Christmas trees, ice skating, holiday lights, snow, caroling, horse carriage rides….. yep, the holiday season is upon us once again.  Quite a few events in the downtown district kick things off this weekend to get you in the festive holiday spirit.

Holiday Promenade  

This year is the 10th anniversary of the Holiday Promenade which is held in the East Village.  This event just seems to get bigger and bigger each and every year.  With everything from holiday carolers, to shopping, to free horse and carriage rides.  Stores will be staying open later than usual, until 9pm in fact,  so you can get started on your holiday shopping early or just check out some of the stores that you’ve never had a chance to get to during their normal business hours.

Maybe shopping isn’t your thing.  Maybe you wanted to check out some fireworks.  While it may not be the 4th of July just yet that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy a great show.  The fireworks start at 6:20 in the East Village.  If you’re looking for the best spot to watch them then look no further than the Brenton Plaza or the Center Street Pedestrian Bridge. Speaking of the Brenton Plaza, Friday the 18th marks the opening day for the outdoor skating arena with the grand opening ceremony kicking off at 5am!

With festive music and events all across the East Village there’s sure to be something for every family member.  More information can be found on the East Village website here.

Jolly Holiday Lights – Tour de Lights

Every year just outside of downtown in Waterworks Park, Des Moines plays host to the largest holiday lighting display in the state, featuring more than 3 1/2 miles of lights and supporting a great tradition of helping others out during the holiday season.  Put on every year by the Iowa chapter of the Make-A-Wish chapter all proceeds go towards helping children’s wishes come true.  The event runs November 22nd – January 1st and admission is $5/car, $20/limo, or $45/bus.  However if you want to get a sneak peak the Tour de Lights occurs this weekend on Sunday November 20th.  This is a special one night event that allows you to walk, run, or bike through the winter wonderland.  Entry is $5 per person and children under 3 get in free.  Full details can be found here.

If your looking for a way to kick-start your holiday spirit, get a jump on your holiday shopping, or just enjoy a nice family friendly weekend then you have no further to look.

You may recall our post a couple weeks ago giving you suggestions how to beat the winter blues in Des Moines

Well, if you don’t have any plans this weekend, we have another fun,exciting and unique opportunity for you to have some fun among all this snow.

This weekend marks the 4th annual “Des Moines Winter Games”.

“The philosophy behind the winter games is to get people out and active,” Max Kenkel, general manager of Sleepy Hallow,” said. “We want to give central Iowans an opportunity to go out and do something in the middle of winter.”

And from what we’ve seen, there will be plenty to do this weekend.

The Kick Off and Polar Plunge event starts off the weekend at Sleepy Hallow sports park starting at 5pm on Friday. Admission for the event is just one canned food item that will go to the Des Moines Area Religious Council. At the kick-off competitors and spectators alike will be able to mix and mingle before the weekend kicks off. And for those who are brave enough to take the plunge (no pun intended). The Polar Plunge will start around 6:00pm, with costumes encouraged.

Another event on our radar is the cardboard sled race. Competitors in this event are challenged to create a sled out of just cardboard and then brave the slopes. Registration for the event is $15 and you can sign up on site. The race will take place at 7pm on Friday out at Sleepy Hallow.

If you’re missing the lake and kayaking during these icy water months, there’s even an event for you. Downhill kayak racing is going on once again. Competitors can either bring their own kayak or use one of the kayaks provided. There will first be round-robin style racing. Followed by head-to-head competition, with the fastest time advancing. Once again, you can register on site for just $15.

For those of you that don’t like racing and prefer traditional winter activities, like snowman making, you are in luck. Snow sculpting starts at 1pm on Friday at Sleepy Hallow and contestants have until 8:30pm to finish their creations. Des Moines Winter Games attendees will then get to vote on the sculptures. There’s even a cash prize for the winner and a tubing party for all the contestants.

For the central Iowan who likes skateboarding and snowboarding. There will be a Des Moines Rail Jam on Saturday night under the lights of Court Avenue. For $15 contestants can showcase their grinding talents starting at 7pm. Live music will also be going on during the event.

There’s also plenty of team events going on during the weekend;whilee registration for those has passed, spectators are welcome and encouraged. This includes sno-ball softball at the Savage Softball and Des Moines Softball Complex all weekend. Flag football will be going on Friday and Saturday out at Cownie Soccer Complex and even Broomball will be played on Friday and Saturday night at Brenton Skating Plaza.

And there’s of course plenty of events for the kiddo’s. Winter Carnival games will take place at the skating plaza on Saturday from 10:00 to Noon. Kid’s can compete in an obstacle course, dance contest, and create snow art. Everyone who participates gets a prize at this event!

So, instead of complaining about how tired of winter you are, go out and do something this weekend. We heard there could be a heat wave of 32 on Saturday!

For more information on other events going, details on the events we talked about or anything else. Check out the Des Moines Winter Games Facebook page.

Y

It’s January. The winter doldrums are beginning to set in. We had our white Christmas and now most of us are ready for Spring and sun and t-shirts and shorts.

But since that’s still not going to happen for another couple months we’d thought we’d offer some suggestions to help you beat the winter blues.

See Des Moines came out with another top 100 list and we paroused it for our top 5 favorites and here they are:

Brenton Skating Plaza Most of us that live in Des Moines don’t have easy access to a pond to enjoy ice skating. But with Brenton Skating Plaza you can skate without even leaving downtown. Open 7 days a week and just $5 for adults and $4 for kids, this is a great way to spend time with the family. Brenton also offers skating lessons, as well as broomball and curling groups.

Sledding Who doesn’t remember the days of flying down snow covered hills in an old car hood or saucer? Des Moines has plenty of great sledding hills. The hills at Waveland Golf Course or the hill by the state capital are great sledding locations that can offer hours of fun. And the best part? They’re FREE!

Botanical Blues Want to escape the cold,dry,colorless winter of Iowa; but can’t really jump on  plane to get away? Well, going on through February, the Des Moines Botanical Center has the answer! Happening from 1-3pm every Sunday, you can enjoy local musicians,food and fun in the warm tropical climate of the Botanical Center and take a break from the weather outside.

Des Moines Art Center The Des Moines Art Center has been called a world class art museum set in the heart of the midwest. Featuring works from artists from the 19th, 20th and 21st century there’s much to explore here. Whether its the works of Matisse,Warhol or Georgia O’Keeffe, or the outside architecture; the art center has plenty of things for your eyes to enjoy.

Bowling at Bass Pro Shops Go under the sea at this restaurant and bowling ally. Uncle Buck’s Fish Bowl and Grill defintely offers its visitors a unique experience. With 12 lanes, bowlers can literally bowl under the sea and catch glimpses of turtles, sting rays and other sea creatures. When you get hungry you can head over the the restaurant and grab a bite to eat in the sunken ship themed dining area.

While you still may want Spring to be here and Winter to be gone, we both know it’s still going to be awhile. So, make the best of it, try one of our suggestions or one of the other 97 that are on the list and make the most of it. Because, we both know that when July comes and it’s 110 with humidty, we’re going to be wondering where Winter is.