A Christmas Explosion at Exile Brewing: SnowGlobe Des Moines (2026)
It’s called SnowGlobe, and “a Christmas explosion” is still the best way I can describe it. Each holiday season, Exile Brewing Company in Des Moines transforms its brewpub with Christmas lights, ornaments, and decorations everywhere you look.
For 2026, SnowGlobe runs November 10, 2026, through January 10, 2027. Plan a visit for a meal, festive drinks, and a generous helping of Christmas overload.
The photos below are from a previous visit, so individual decorations and photo settings may change from year to year.
Make a reservation before you go
After seeing photos online, I made a reservation to experience SnowGlobe for myself. My wife, nephew, and granddaughter joined me, and having a table reserved made getting settled easy.
My advice is to book ahead, especially if you’re planning around a weekend or special event. Use the reservation link on Exile’s official SnowGlobe page to check availability for your group.
Exile asks that your entire party be present in the lobby before being seated and requests a 90-minute dining limit.
Location: Exile Brewing Company, 1514 Walnut Street, Des Moines, Iowa 50309.
Website: Exile Brewing Company
What it’s like inside SnowGlobe
As soon as we walked through the door, we understood just how much Christmas we were getting into. Decorations filled the room, with ornaments overhead and familiar holiday movie references tucked throughout the space.
Even the walk to our table gave us plenty to look at. Although the name suggests stepping inside a snow globe, my first thought was that we’d somehow ended up inside a Christmas tree.
That’s the fun of SnowGlobe. You can settle in for a meal while taking in all the little details around you.
Make it a Des Moines holiday outing
- Dome for the Holidays: Explore the Botanical Garden’s seasonal evening lights.
- Christkindlmarket Des Moines: Check the market dates for another downtown Christmas experience.
- Iowa’s holiday pop-up bars: Find more places serving festive drinks among Christmas decorations.
Photo opportunities during our visit
After ordering our meal, we headed downstairs to explore the photo settings. During our visit, these included a tall drummer figure, animatronic Santas, and a seating area inspired by Home Alone.
It was worth taking a look beyond our table. If you’re hoping to find a particular display from these photos, ask the staff what’s available during your visit, since the setup can change.
SnowGlobe special events for 2026
Exile has several special events scheduled during SnowGlobe:
- Holiday portraits: November 10 and November 17, from 5–7 p.m. Signup is required upon arrival, and spots are not guaranteed.
- Holiday Maker’s Market: November 22, from 1–6 p.m., featuring local artisans.
- Princess Brunch: December 5 and December 6, from 9 a.m.–2 p.m.
- Santa Brunch: December 13, from 9 a.m.–2 p.m.
Check Exile’s events calendar for individual event details and reservation requirements before choosing your date.
One of the tall drummer figures we found downstairs during our visit. SnowGlobe’s decorations gave us plenty to explore beyond the dining room.
