🌱 Des Moines Digest
Issue #15 | THURSDAY, May 21, 2026
A Week Full of Good Things, DSM
Good morning, neighbors! ☀️
Can you feel it? The school year is basically coasting on fumes — backpacks are lighter, teachers are heroic, and kids everywhere are mentally already at the pool. We are thisclose to summer, and Des Moines is not waiting around to celebrate.
And here's the thing — the weather is actually going to cooperate this weekend. Saturday is looking partly cloudy and mild, right around 72 degrees — basically perfect for being outside all day. Then Sunday turns it up a notch with full sun and a high of 80°. After the gray and rain we're shaking off this week, that forecast feels like a reward.
This weekend has the kind of lineup that makes you want to put your phone down and just go be somewhere. CelebrAsian returns to Western Gateway Park for two full days of food, culture, and performance representing communities from across Asia — it's one of the best events this city puts on, full stop. The Heritage Carousel opens for the season over at Union Park, which means 50-cent rides, the wading pool, and that specific kind of slow Saturday joy that's hard to find anywhere else. And tonight, if you need a reason to get out of the house on a Thursday, Valley Junction has you covered with live music, a farmers market, and a cold drink waiting with your name on it.
Summer isn't officially here yet — but this weekend, it sure feels like it.
Let's get into it.
THIS WEEK'S WEATHER 🌤️
Thu May 21 | Fri May 22 | Sat May 23 | Sun May 24 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
High | 60°F | 62°F | 72°F | 80°F |
Conditions | ⛅ Partly Cloudy, 35% rain | 🌧️ Rainy, 75% rain | 🌤️ Mostly Clear, 20% rain | ☀️ Warm & Sunny, 0% rain |
🌤️✨ Your weekend in one line: Friday is the one to watch — rainy with a 75% chance, so move plans indoors. Saturday rebounds to 72°F with mostly clear skies, great for getting outside again. Sunday is the star of the weekend — 80°F and pure sunshine, perfect for the Farmers Market, a patio lunch, or anything outdoors. ☀️🌿
Monday’s Farmers Market poll results are in — and the winner, by a landslide?
💀 "I always say I'll go and never do." Truly, same.
No judgment. The intention counts. 🧅
Now this week's very important question:
What kind of weekend person are you?
A quick message from Camp Homework
Fun fact: kids can lose up to 3 months of learning over summer break. Not-so-fun fact: most parents don't realize it until September.
Camp Homework's free email course makes it easy to get ahead of it — 10 simple strategies, no worksheets, no stress. Takes two minutes to sign up. Do it before that last bell rings. →
🎉 And don't forget to enter for a chance to win a free one-month Camp Homework membership — a $149 value! →
🎈 Weekend Plans That Feel More Like Little Memories Than "Plans"
Not every fun weekend needs expensive tickets or perfectly planned schedules. Sometimes the best weekends are the unexpected ones ✨
🚗 The "Pick a Direction" Drive — Everyone takes turns calling left or right at each stoplight for 20 minutes. No destination. You might stumble onto a hidden bakery, a cute street, or a park you've driven past a hundred times.
🧁 Dessert Crawl Night — Make dessert the whole adventure. Try artisan small-batch scoops at Black Cat Ice Cream, fresh-baked cupcakes from Crème Cupcake + Dessert, and end with a specialty coffee at Horizon Line Coffee. Kids love the hopping — adults do too.
📚 The $5 Thrift Challenge — Give everyone $5 and one mission: find the funniest or most unexpected item. Try Many Hands Thrift Market or Animal Lifeline Thrift Shop — open Thursday through Saturday.
🌅 Sunrise Breakfast Picnic — Grab donuts or chai and head to Gray's Lake Park or Water Works Park before the city wakes up. Sunday morning at 81° is going to be something special.
🎧 "Yes Day" Walk — For one hour, let the kids decide everything: which path, where to stop, what to explore. Historic East Village and Valley Junction are perfect for this — colorful, walkable, and full of happy surprises.
✨ Tiny adventure rule: Do ONE thing you'd normally say "maybe next time" to. That's usually the memory everyone keeps. ❤️
Family Connection Corner | Sponsored by Camp Homework
Put the phones away and pull your people in a little closer — here are this week's dinner table conversation starters, one for every day Thu–Wed. These questions are a wonderful way to learn something new about the people you love most!
Day | Question |
|---|---|
🗓️ Thursday | If you could visit any country for one week, where would you go and what would you eat first? |
🗓️ Friday | What's one thing you tried for the first time this school year that surprised you? |
🗓️ Saturday | If our family had a theme song, what would it be and why? |
🗓️ Sunday | What's your favorite memory from a holiday weekend or family trip? |
🗓️ Monday | What's something you're looking forward to this summer — big or small? |
🗓️ Tuesday | If you could learn a skill from any person in our family (past or present), what would it be? |
🗓️ Wednesday | What would you do with an entire Saturday that was completely yours to design? |
Want more tips to help your kids succeed in school? Subscribe to our newsletter and stay ahead with proven strategies, ideas, and support.
Real talk: the last few weeks of school matter. If your child is struggling, Camp Homework connects K–12 students with real human tutors — not AI — starting at just $150/month. Affordable, personal, and actually effective. Don't wait until summer to course-correct. camphomework.com →
🎟️ EVENT SHOWCASE
When: Saturday–Sunday, May 23–24 | 11:00 AM – 10:00 PM both days
Where: Western Gateway Park, 1200 Locust Street, Des Moines
Cost: FREE
This is one of those events that makes Des Moines genuinely special. CelebrAsian is Iowa's largest Asian American festival, presented by the Iowa Asian Alliance, and this year's theme is The Story of Us. More than a dozen "villages" representing countries from across Asia will be set up throughout Western Gateway Park — each one featuring authentic food, cultural exhibits, and hands-on activities. The main stage lineup includes performances spanning Bollywood dance, martial arts, a fashion show, robotics demonstrations, a Pho cooking competition ("Pho-King Cook-Off" — yes, really), table tennis tournaments, and live musical performances both nights running until 10 PM. Whether your crew is there for the food, the dancing, or just the incredible energy of the whole thing, CelebrAsian consistently delivers. Go both days if you can!
When: Thursday, May 21 | Beverage garden opens 5:00 PM | Music 6:00–8:30 PM Where: Railroad Park, 425 Railroad Ave, Historic Valley Junction, West Des Moines
Cost: FREE
Every Thursday from May through September, Historic Valley Junction transforms into the best block party in Central Iowa — and it's absolutely free. Tonight, Bad Friends take the stage in the Railroad Park beverage garden for a night of live music alongside the Valley Junction Farmers Market. Browse 100+ local vendors selling fresh produce, baked goods, handmade goods, and artisan goods, then settle in with a cold drink and let the music carry you into the weekend. Free parking and a free shuttle run from Hillside Elementary School (713 8th St, West Des Moines) from 4–9 PM. It's a perfect Thursday night out for the whole family.
When: Saturday, May 23 | 11:00 AM – 7:00 PM (Season runs through August)
Where: Union Park, 1801 Pennsylvania Ave, Des Moines
Cost: 50 cents per ride
This one is pure Des Moines joy. The Heritage Carousel — a hand-carved, hand-painted turn-of-the-century replica carousel with 30 animals, two chariots, and a real old-fashioned band organ — opens for the 2026 season this Saturday! Kids have been dreaming of that 50-cent ride since October. Union Park itself is a gem: grab a ride on the Rocket Slide, splash around in the free wading pool, and spread out on the big grassy lawns. The Heritage Carousel is a not-for-profit community treasure and a quintessential Des Moines summer experience. Bring a pocket full of quarters!
🗓️ UPCOMING EVENTS
🌟 BIG EVENTS OF THE WEEK
Event | Day & Time | Where | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
Thu, May 21 · 6 PM | Lauridsen Amphitheater, Water Works Park | Tickets from ~$75 | |
Thu, May 21 · 6 PM & 8:30 PM | Temple Theater, 1011 Locust St, DSM | Tickets req. | |
Iowa Cubs vs. Memphis Redbirds — Friday Night Fireworks 🎆 | Fri, May 22 · 7:08 PM | Principal Park, 1 Line Dr, DSM | Tickets from $13 |
Fri, May 22 · 4:30–7:30 PM | Middlebrook Farmhouse, 4300 Cumming Ave, Cumming | FREE | |
Sat–Sun, May 23–24 · 11 AM–10 PM | Western Gateway Park, 1200 Locust St, DSM | FREE | |
Sat, May 23 · 11 AM–7 PM | Union Park, 1801 Pennsylvania Ave, DSM | $0.50/ride | |
Sat, May 23 · 9 AM–4 PM | Living History Farms, 11121 Hickman Rd, Urbandale | General Admission | |
Sat, May 23 · 6:08 PM | Principal Park, 1 Line Dr, DSM | Tickets from $13 | |
Sat, May 24 · 6–9 PM | Jasper Winery, 2485 240th St, Newton | FREE | |
Sun, May 24 · 1:08 PM | Principal Park, 1 Line Dr, DSM | Tickets from $13 | |
Sun, May 24 | xBk Live, 3130 Douglas Ave, DSM | Tickets req. | |
Sun, May 24 · 9 PM | Val Air Ballroom, 301 Ashworth Rd, W. DSM | Tickets req. |
🏘️ Small & Local Favorites
Event | Day & Time | Where | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
Thu, May 21 · Music 6–8:30 PM | Railroad Park, 425 Railroad Ave, W. DSM | FREE | |
Thu, May 21 · 4–8 PM | Historic Valley Junction, W. DSM | FREE | |
Thu, May 21 · 6–8:30 PM | Confluence Brewing, 1235 Thomas Beck Rd, DSM | FREE | |
Fri, May 22 · 10:30–11 AM | DSM Botanical Garden, 909 Robert D. Ray Dr | With admission | |
Fri, May 22 | xBk Live, 3130 Douglas Ave, DSM | Tickets req. | |
Sat, May 23 | Wooly's, 511 Brady St, DSM | Tickets req. | |
Sat, May 23 | Des Moines | Tickets req. | |
Sat, May 23 | Anna Dolce Ristorante, W. DSM | Free/Check venue | |
Sat–Mon, May 23–25 · Open daily | Blank Park Zoo, 7401 SW 9th St, DSM | Admission req. | |
Sat–Mon, May 23–25 | 909 Robert D. Ray Dr, DSM | Admission req. | |
Sat–Mon, May 23–25 · Sunrise–sunset | 900 Keosauqua Way, DSM | FREE | |
Sun, May 24 · 11 AM–7 PM | Union Park, 1801 Pennsylvania Ave, DSM | $0.50/ride | |
Any day · Dawn–dusk | Western Gateway Park, DSM | FREE |
Thank you so much for reading — we hope you found something fun, helpful, and inspiring in today's edition! If you enjoyed this newsletter, please share it with your friends and family so they can be part of the fun too. The more the merrier! We'll see you back here on Monday for our next edition. Have a wonderful weekend, Des Moines! 🎉
— Alex | Des Moines Digest
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