One of the great things about Des Moines is the rich history of culture that permeates the city year in and year out.  Every year there are certain events that you can look forward to and expect to happen, and each year it seems as though new fun events also spring up.  Unfortunately for some of those events the time is nearly gone to enjoy them.  Here are just a couple of things with a limited time left to enjoy.

Saturday Farmer’s Market

This Saturday the 28th marks the last day for the fall Farmer’s Market.  This has been running since 1976 and has gotten bigger and bigger every year. This means you have one last chance to grab fresh meat, fresh fruits and vegetables, or hand-made items from any of the 200+ vendors.  If you haven’t made it out to check out the Farmer’s Market and experience the culture that lives and thrives there this is your last chance of the season.  However if you do miss it, have no fear, there are two Winter Market’s on November 18th and December 16th.  For more information on what can be found there check out their Winter Market website.

East Village Sunday Bazaar

One of the new events that sprung up this year was the East Village Bazaar.  Held noon-4pm on Sundays this is the last weekend to enjoy it as it ends on the 31st.  This is an excellent opportunity to check out Des Moines’ very own East Village.  Not only do a majority of stores stay open during the event, but the East Village will also play host to food vendors and live music, not to mention all the outdoor vendors selling vintage clothing, accessories, and home decor.  For more information on what they have to offer check out the East Village website.

One of the things we love about Des Moines is the special interest and excitement that gets built around some of the holidays here.  Halloween is coming up and it is no exception to this what with a Zombie Prom, a Zombie 5k Run, and of course the numerous haunted barns, corn mazes, and plethora of haunted houses in the area.  An informal list of haunted houses around Des Moines can be found here.

Zombie Prom

Hosted by the Val Air Ballroom this event is just what you’d think it would be.  A full on prom-esque dance in clothed in your favorite undead attire.  The event is October 22nd, with tickets costing $10 in advance, $15 the day of the event, $15 for each couple, and $40 VIP tickets.  More information and tickets can be found at the Val Air Ballroom website.

Run of the Living Dead 5k Run

Here we have a traditional 5k run mixed in with a little Halloween flair.  It’s a run through the woods like any other traditional 5k….. mixed in with zombies popping out of the woods in an attempt to pull off flags at your waist a la flag football style.

Sleepy Hollow Haunted Scream Park

Each year Sleepy Hollow turns it festival park into one of the largest Halloween attractions in the Midwest.  It features three haunted houses, two haunted walks, a 3-D gallery, a fog maze, marshmallow roasts, live music, and a selection of food and merchandise vendors.  One of the things that has been getting rave reviews is the Haunted Walk featuring the Zombie shootout.  Combining the scariness of walking through wide open woods, with zombies, with laser guns you can use to fight back against the zombies really makes for an adrenaline filled experience.  The really nice thing is having all these fun things to do in one location without the hassle of driving around from haunted house to haunted house.  Having an all inclusive spot helps build the atmosphere and mystery that is associated with Halloween.  Open October 20-23, and the 27-31 with gates opening at 7pm and more information can be found on the Sleepy Hollow website.

Trick or Treating Locations

And of course for the kids there is always the traditional trick or treating.  A full list of times and dates for cities in central Iowa can be found here on KCCI’s website.  Otherwise the Blank Park Zoo is hosting their annual Night Eyes event.  A family friendly affair that lets kids trick or treat through the zoo which has been given a Halloween makeover for the event.  Admission is $5 and more information can be found on On the Night Eyes website.

If there is just one thing that you can say Des Moines has an abundance of it would have to be restaurants.  It’s almost a problem because it makes it so hard to pick a place to go out to eat.  It’s always a tough decision to decide between hitting up one of your favorite local restaurants, or branching out and trying something new.  Well if you’re the type of person who inevitably winds up choosing what you know rather than trying something new and feels guilty that, then this weekend would be a great time to get on out to the East Village for the 7th annual World Food Festival.

This unique festival is held as a partnership with the World Food Prize Foundation which we talked about a bit more in our blog last year when they were in town.  Basically the internationally lauded prize is awarded to the person of the year responsible for the most vital breakthrough in making significant and measurable contributions to improving the worlds food supply.  In honor of that the World Food Festival in Des Moines was created to honor Iowa’s rich agricultural heritage.  The festival highlights 30 local shops, making family recipes,  each with their own ethnic flair with food ranging from American, Bosnia, the Caribbean, Ecuador, Ethiopia, Greece, Hawaii, India, Mesopotamia, Mexico, Morocco, Russia, Salvador and Turkey.  Stealing a play out of McDonald’s playbook all these merchants will be offering taste tests of their food for a dollar a piece.  Once you find something you love all full plates are five dollars or less.

Food might be the best reason to visit, but it isn’t the only reason to be checking out the festival this weekend.  Live music all day long, cooking demonstrations from local chefs teaching new cooking techniques, salsa dance lessons, the chance to pet an alligator….. there’s certainly plenty to keep you occupied.  For a full run-down on events check out their website:  http://www.worldfoodfestival.org

So give your taste buds a road trip and come check out this festival in the East Village of Des Moines!