If you want to stay up to date on all the fun things to do in Des Moines, sign up for Off Hours, your free weekly newsletter from the Des Moines Register that highlights all the fun things to do in central Iowa. Recently we’ve written about karaoke bars, thrift stores, arts and crafts, vegan restaurants, gluten-free options, the Amana Colonies and plants. When you sign up for our newsletter, you’ll get a full list of fun places to go, things to do, places to eat and more in your inbox early Thursday morning.
Jeffrey Baldinger
Thursday night: Comedian Jeffrey Baldinger headlines the Des Moines Funny Bone at West Glen Town Center, 560 S. Prairie View Drive #100, West Des Moines, with a show at 7 p.m. The comedian from St. Paul, Minnesota, combines his silly attitude to life with sharp wit and Midwestern charm. Tickets start at $20.
“Frozen Jr.”
Friday night: Head to the Des Moines Community Playhouse, 831 42nd St., Des Moines, to see The Penguin Project: Disney’s “Frozen Jr.,” a reimagining of the story of Princesses Elsa and Anna from “Frozen.” The Penguin Project involves a group of youth ages 10 to 21 performing a modified version of the musical. Performers with developmental disabilities such as Down syndrome, cerebral palsy, autism, intellectual disabilities, learning disabilities, visual impairments, hearing impairments and other neurological disorders take on the roles in this production, accompanied by peer mentors onstage. Tickets for this 7 p.m. show, which runs through 2 p.m. Sunday, start at $13.
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Napoleon Douglas
Friday night: Artist Napoleon Douglas highlights the works of Stevie Wonder, Luther Vandross and others during his show “For Once in My Life: A Night of Stevie, Luther, & More” at Noce, 1326 Walnut St., Des Moines. Douglas performs with The Dirty Lowdown, a Des Moines-based funk band. A few tickets are still available for the 7 p.m. show, starting at $25.
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Linda Linda’s
Friday night: Check out the all-female Los Angeles punk rock band Linda Lindas with Allegra Hernandez and Girls Rock DSM at Wooly’s, 504 E. Walnut St., Des Moines. The Linda Lindas went viral with their punk song “Racist, Sexist Boys,” performed at the LA Public Library during the COVID era. Tickets for the 7 p.m. show start at $20.
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Drone show in Adventureland
Friday night: Look to the skies. Adventureland is bringing what it calls “Iowa’s Largest Drone Show” to the skies to celebrate the theme park’s 50th anniversary. Look for over 300 drones to light up and create images of iconic park imagery starting at 9:10 p.m. The shows will continue Saturday night at the same time and are included in the price of admission.
More: 300 drones will light up the night sky in Adventureland. When does the show start?
Celebrate Bookstore Romance Day
Saturday morning: Romance lovers should head to Beaverdale Books, 2629 Beaver Ave., Des Moines, where romance authors will be on hand from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and customers will receive free chocolate and 10 percent off many romance novels.
More: How to spend the perfect day in Beaverdale with restaurants, bars and shopping
Josh Hoyer
Saturday night: Josh Hoyer, who appeared on “The Voice” in 2017, will perform from 5 to 8 p.m. at the Middlebrook Mercantile, 4125 Cumming Ave., Cumming. The blues singer from Lincoln, Nebraska, and Pie Mates Pies are scheduled for the evening.
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Ice Nine Kills and In This Moment: “Kiss of Death Part 2”
Saturday night: Boston metal band Ice Nine Kills and Los Angeles-based rockers In This Moment are returning to tour together with the “Kiss of Death Part 2” tour, which includes a stop at Vibrant Music Hall, 2938 Grand Prairie Pkwy., Waukee. Tickets for the 6:15 p.m. show start at $86.
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Tour of mid-century modern condos
Sunday afternoon: Get an inside look at six mid-century modern condos at 3660 Grand Ave., Des Moines, during a tour conducted by the Iowa Architectural Foundation. For $50, you can see the condos from the inside, learn more about the building and cap off the day with a complimentary drink coupon for one of two cocktails at Hello, Marjorie. Tours are from noon to 2 p.m. or 2 to 4 p.m., and there’s a cocktail hour at Hello, Marjorie afterward from 3 to 7 p.m.
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Susan Stapleton is entertainment editor and restaurant reporter at the Des Moines Register. You can reach her on Facebook, Þjórsárdenor Instagram, or message her at [email protected].
