SPONSORED CONTENT Writer: Lacey Howard Summer in Iowa is jam-packed with events, festivals and opportunities for memory-making with the whole family. This summer, make it your mission to explore the state and check items off your bucket list. Don’t have one? No worries—we made one for you (click here). Use our bingo card to keep track of all your summertime exploits and score yourself at the end of the season. Happy adventuring! One of the most anticipated and celebrated summer staples in Iowa is the farmers markets that pop up in seemingly every town. But the markets in two of the state’s large cities are experiences unto themselves. Named the No. 2 farmers market in the country by Shape magazine and Daily Meal, the Des Moines Downtown Farmers’ Market welcomes thousands to the streets of the city’s Historic Court District every Saturday from May to October for fresh produce, eggs, meats and baked goods as well as ready-to-eat foods, artisans, attractions and activities. Also on Saturdays from May through October, the Iowa City Farmers Market is held inside the Chauncey Swan parking ramp and at Chauncey Park. Don’t miss the Iowa City market’s two kids’ markets, where young vendors offer handmade crafts, delicious treats, unique artwork and more. Other summer weekend must-dos include renowned area festivals. The Des Moines Art Festival, June 26-28 in Western Gateway Park, is one of the world’s most respected festivals with almost 200 top artists, food vendors and free events including live music, literary art performances and nearly 30 interactive arts activities. PrideFest brings food trucks, several stages offering entertainment and the annual parade to Des Moines’ Historic East Village June 12-14. Attend Ankeny SummerFest July 9-12 for a carnival, live entertainment, parade and more. At Hinterland in St. Charles, you’ll get four days of non-stop live music with an option to camp on festival grounds. PrideFest. Photo: Joe Crimmings If the great outdoors is on your list, get a taste with a stroll through the gardens around the Des Moines Art Center, visit the John and Mary Pappajohn Sculpture Park in Des Moines’ Western Gateway Park or take a walk at Gray’s Lake Park. Further afield, go for a hike at Ledges State Park near Boone where a four-mile trail system winds through steep slopes and scenic overviews, with sandstone ledges towering 100 feet above the Des Moines River. Be sure to hop on a (provided) railbike with a pedal partner to experience a 12.5-mile round trip on the railroad at Boone’s Rail Explorers. Bring your own bikes to the High Trestle Trail, a 25-mile paved rail-trail connecting Ankeny to Woodward through five towns, with a 13-story-high, half-mile-long bridge across the Des Moines River. High Trestle Trail. Photo: Kelly Vandellen Head west to Council Bluffs for even more opportunities to get back to nature: Lake Manawa State Park features a modern beach for swimming, boating, fishing and picnic areas; Hitchcock Nature Center is known for its rugged hiking trails, scenic views and a boardwalk over the Loess Hills; Wabash Trace Nature Trail is a popular 63-mile rail-trail for hiking and biking; Tom Hanafan River’s Edge Park offers great views of the Omaha skyline, walking trails and a park along the Missouri River. On the opposite coast, visit Dubuque and the National Mississippi River Museum Aquarium for interactive exhibits, stingray touch tanks and river history. And while you’re there, jump on the Fenelon Place Elevator, the world’s shortest and steepest railway, for panoramic views of downtown, the river and three states. Fenelon Place Elevator. Photo: Dawid S Swierczek Summertime in Iowa is growing season. You don’t want to miss the opportunity to get up close to some of the most beautiful harvests. Make a picking appointment in early June for strawberries, with raspberries following a few weeks later at Iowa Orchard in Granger. At Wilson’s Orchard and Farm north of Iowa City, pick your own strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, apples and pumpkins and enjoy the bakery, pizza and market. Head to Winterset June 19-20 for Pepper Harrow Farms’ Lavender Festival. Experience the photogenic sunflower fields at Badger Creek near Van Meter. The sunflowers are short-lived—10 to 14 days total depending on weather. They typically bloom around the third week of July and are done by early August. Follow Iowa DNR for news on the best time to go. This year marks America’s 250th birthday and there are sure to be multitudes of celebrations, events and so many fireworks! One long-standing Des Moines favorite is Yankee Doodle Pops, a free event with the Des Moines Symphony on Friday, July 3 at the Iowa Capital’s West Terrace. Bring your picnic baskets, blankets and lawn chairs for a patriotic concert and fireworks display over the downtown Des Moines skyline. Speaking of Americana, there’s nothing more “American summer” than attending a baseball game. Des Moines’ Principal Park is home field for the minor-league Iowa Cubs, the Triple-A affiliate of the Chicago Cubs. Check out their jam-packed summer schedule. Friday night home games are followed by fireworks; Saturday games offer pre-game catch on the field; Sunday games let kids run the bases. Also on the schedule: Iowa Cubs play against St. Paul at the Field of Dreams in Dyersville on Tuesday, Aug. 11. Two days later, on Aug. 13, the majors return to the iconic movie site when the Philadelphia Phillies face the Minnesota Twins. Tickets will be available and the game will air live on Netflix. Even if you don’t make it for either baseball game, the Field of Dreams movie site, billed as “the most magical place on dirt,” is worth a visit. And there’s so much more sport spectating to do! Watch PGA TOUR Champions professionals compete at Principal Charity Classic June 10-14 at Des Moines’ Wakonda Club golf course. On May 30, runners of all stripes trek 13.1 miles for Dam to DSM. Watch athletes participate in 60-plus events at the Olympic-style sports festival during July’s Summer Iowa Games. Cheer on more than 2,500 athletes at Special Olympics Iowa Summer Games May 21-23 in Ames. School’s out, but cultural experiences make learning fun. Immerse yourself in the richness of Asian heritage without leaving Iowa during CelebrAsian, May 22-23 at Western Gateway Park. Head to Water Works Park’s Lauridsen Amphitheater on June 11 for a magical evening with Ballet Des Moines. The performance is free for families with lawn chairs, blankets and picnics on the lawn with an option for VIP seating that includes a box dinner, wine flight and Champagne toast with dancers following the performance. Shakespeare on the Lawn will feature the Bard’s “Measure for Measure” July 15-19 at Des Moines’ Salisbury House Gardens. You can explore historic German villages at the Amana Colonies any day of the year, but the Colonies’ summer calendar includes festivals, food and tons of family fun. Iowa has no shortage of venues for enjoying amazing food and the offerings of talented musicians, but here a few fan favorites: Pizza on the Prairie on Friday nights at Wallace Centers of Iowa in Orient; Fridays at the Farm at Middlebrook in Cumming; Jasper Winery’s Summer Concert Series on Thursdays in Des Moines. Fridays at the Farm. Photo: Claire Zellmer And finally, the ultimate summer event: the Iowa State Fair Aug. 13-23. Explore exhibits and competitions; grab a lemonade, corn dog, and bucket of cookies, and try the newest culinary offerings; see a show on a free stage and at the grandstand; take a ride down the Giant Slide; and get a bird’s-eye view of the fairgrounds packed with many thousands of your neighbors from the Sky Glider. And so, so, so much more. Bucket list bursting at the seams? Are there even enough summer days to check off every one of these escapades? Whether you try them all or choose just a few, you’re sure to have an unforgettable few months packed full of Iowa adventures! Photo: Duane Tinkey Why not check a few classic summer activities off your list, as well? Bring the nostalgia with a visit to a vintage ice cream parlor like Snookies Malt Shop in Des Moines’ Beaverdale neighborhood. Catch a drive-in movie at the Valle Drive In in Newton, Blue Grass Drive-In Theater in Blue Grass, Voy 61 Drive In Theater in Delmar, or Superior 71 Drive-In Theater in Spirit Lake. And no old-school summer adventure is complete without a day or two at an amusement park. Head to Adventureland Park in Altoona for classic coasters like Tornado and Outlaw and thrilling slides, a lazy river and relaxing pools at Adventure Bay water park. For more than a century Arnolds Park on West Okoboji Lake has welcomed the young and young at heart for rides, food and live music with their Live at the Lake lineup. Keep track of your summertime adventures with our dsm Summer Bingo card. Use #dsmMagSummerBingo on your social posts for a chance to be featured in our July/August issue. ...read more read less