🌟 Good morning, Des Moines!
Your weekly nudge to get out, feel connected, and love where you live.
In this week’s AroundDSM:
🍕 A Valley Junction patio, cracker-thin pizza, and a roof that’s ready when Iowa weather changes its mind.
🎶 Four days of big-name music, late-night campfire sets, and nearly 400 acres of festival energy.
🥞 Pancakes and pool time: the kind of Saturday morning combination little kids fully understand.
🍽️ Restaurant Spotlight
Bix & Co. | 111 5th Street, West Des Moines |
Photo: Chicken Salad Wrap & Fries | Emily Johnson
Photo: Tony’s Combo | Emily Johnson
☀️ A Valley Junction Patio Made for Summer – We visited Bix & Co. on a Valley Junction Farmers Market night and were lucky enough to snag a patio table. The evening was picture-perfect, but the smartest detail might be the slatted overhang, which can adjust from partially covered to fully covered. Translation: you can enjoy the patio without nervously checking the radar every five minutes.
🍕 Thin-Crust Pizza With Local Flavor – Bix & Co. makes its pizza dough fresh daily, creating a thin, cracker-like crust with plenty of crunch. We tried Tony’s Combo which was loaded with Graziano sausage, Cup & Char pepperoni, black olives, green peppers, mushrooms, and Bix’s pizza sauce. It was flavorful, crispy, and exactly the kind of pizza that pairs well with a cold happy-hour drink.
🥪 A Special Worth Ordering – I went with the day’s special: a chicken salad wrap with grapes, served alongside shoestring fries. Everything was delicious, and our server was attentive, thoughtful, and genuinely friendly. Add TVs throughout the restaurant for sports fans and locally sourced ingredients whenever possible, and this locally owned spot has plenty of reasons to come back. I’m already looking forward to another patio visit. 👉 View the menu here.
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Photo: Urbandale National Night Out https://www.urbandale.org/380/National-Night-Out
👨👩👧👦 Family-Friendly Pick
17th Annual National Night Out | Various Metro Locations
National Night Out brings neighbors, law enforcement, first responders, and community organizations together for an evening that feels less like a formal safety program and more like a really big neighborhood gathering. Expect free food, games, emergency vehicles, demonstrations, giveaways, music, and plenty of opportunities for kids to meet the people who help keep their communities safe.
A sampling of metro-area events:
Urbandale Police Department | 5–7:30 pm
Free food, games, community vendors, giveaways, prizes, and attractions for all ages.
Altoona Police Department | 6–8 pm
Food, music, games, prizes, K9 demonstrations, superheroes, princesses, face painting, and community partners.
Sherman Hill at Big Grove Brewery | 5:30 pm
Polk County Sheriff’s Office | 5–7:30 pm
Bounce houses, sheriff K9 demonstrations, emergency vehicles, kids’ games, and activities.
Waukee Public Safety Building | 5–7 pm
Explore emergency and tactical-response vehicles, meet police officers and firefighters, and enjoy free food and drinks provided by local sponsors.
Find an event near you, bring the kids, and say hello to a neighbor you may have only waved at from the driveway.
| Tuesday, Aug. 4th | Evening Hours Vary | Free |
🎉 Top 5 Things to Do
Photo: Hinterland | Andrea Escobar
The best bets handpicked for your week:
🎶 Hinterland | Avenue of the Saints Amphitheater, St. Charles
Hinterland returns with four packed days of music, headlined by KATSEYE on Thursday, Lorde on Friday, Mumford & Sons on Saturday, and Kali Uchis on Sunday. Beyond the main stage, you’ll find camping, local and dietary-friendly food options, craft vendors, late-night Campfire Stage performances, and water refill stations.
New this year: a permanent outdoor stage and expanded festival grounds spanning nearly 400 acres. In other words, wear comfortable shoes and maybe agree on a meeting spot before your group wanders off.
| Thursday, July 30th–Sunday, Aug. 2nd | Times Vary | Tickets Required | hinterlandiowa.com |
🏌️ History Happy Hour | Waveland Golf Course Clubhouse
Spend an evening inside one of Des Moines’ historic landmarks while learning how Waveland Golf Course and its Tudor-style clubhouse became part of the city’s story. The Des Moines Historical Society is hosting a relaxed gathering with complimentary pizza, drinks available for purchase, a history presentation, and plenty of time to visit with fellow local-history fans.
You do not need to be a golfer or a history expert to attend. Curiosity is more than enough.
| Thursday, July 30th | 4:30–7:30 pm | Free |
🎈 National Balloon Classic | Memorial Balloon Field, Indianola
For nine days, more than 150 hot-air balloons will fill the Indianola sky as pilots from around the world compete for points, prizes, and championship titles. Even if you know absolutely nothing about competitive ballooning, watching the field come alive is one of those unmistakably Iowa summer experiences.
Stick around for nightly live music, food stands, Nite Glow, fireworks, and The Sky’s Alive Drone Show. Balloon launches are weather-dependent, so checking the latest event updates before leaving home is always a smart move.
| Friday, July 31st–Saturday, Aug. 8th | Times Vary | Admission Information Online | nationalballoonclassic.com
🥞 Pancake Paddle | Clive Aquatic Center
Pancakes before a morning swim? Little kids are going to understand this event immediately. Pancake Paddle combines breakfast with the aquatic center’s regular Toddler Swim Time, with pancakes, syrup, juice, and coffee served near the leisure-pool kids’ area.
The event is intended for children ages 5 and under, and capacity limits still apply. A large crowd is expected, so arrive early.
| Saturday, Aug. 1st | 9:30–11 am | $5 Per Person | cityofclive.com |
🎮 DSM Gamer Jazz | Water Works Park, Killinger Family Stage
The Des Moines Gamer Symphony Orchestra is trading its usual symphonic setup for a full big-band sound. Expect jazz arrangements of video-game favorites from Mario, Cuphead, Pokémon, and more—all performed outdoors at Water Works Park.
Bring a lawn chair, gather your favorite gamers and music fans, and settle in for a free summer concert. The Des Moines Biergarten is within walking distance, which makes food and drinks refreshingly easy.
| Saturday, Aug. 1st | 7 pm | Free | DSM Gamer Symphony Orchestra |
🐾 Pet Pick-Me-Up
Now get out there, Des Moines!
With local love,
Emily
AroundDSM
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