Hansen Homes

Raise a glass at Oktoberfest, the popular festival turns downtown Des Moines into the largest bar in the world. Festival goers drink lots and lots of ice cold German beer, eat German food and check out bier maidens and dance a lot of polka! Come celebrate a beery good time!

Stick to it at Sticks where you'll find unique object art, accessories and furniture handmade from birch, poplar and driftwood, made in the Sticks award-winning studio. This hidden gem of a studio grew from crafting smaller items such as ornaments and candle sticks, to receiving national acclaim for their distinctive lifestyle lines.

The show must go on at the Des Moines Playhouse, where you can see award-wining modern works, hilarious comedy, and outlandish musicals! You'll sing, laugh and enjoy great live theater that delights in offering plays made famous the world over on many a Broadway stage. You'll also find exceptional Children's Theatre productions.

Calling all green thumbs to the Des Moines Botanical Center. Meander through the rows of colorful miniature rose bushes, orchids and delicate bonsai trees. Learn tips about how to make a garden grow, sprout your own fragrant herbs and start your very own terrarium.