🌱 Des Moines Digest
Issue #3 | Monday, April 6, 2026
Let's Start the Week Right!
Good morning, neighbors!
Looks like spring is still trying to get settled in around Des Moines. We may get more rain than sunshine this week, but the days are getting longer and warmer weather is still on the way. It is not quite patio season yet, but we are getting closer. For now, keep the umbrella nearby and hang in there. Brighter, drier days are ahead.
Starting next week, we're adding two fun new features. First, we'll spotlight a neighbor in our community. That could be someone on your street, in your neighborhood, or just around the corner!
We're also shining a light on a local small business. There are so many amazing businesses right here in our community. We can't wait to share their stories with you!
Want to be featured?
We'd love to hear from you! Head to our website and reach out to us. We'd be so excited to share your story. https://desmoinesdigest.com/get-featured/
Monday is the perfect time for a fresh start, and that's exactly what the Des Moines Digest is here for. Let's see what's going on around town this week. 👇
🌤️ THIS WEEK'S WEATHER
Mon Apr 6 | Tue Apr 7 | Wed Apr 8 | Thu Apr 9 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
High | ~46°F | ~45°F | ~70°F | ~53°F |
Conditions | ☁️Slight rain/snow chance | 🌧️ Chance of showers | ⛈️ Showers likely | 🌧️ Chance of showers |
Your week in one line: Spring is finally settling in, Des Moines. Step outside — it earned it. 🌱
📰 News Digest
What a milestone! The Animal Rescue League of Iowa is turning 100 today, and the City of Des Moines declared it "Animal Rescue League of Iowa Day!" Since 1926, the ARL has grown into Iowa's biggest nonprofit shelter, helping over 13,000 animals every year. Read more: https://alliowa.com/n33b
West Des Moines wants to build a 26.2-mile Marathon Loop connecting the city's trails and parks — and Parks and Rec is asking for around $5 million in the upcoming budget to make it happen. Fourteen miles are already done, with four more on the way in the next couple of years. The biggest challenge is finishing the southern section, which crosses private land and needs a new bridge. If the full trail hits some roadblocks, there's a backup plan using sidewalks along major roads that could be ready by 2028. Read more: https://alliowa.com/z9ol
The Greater Des Moines Botanical Garden is getting a big makeover! A lobby and entrance renovation is planned to kick off in 2027. While construction is happening, a temporary entrance will be set up on the south side so visitors can still get in. Once everything is done, that temp space will be turned into office and volunteer areas. It's the garden's first major update since the 1990s, when they added meeting rooms, a greenhouse, and riverfront gardens. Read more:
https://alliowa.com/uyzfThe full 2026 RAGBRAI route is here! This year's ride runs July 18-25, going through Onawa, Harlan, Guthrie Center, Boone, Marshalltown, Independence, Dyersville, Dubuque, and all the towns in between. At 391.4 miles and 16,027 feet of climbing, it's the shortest-ever route but still packs in plenty of hills — coming in as the tenth-hilliest in RAGBRAI history. Read more: https://alliowa.com/2u4o
🍽️ Enter Our Giveaway!
Who's hungry? We're giving away a $25 gift card to a local restaurant of your choice! That means you pick the spot — as long as it's a local gem, not a big chain. We love supporting small businesses, and this is a fun way to do it together!
Entering is super easy. Just visit the link below and you're in! We'll draw a winner at the end of the month, so don't wait too long. The sooner you enter, the better!
Know someone who would love this? Share it with your friends and family on social media and help us spread the word. The more the merrier! Good luck to everyone who enters — we can't wait to pick a winner! 🎉 desmoinesdigest.com/giveaway
🎟️ EVENT SHOWCASE
🎸 TONIGHT: JULIA QUINN IS COMING TO DES MOINES
If you or anyone in your life has ever watched Bridgerton — tonight is the night.
Julia Quinn, the bestselling author whose books became the Netflix phenomenon that took over every living room in America, is live at Hoyt Sherman Place tonight. She'll be talking about her books, the shows, her writing process, and everything in between.
This is a rare chance to see the woman behind the story — in person, right here in Des Moines. Whether you're a devoted reader, a Bridgerton fanatic, or you just want a genuinely fun Monday night out — this is the ticket.
📅 Tonight — Monday, April 6 | 7:00 PM 📍 Hoyt Sherman Place, Des Moines 🎟️ Tickets at hoytsherman.org
🎸 TOMORROW: JOURNEY AT CASEY'S CENTER
Start planning now for tomorrow night — because one of the greatest rock bands of all time is rolling into Des Moines.
Journey hits Casey's Center on Tuesday, April 8 and this is one of those concerts you'll be talking about for years. Whether you're a lifelong fan or you just want to sing Don't Stop Believin' at the top of your lungs with 18,000 of your neighbors — get your tickets now.
📅 Wednesday, April 8 | 6:30 PM 📍 Casey's Center, Des Moines 🎟️ Tickets at caseyscenter.com
🗓️ UPCOMING EVENTS
This Week — April 6–12
🟢 Mon Apr 6 — Julia Quinn Live (Bridgerton author!) | Hoyt Sherman Place | 7:00 PM | Tonight! | hoytsherman.org
🟡 Wed Apr 8 — JOURNEY Concert 🎸 | Casey's Center | 6:30 PM | caseyscenter.com
🟡 Fri Apr 10 — Bloodywood + LAdrones | Wooly's | Eventbrite | alliowa.com/qz6b
🟡 Fri Apr 10 — DeVotchKa | xBk Live | Des Moines | TBD | alliowa.com/l6sd
🔵 Sun Apr 12 — Des Moines Art Center — Iowa Artists 2026 Exhibition | Free admission | desmoinesartcenter.org
Coming Up — Save These Dates
📅Sat Apr 18 — Drake Relays Weekend | Drake University | One of Des Moines' biggest spring traditions
📅 Fri Apr 24 — Nate Bargatze | Casey's Center | 7:00 PM | caseyscenter.com
📚 WEEKLY STUDY TIPS
Brought to you by Camp Homework
K–6 Tip of the Week 🎒 The power of "teach it back." After your child reads a chapter or finishes a lesson, ask them to explain it to you like you've never heard it before. Teaching something out loud is one of the most powerful memory tools in learning. You don't need to understand it — you just need to listen and ask "what happened next?" Five minutes of this beats an hour of re-reading.
6–12 Tip of the Week 📖 Use Sunday to kill Monday dread. Have your teen spend just 10 minutes on Sunday evening reviewing what's coming up that week — tests, assignments, deadlines. No studying needed, just awareness. Students who know what's coming feel in control. Students who feel in control perform better. It takes ten minutes. It changes the whole week.
Struggling with more than study tips can solve? Camp Homework offers affordable K–12 tutoring with real human tutors — not AI — starting at just $150/month. camphomework.com
📣 WE WANT TO SHARE YOUR STORY!
Got a story worth telling?
Des Moines is full of amazing people with unique journeys, passions, and experiences.
If that sounds like you — or someone you know — we’d love to share it with the community.
The Des Moines Digest features local stories worth celebrating.
👉 Submit your story here - desmoinesdigest.com/story
📣 WE WANT TO SPOTLIGHT YOUR BUSINESS!
Do you own or love a local Des Moines business that deserves a moment in the spotlight?
Every issue of the Des Moines Digest features a local business our community should know about. Here's what a Business Spotlight gets you:
📖 A full editorial writeup in front of thousands of Des Moines readers
🔗 A feature photo and direct link to your website
💚 A warm community introduction — not an ad, a story
It's free to apply. We pick businesses we genuinely believe our readers will love.
👉 Apply for your Business Spotlight here desmoinesdigest.com/spotlight
Thanks for starting the week with us, Des Moines. See you Thursday! 🌱
— Alex | Des Moines Digest 📘 facebook.com/desmoinesdigest | 📸 instagram.com/desmoinesdigest