Your friend who always knows what's happening around town.
A free twice-weekly newsletter helping Des Moines locals discover the best events, hidden gems, guides, and stories about the city they love.
GuideUltimate Guide to the Iowa State Fair
Use this Iowa State Fair guide to plan tickets, transportation, food, attractions, accessibility, and important details to verify before attending.
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Ultimate Guide to Des Moines Arts, Museums & Culture
Explore Des Moines museums, galleries, public art, historic sites, theaters, and cultural attractions, including free favorites, family-friendly stops, and worthwhile day trips across Central Iowa.
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Free Things to do in Des Moines
Discover free things to do in Des Moines, from parks and trails to museums, markets, festivals, public art, and family-friendly events across the metro.
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Ultimate Guide to Des Moines Food Trucks
Find Des Moines food trucks, recurring locations, events, cuisine types, and practical ways to confirm schedules before making the trip.
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Ultimate Guide to the Downtown Farmers’ Market
Plan a visit to the Downtown Des Moines Farmers' Market with tips on parking, vendors, timing, accessibility, and what to check before you go.
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Ultimate Guide to Des Moines Happy Hours
Find Des Moines happy hours by area, day, and type of deal, with current times, restrictions, and other details to verify before you go.
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Help Paying Rent and Utilities in the Des Moines Metro
Find rent assistance in Des Moines plus utility help, with organizations, eligibility, application steps, and current details to verify.
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Where to Get Food Help in the Des Moines Metro
Find food assistance in Des Moines, including organizations to contact, eligibility, hours, locations, and access details to confirm.
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Who to Call in the Des Moines Metro (+ per-city sub-pages)
Find who to call in Des Moines for common city and community needs, with contact details, service areas, hours, and information to verify.
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Ultimate Guide to East Village
Explore East Village Des Moines with a local guide to shops, restaurants, attractions, parking, events, and details to verify before visiting.
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Ultimate Guide to Des Moines Neighborhoods
Compare Des Moines neighborhoods by location, character, things to do, housing context, and practical details for visitors and residents.
Stories from Des Moines
All stories →
Jared – Des Moines
Jared has worked the door in Des Moines for twenty-six years. He's seen the city change, the crowds cycle, and the nights go sideways.…
Kevin Des Moines
Thirty years sober. Twenty-six thousand neighbors. One Facebook group started from a couch during COVID. Kevin Williamson's story is about what a community actually…
Kari – Van Meter
She was driving home from chores when a fire truck blew past her in the dark. She called a fire station the next day…
Business Spotlights
The Guntur Talkies
There's a food truck parked behind the Motel 6 on Office Plaza Drive in West Des Moines that has been quietly changing…
All Ages Music School West Des Moines
She painted nearly every wall herself. She built the website from scratch. She spent a month watching tutorial videos just to set…
Alex – Camp Homework
Camp Homework was built on a simple belief: every family deserves access to quality tutoring, regardless of budget. Des Moines Digest publisher…
The Des Moines Digest is the first thing I read every Monday. It's like having a friend who somehow knows about every cool thing happening around town.
Hi, I'm Alex.
After years of living in and loving Des Moines, I wanted to create a space that captures the spirit of this city — the people, places, food, and events that make it special.
Des Moines Digest was born from a simple idea: be the friend who always knows what's going on around town.
Learn more →Everything Des Moines,
nothing you don't need.
The Week Ahead
Local stories, hidden gems, and what's worth your time this week in the metro.
Weekend Roundup
A curated list of things to do this weekend across Des Moines and beyond.
Plan Ahead Guide
Big events, festivals, and things to put on your radar for the coming month.
Subscriber Deals
Deals and offers from local businesses — only for Des Moines Digest readers.
Community Highlights
Local businesses, restaurants, and the people making Des Moines special.
Giveaways
Subscribers get a chance to win gift cards to local businesses around the metro.
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A free twice-weekly newsletter about the city you love. No spam, just Des Moines.