It’s that time of the year in Des Moines where there is ALWAYS something to do, and this weekend is no exception.

Head down to the Western Gateway Park district this weekend and you’ll be just one of 200,000 people that will parouse artists from all over the country.

While celebrating the works of the local and national artists is one of main features of the festival, there is PLENTY more to do.

Almost all day, every day during the festival, you can watch an artists’ demonstration and get a behind the scene look at how their work is created. Check out the artist demonstration schedule to see when and where you can watch these artists work.

One highlight of the festival is the Emerging Iowa Artists Tent. This tent features the work of Iowa residents who are current (or recently graduated) students. This tent gives students the opportunity for these young artists to expose and sell their work to the public.

Another feature of the Des Moines Arts Festival that has gained a following the past couple years is the Interrobang film festival. This year, the festival will feature 52 films covering a variety of genres; from animation to silent to fantasy to foreign! For a full list of the featured films, check out the Interrobang website.

Art outreach is another integral part of the festival. Kids and adults alike have the opportunity to create their own works of art while at the festival too. Whether its a pet puppy, learning the art of fish printing, stress balls or crazy sunglasses. Thanks to  the generous sponsors that make this outreach possible, all attendees have the opportunity to leave with their own pieces of art.

Your ears also have a chance to enjoy some art during the festival. Throughout the weekend, festival goers can hear some great live music from bands including: Rebel Creek, Pictures of Then and The Envy Corps.

The most important thing to remember, is that the festival is happening rain or shine and there will be something for everyone!!

 Whether it’s live music you want, a new piece of art for your collection, a chance to see a new film or if you even want a bite to eat. The Des Moines Arts Festival will most definitely have it.

The festival starts tomorrow at 11am and runs until Sunday evening at 5.

For a full list of events, details on where to park and a map of the festival, check out the Des Moines Arts Festival website.

As Iowan’s were always at the wrong end of out of staters jokes. People from NYC or L.A. or pretty much anywhere, seem to think we have nothing going on, particularly when it comes to the arts. Whether it’s music, fine art, or theatre.

Well, we know better. So this week, we decided to highlight just a few of the places you can catch any number of artsy-fartsy activties in Des Moines, and in turn put those nasty “Des Moines has no art scene” rumors to rest.

Des Moines Art Festival This 3 days festival takes place in downtown, and is consistently ranked as an outstanding arts festival on the national and even international scene. The festival features almost 200 professional artists from across the country and 22 emerging artists from our great state. Combine that with interactive exhibits,all sorts of food vendors, live entertainment, roving artists and a film festival and there’s plenty to be seen and done! This year’s festival will be June 24-26th.

Stoner Theatre If live theatre is your thing, then Stoner Theatre is

Photo via StageWest Facebook Fan Page

a good place to check out. Stoner is home to StageWest, the resident theatre company of the Civic Center. StageWest produces contemporary plays that seek to increase both the audience and actors understanding and enjoyment of our lives,society and world. The company produces both national and international works, covering a wide range of topics. To see what’s on the bill for this season click the above link!

Mars Cafe Nothing beats good art and good caffeine. Mars Cafe is the well known coffee shop located in the Drake neighborhood, and home to a number of artistic opportunities. Whether you want to view the current art show displayed on the walls, or attend a benefit concert, Mars is your place to go. The recently opened “Pour-Over Poster Show” an event featuring 30 local artists hand printed artworks, currently graces the walls of the cafe. For upcoming events,their menu or more information on the upcoming poster show, check out the Mars Cafe website

If you’re looking for live music, Des Moines has some great places to check out, and two of them are right in the same neighborhood. Vaudeville Mews and People’s, both have live music going on all week. Concerts vary from Dave Matthew’s cover bands, to Michael Jackson tributes to Ingrid Michaelson. Check out their websites to see what concerts they have coming up!