
Spooky season isn’t complete without a walk, or run, through The Slaughterhouse Haunted House. The haunted house is based on the FDA shutting down a packing plant, but little did anyone know, a side operation was going on deep down. Who knows who or what will emerge as you walk through the Slaughterhouse. You can visit every weekend in October, including a few Thursdays. Get your tickets here.
