Carolee Carmello, Miguel Gil and Jim Hogan star in the national tour of “Kimberly Akimbo,” which swerves into Des Moines in February. Photo: Joan Marcus
Des Moines Big Band
Wednesdays, Noce. Now in its 65th season, the swingin’ big band heats up Noce every week. desmoinesbigband.com
Dome for the Holidays
Nov. 15-Jan. 4, Greater Des Moines Botanical Garden. The tropical garden under the landmark dome lights up the night for the holidays, with ticketed visits available most evenings from 5 to 9 p.m. dmbotanicalgarden.com
Botanical Blues
Sundays, January through March, Greater Des Moines Botanical Garden. The popular concert series marks its 20th year, with afternoon performances under the dome. dmbotanicalgarden.com
Davina & the Vagabonds
Jan. 2-3, The Ingersoll. The Twin Cities jazz band whose influences range from Aretha Franklin to Tom Waits has toured 45 states and a dozen countries in Europe. theingersoll.com
Amythyst Kiah
Jan. 9, Temple Theater. The singer-songwriter fuses everything from rootsy Americana to Asian spiritual traditions in her latest album, “Still + Bright,” which she recorded in Nashville with producer Butch Walker (who’s worked with Taylor Swift, Green Day and Weezer). dmpa.org
“Red Riding Hood”
Jan. 9-25, Des Moines Playhouse. Think you know what happens? Think again. In this version, Wolfgang the wolf sets the record straight. dmplayhouse.com
“Six”
Jan. 13-18, Des Moines Civic Center. The six ill-fated wives of Henry VIII return to the Civic Center to tell (sing) their side of the story in the catchy pop-rock musical’s national tour. dmpa.org
Marilyn Maye
Jan. 23-24, The Ingersoll. The 97-year-old legend who graduated from East High School and appeared 76 times on “The Tonight Show” with Johnny Carson, returns for two nights of stories and songs. theingersoll.com
Iowa Bike Expo
Jan. 24, Iowa Events Center. Pedal pushers gather for the annual extravaganza of bike organizations, gear, apparel and all the other bike stuff. iowabikeexpo.com
Winter Fest Market
Jan. 24, EMC Expo Center. Beat the post-holiday blues at a cozy indoor shopping event featuring local makers, artisans and small businesses. iowaeventscenter.org
Duke Tumatoe
Jan. 30, Temple Theater. The prolific blues singer, guitarist and songwriter has gigged with Muddy Waters, Bo Diddley, B.B. King and many more over his noteworthy career. dmpa.org
“Kimberly Akimbo”
Feb. 3-8, Des Moines Civic Center. The darkly funny musical about a teenage girl with a rare aging disorder won five 2023 Tony Awards, including Best Musical. dmpa.org
“Mrs. Doubtfire”
Feb. 4, Stephens Auditorium in Ames. “Hellooooooo!” The nationally touring musical about a Scottish nanny pops in for a night at Iowa State University. center.iastate.edu
“The Mousetrap”
Feb. 6-March 1, Des Moines Playhouse. What happens when a snowstorm traps seven strangers in a remote English guesthouse and one of them is a murderer? Find out in Agatha Christie’s classic whodunit. dmplayhouse.com
Bike Ride to Rippey
Feb. 7, starting at the Hotel Pattee in Perry. Hundreds of hardy, foolhardy cyclists bundle up for the 49th annual trek to Rippey and back. It’s 12 miles each way, with hot food and drinks in both towns. perryia.org
Bravo Awards Gala
Feb. 7, EMC Expo Center. Bravo Greater Des Moines hosts one of the biggest parties of the year to celebrate local arts and culture. bravogreaterdesmoines.org
Iowa Storytellers Project
Feb. 10, Hoyt Sherman Place. The local storytelling series, co-produced by the Des Moines Register and Hoyt Sherman Place Foundation, continues with a batch of stories about “hearts on fire.” hoytsherman.org
The Harlem Globetrotters
Feb. 12, Casey’s Center. Now in its 100th year, the famous trick-shot team returns to town to show off their skills on the court. (To clarify: The team is 100; the players are not.) iowaeventscenter.org
Des Moines Home and Garden Show
Feb. 12-15, Iowa Events Center. Hundreds of landscapers, gardeners, interior designers and other domestic experts offer demos and pop-up indoor gardens to signal that spring is just around the corner. desmoineshomeandgardenshow.com
Winter Blues Fest
Feb. 13-14, downtown Marriott. The Central Iowa Blues Society heats up the weekend with acts from around town and around the country. cibs.org
“Disenchanted!”
Feb. 13-March 1, Tallgrass Theatre Co. A handful of fairy-tale characters hit the stage in a musical mashup in West Des Moines. tallgrasstheatre.org
Des Moines Symphony
Feb. 14-15, Des Moines Civic Center. On Valentine’s weekend, guest conductor Miguel Harth-Bedoya and pianist Anna Geniushene join the orchestra for a romantic program featuring Ravel, Sibelius and Tchaikovsky. dmsymphony.org
“Life on the Move”
Feb. 16, Des Moines Civic Center. In the National Geographic Live series, ecologist Lucy Hawks discusses animal migration across the world. dmpa.org
Emanuel Ax
Feb. 20, Sheslow Auditorium. The world-renowned pianist and eight-time Grammy winner returns to town for a concert in the Civic Music Association’s centennial season. civicmusic.org
George Lopez
Feb. 20, Hoyt Sherman Place. The well-known stand-up comedian and sitcom star comes to town for one night only, postponed from this past June. (Original tickets will be honored.) hoytsherman.org
“Harry Potter” in concert
Feb. 20-21, Des Moines Civic Center. Prompted by maestro Joseph Giunta’s magic wand, the Des Moines Symphony accompanies a screening of “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.” dmsymphony.org
John Lloyd Young
Feb. 21, The Ingersoll. The Tony- and Grammy-winning star of Broadway’s original “Jersey Boys” and Clint Eastwood’s film adaptation takes the stage to sing jazz, R&B and showtunes. theingersoll.com
“The Outsiders”
Feb. 24- Mar. 1, Des Moines Civic Center. Adapted from the famous novel and movie, the new musical tells the coming-of-age tale about a clash between teenage “Greasers” and “Socs” in Tulsa, Oklahoma. dmpa.org
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