Above: Local musicians liven up summer nights in the “Social Irrigation” series at the Botanical Garden. Photo: Ivory House Photography.
By Michael Morain
In fact, if you play your cards right—and toss a lawn chair in the trunk—you could catch an outdoor concert almost every day of the week from now through September. The list below comprises 160 concerts in 11 series, ranging from elegant “Social Irrigation” events at the Greater Des Moines Botanical Garden to come-as-you-are picnics at Summerset Winery. Most are free, but a few require a small cover charge.
Tuesday
Beaverdale Farmers Market
Beaver and Urbandale avenues
4-7:30 p.m.
June 5-Sept. 11
beaverdalefamersmarket.org
Thursday
Jasper Winery
Just south of Water Works Park
6-9 p.m.
This week (Ade and the Soul Brothers) through Aug. 2
jasperwinery.com
Music in the Junction
At the Valley Junction Farmers Market in West Des Moines
5:30-8:30 p.m.
This week (Brian Holtz Band) through Sept. 27
valleyjunction.com
Social Irrigation
Trellis Cafe at the Greater Des Moines Botanical Garden
6-8:30 p.m.
June 14-Sept. 27
dmbotanicalgarden.com
Camp Dodge Summer Concert Series
7 p.m. at the camp’s pool complex
May 24-July 19
Friday
The Belin Quartet
Various downtown venues
12:15-1 p.m.
May 25-July 27
civicmusic.org
Snus Hill Winery
Between Madrid and Slater
6:30-9:30 p.m.
This week (Hot Tamale and the Red Hots) through Sept. 21
snushillwine.com
Tunes on the Terrace
Cafe Baratta’s at the State Historical Building of Iowa
11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m.
This week (Austin Ellis) through July 27
barattas.com
Saturday
Covered Bridges Winery
Winterset
7-10 p.m.
May 19; June 2, 9, 30; July 14, 28; Aug. 11, 25; Sept. 22; Oct. 20; Nov. 10
coveredbridgeswinery.com
Sunday
Snus Hill Winery
Between Madrid and Slater
2-5 p.m.
This week (Bill Martin Group) through Oct. 14
snushillwine.com
Summerset Winery
Indianola
2-5 p.m.
This week (Tony Valdez and the Retro Rockets) through June 24
summersetwine.com
Music Under the Stars
On the west terrace of the state Capitol
7-9 p.m.
June 10-July 15
starmusicdm.org
In addition to the weekly concerts listed, remember Nightfall on the River, https://www.nitefalldsm.com/calendar/,
and Windsor Heights’ casual Music in the Park series is being planned again. Watch for details to be announced here: https://www.windsorheights.org/171/Music-in-the-Park
