Free tethered hot air balloon rides at Illumifest in West Des Moines! (2023)

Free tethered hot air balloon rides at Illumifest in West Des Moines! (2023)

Saturday, September 23rd is IllumiFest, a fall festival of light, held at the City Campus in West Des Moines, Iowa. The festival includes free family activities, including free tethered hot air balloon rides. When: Saturday, Sept 23rd, 4pm to 9pm Where: 4200 Mills Civic Parkway, West Des Moines, Iowa Website with more info: https://www.wdm.iowa.gov/government/parks-recreation/illumifest What…

Prairie Seed Harvest and Fall Walk at Snyder Heritage Farm

Prairie Seed Harvest and Fall Walk at Snyder Heritage Farm

For the last thirty years, the Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation (INHF) has helped transition the 154-acre Synder Farm in Elkhart, Iowa back from a traditional farm to a prairie and oak savannah. Several times a year, they host free events which are family-friendly. This fall they have two events scheduled: a fall foliage hike and…

Miracle on 86th Street

Miracle on 86th Street

Miracle on 86th Street is a free holiday light display in Urbandale, Iowa. It’s located in the Charles Gabus Memorial Tree Park, which is next to the Urbandale Public Library and contains over 50,000 lights. Admission is free and there’s a lot of nearby parking. Location: Charles Gabus Memorial Tree Park in Urbandale, Iowa Website:…

Photos from the lunar eclipse over Des Moines, Iowa

Photos from the lunar eclipse over Des Moines, Iowa

Just before the clouds rolled in, I captured a few photos of the lunar eclipse over some landmarks in Des Moines, Iowa. The photos were taken between 4:15am and 5:15am just before the clouds came rolling in. If you’ve seen my lunar eclipse photos before – you recognize that I typically cover the full eclipse…