177 of the nation's top artists will be showcased on the streets of Des Moines during this year's Des Moines Arts Festival®. The festival runs from June 28 through June 30 on the streets surrounding the John & Mary Pappajohn Sculpture Park, Krause Gateway Center and the Des Moines' Central Library.

The Des Moines Arts Festival® is a world-class event and hosts more than 200,000 attendees each year. The International Festivals and Events Association has awarded the Des Moines Arts Festival® the highly desired Grand Pinnacle Award twelve times.

 

Hours

  • Friday, June 28: 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.
  • Saturday, June 29: 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.
  • Sunday, June 30: 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

 

Transportation

Parking

  • 1100 Walnut Street
  • Enter the garage at the south entrance off Mulberry Street
  • $3-5 fee for parking on Friday before 3:30 p.m.
  • Free Friday after 3:30 p.m., Saturday and Sunday (if you enter before 3:30 p.m. and depart after 3:30 p.m. on Friday, there will be no charge)

DART

  • The Free D-Line Shuttle runs every 10 minutes
  • Monday-Friday hours of operation: 6:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.
  • Sunday hours of operation: 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Valet

  • 13th and Walnut
  • $10 per car
  • Westbound traffic from I-235: Exit at Martin Luther King Jr. Parkway and take a left. Head south on Martin Luther King Jr. Parkway and follow roadway east (take a left) along the south side of Downtown Des Moines after passing over Ingersoll and under Grand Avenue. Turn left on 12th Street, then left on Walnut. Take Walnut to 13th Street. 
  • Eastbound traffic from I-235: Exit at Martin Luther King Jr. Parkway and take a right. Head south on Martin Luther King Jr. Parkway and follow roadway east (take a left) along the south side of Downtown Des Moines after passing over Ingersoll and under Grand Avenue. Turn left on 12th Street, then left on Walnut. Take Walnut to 13th Street. 

Bike Valet

  • Drop your bike off at the intersection of Locust St. and 15th St. The bike valet is hosted by Friends of Central Iowa Trails. 

 

Demonstrations

Attend professionally led demonstrations and gain insight into a variety of mediums such as painting, ceramics, mixed media and drawing. See below for a schedule of the weekend's demonstrations. 

Barry Bernstein, pottery 

June 28, 12 p.m. 

 Booth #GS34

Roger Disney, oil painting

June 28, 2 p.m.

 Booth #GN6C
Amy Lansburg, hand-carved furniture June 28, 4 p.m. Booth #LN44
Lynn Krause, pastels  June 29, 12 p.m. Booth #LN29
Ryan Koning, oil painting June 29, 2 p.m. Booth #LN9
Cali Hobgood, hand coloring black and white photographs June 29, 4 p.m. Booth #LN23C
Danny Meisinger, basic throwing June 30, 11 a.m. Booth #GS43C
Laura Lloyd, sculpting June 30, 2 p.m. Booth #GN4
Tana Acton, jewelry June 30, 4 p.m. Booth #LS12


Emerging Iowa Artist Demonstrations

Emerging Iowa Artists are visual artists, residents of Iowa, and are currently enrolled in higher education or an art institution. 

 

Kelly Devitt-Steenhagen, ceramics June 28, 12 p.m.
Rachel Trimble, printmaking June 28, 1 p.m.
Anna Segner, mixed media painting June 28, 3 p.m.
Wade Judge, acrylic pour painting June 28, 5 p.m.
Kelsey Wilson, painting June 29, 11 a.m.
Kayla Bates, painting June 29, 1 p.m.
Sarah Justice, painting June 29, 3 p.m.
Darya Geary, acrylic painting June 30, 12 p.m. 
Mason Howerzly, painting June 30, 1 p.m.

 

Interrobang film festival

Experience screenings from films around the globe at the Interrobang Film Festival. Films are shown on the East end of the festival in the air-conditioned Central Des Moines Library.

A detailed list of films and screening times can be found HERE. 

Music

See The Strumbellas, The Family Stone, Bo Ramsey, William Elliott Whitmore, The Mowgli's and over 20 other musical acts at the Des Moines Arts Festival® on the Hy-Vee Main Stage and the Roots Stage presented by Meredith. All entertainment is free to attend. 

A detailed list of artists and concert times can be found HERE. 

 

Interactive Art

Sponsor booths scattered throughout the festival give festival-goers of all ages the opportunity to get hands-on with dance, music, art and more! These activities include: 

  • BOOM ART!
  • PhotoMosaic
  • Interactive Art Alley
  • Mural
  • Street Mural
  • The Knotty Nail
  • Mask Making
  • Seed Balls
  • Rock Painting
  • Sketch
  • Metal Jewelry Making
  • Miniature Broom Making
  • Design a Home
  • Bookmark Making
  • Performance Art
  • Pom-Pom Puppies and Cat Puppets
  • Egg Shakers
  • Braille
  • Make Your Own Instrument
  • Butterfly Creations
  • Stress Ball Making
  • Design Your Own Keychain
  • Upcycled Apparel
  • Thumbprint Art
  • Dance it Out
  • Galactic Art

A detailed list of interactive activities can be found HERE. 

 

Community Outreach Program 

The Prairie Meadows Community Outreach Program is an award-winning program that allows nonprofit organizations to share their mission at the festival for free. In exchange for the free booth space, each nonprofit provides and interactive arts-related activity for festival attendees.

Prairie Meadows helps the Des Moines Arts Festival® achieve its goal to educate, inspire, and engage audiences toward a heightened appreciation of the arts by being a longtime supporter and sponsor of the event. 

A detailed list of community outreach participants and interactive arts-related activity can be found HERE. 

Additional information about the Des Moines Arts Festival® can be found HERE.