Des Moines Arts Festival

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Arts & CultureDes Moines
DatesDates TBA · Usually JuneCheck locally before booking
Duration3 daysListed event span
CrowdLargeAbout 150,000 people
Best forPerformance, exhibitionsThe festival's setting is part of its
LanguageLocal language; English access variesCurrency: USD
CategoryArts & CultureFestival type
The story

Des Moines Arts Festival in Des Moines

The Des Moines Arts Festival is a free, three-day juried arts festival held every year on the last weekend of June in Western Gateway Park in downtown Des Moines, Iowa. Established in 1998 and rooted in the Des Moines Art Center's 1958 Art in the Park event, it draws around 195 nationally juried artists and well over 150,000 visitors, and has repeatedly won the International Festivals and Events Association's Grand Pinnacle Award.

The Des Moines Arts Festival did not start out as a downtown spectacle.
Your trip starts here
What is special

The part that makes it specific.

01

The place changes

The festival's setting is part of its identity: it takes place around the 4

02

The mystery stays covered

acre John and Mary Pappajohn Sculpture Park and the Renzo Piano-designed Krause Gateway Center, turning downtown Des Moines into an open-air gallery for the weekend

03

The city starts moving

Beyond the juried art fair, programming includes the Interrobang Film Festival, interactive and literary arts, a student art exhibition, and live music and performance stages, alongside a sensory-friendly space and a youth mural project created with ArtForce Iowa and Des Moines Public Schools students

04

The water draws everyone in

The event has won the International Festivals and Events Association's Gold Grand Pinnacle Award sixteen times, a rare mark of sustained national recognition for a Midwestern arts festival

Traditions & symbols

The language of the festival.

What moves first

Living ritual

The festival's defining ritual is its rotating juried selection process

Water and renewal

Living ritual

in which a national jury reviews and selects roughly 195 artists each year across mediums from painting to glasswork

The sacred route

Living ritual

so the specific lineup of exhibitors changes annually even as the festival's format stays consistent

The local code

Living ritual

Its youth mural project

Tradition 5

Living ritual

created in partnership with ArtForce Iowa and Des Moines Public Schools students and installed permanently at a local school each year

Tradition 6

Living ritual

has become a running tradition that ties the festival's proceeds directly back into the community

Tradition 7

Living ritual

alongside its Emerging Artists and Innovator in the Arts recognition programs

Before you go

Essential information

When to go

Dates TBA · Usually June

Getting around

Use Des Moines transport around the venue or route first; event-day controls can change normal timing.

What to wear

Summer festival wear suits Iowa's hot, humid late-June weather: shorts, breathable fabrics, a hat, and comfortable walking shoes for hours on pavement and grass; an extra layer or light rain...

Safety

At Des Moines Arts Festival, agree on a meeting point and plan food, water and the return route before crowds thicken.

Where to stay

Stay near workable transport in Des Moines, especially if the event runs late or streets close.

Tickets/cost

Check official or local sources for ticketed areas, paid stands, and same-year access rules.

Language/currency

USD

Family friendly

unknown

Interactive map41.60 N, 93.61 WOpen in Google Maps

Des Moines, IA

Nearest airportDSM — Des Moines
TransportUse Des Moines transport around the venue or route first; event-day controls can change normal timing.
Stay areaStay near workable transport in Des Moines, especially if the event runs late or streets close.

Your Trip Starts Here

External travel services to turn the plan into a trip — each opens in a new tab.

How to get thereRoutes, times and prices to Des Moines via local transport.Search routesFind a place to stayStays near Des Moines, close enough for the event-day route.Browse staysFind flightsCompare fares into the nearest practical airport for June.Compare faresFestival gearSummer festival wear suits Iowa's hot, humid late-June weather: shorts, breathable fabrics, a hat, and comfortable walking shoes for hours on pavement and grass; an extra layer or light rain jacket is worth packing since Midwestern summer storms can appear quickly.Shop the kitCheck visa requirementsSee whether you need a visa for United States and apply online.Check entry rulesTravel insuranceCover for trip hiccups, gear and health on the road.Get covered

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FAQ

Quick answers.

When is Des Moines Arts Festival?

Des Moines Arts Festival is listed for Past edition: 27–29 June 2025. Always re-check the official or local source close to travel.

Where does Des Moines Arts Festival take place?

The festival is listed in Des Moines, United States. The map coordinate is a planning reference, not a guarantee of a ticket gate or exact venue.

How long should I plan for?

3 days is the listed festival span. Add time for arrival, local transport, queues, and any route changes during the event.

Is a source linked?

Official source linked. Eventisimus separates source confidence from travel suggestions, so check final details before booking.

Where exactly is it?

Des Moines, IA

How big is it?

Large: 150000

Sources and editorial review

About this guide

This guide is independently written by Eventisimus using publicly available information, official event and organiser sources where available, local tourism references, and additional editorial research. Eventisimus is not the official organiser of this festival and is not affiliated with it unless explicitly stated.

Festival dates, schedules, ticket conditions, access rules, and local arrangements can change. We aim to present useful and accurate information, but travelers should confirm important details with the official event source before booking transport, accommodation, or tickets.

Found something inaccurate or outdated? Email hello@eventisimus.com with the festival page link and the correction.

Official URLdesmoinesartsfestival.org
Organizer accessAre you the organizer? Claim this listing →
SourceSource link available
Listed datesDates TBA · Usually June
Source statusOfficial source linked
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