A temporary set of giant dominos, shown here in New York, is coming to Cowles Commons. Photo: Jason DeCrow
“Domino Effect,” Aug. 29-Sept. 30, Cowles Commons. Visitors can knock over giant dominos that trigger music in a temporary installation by the Montreal-based art team Ingrid Ingrid. dmpa.org
“Wicked,” Sept. 2-20, Des Moines Civic Center. So there’s a prequel to “The Wizard of Oz.” Maybe you’ve heard of it? It’s coming back for a fourth visit. dmpa.org
Des Moines Symphony, Sept. 5-6, Water Works Park. The orchestra returns to the Lauridsen Amphitheater for two free concerts over Labor Day weekend. The first features hits by the Eagles; the second is music from the movies. dmsymphony.org
Fall Renaissance Faire, Sept. 5-20, Sleepy Hollow. The freewheeling festival returns for three weekends of music, feasting and general merriment. sleepyhollowrenfaire.com
Tig Notaro, Sept. 10, Hoyt Sherman Place. The Emmy- and Grammy-nominated comedian with a very dry sense of humor is the biggest name in this season’s parade of comedians at the historic theater. hoytsherman.org
Blues Traveler, Gin Blossoms and Spin Doctors, Sept. 10, Water Works Park. Ready for some harmonica? The three bands come to town for a ticketed concert at the Lauridsen Amphitheater. waterworkspark.org
“Come From Away,” Sept. 11-Oct. 4, Des Moines Playhouse. Twenty-five years after 9/11, the Playhouse opens the big-hearted musical about the tiny Newfoundland town that welcomed thousands of airline passengers whose planes were rerouted from New York. dmplayhouse.com
Concours d’Elegance, Sept. 13, Pappajohn Sculpture Park. Classic cars roll into town for the annual spectacle of style and engineering. desmoinesconcours.com
I-Cubs Season Closer, Sept. 13, Principal Park. Kids can run the bases after the season’s last home game against the Toledo Mud Hens. iowacubs.com
Beaverdale Fall Festival, Sept. 18-19, Beaverdale. The neighborhood goes all out for its annual autumnal shindig with a carnival, parade, food stands and live music. fallfestival.org
Quilt Show, Sept. 24-26, Iowa State Fairgrounds. The Des Moines Area Quilters Guild’s annual show features vendors, demonstrations and more than 700 quilts that represent a gazillion hours of creative labor. dmaqg.org
Oktoberfest, Sept. 25-26, The District at Prairie Trail. Dust off your lederhosen: The celebration of all things German returns for a second year to Ankeny. oktoberfestdsm.com. Another Oktoberfest returns Oct. 17-18 to the Des Moines Biergarten. waterworkspark.org
John Lloyd Young, Sept. 25-26, The Ingersoll. The star of the original Broadway run of “Jersey Boys” returns to sing another round of hits from the last half-century. theingersoll.com
Applefest, Sept. 26, Living History Farms. Satisfy your seedy, hardcore cravings with samples of apple butter, apple cake, apple pie, apple cider and more. History has never been more appealing. lhf.org
Head of the Des Moines. Photo: Michael Morain
Head of the Des Moines, Sept. 26, the riverfront north of downtown. The annual 3-mile regatta draws rowing teams from across the Midwest. desmoinesrowing.org
Latino Heritage Festival, Sept. 26-27, Western Gateway Park. Savor sights, sounds and flavors from Central and South America during the two-day fiesta. latinoheritagefestival.org
Des Moines Symphony, Sept. 26-27, Des Moines Civic Center. The season opener celebrates America’s 250th anniversary with a narrated multimedia work called “American Voices,” Bernstein’s “Symphonic Dances” and a visit from the Harlem Quartet. dmsymphony.org
Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus, Oct. 1-4, Casey’s Center. After a hiatus from 2017-2023, “The Greatest Show on Earth” is back (without animals) to entertain crowds of all ages with acrobatics, stunts and more. iowaeventscenter.com
Alysha Brilla, Oct. 2, Temple Theater. The award-winning Canadian singer-songwriter with roots in India and Tanzania leads a call-and-response concert, with a grab-bag of global percussion. dmpa.org
Boston Brass. Photo courtesy of Boston Brass
Boston Brass and Turtle Island, Oct. 2, Sheslow Auditorium. Two chamber ensembles play music inspired by “Romeo and Juliet,” by Prokofiev, Bernstein, Elvis Costello and others, in the first concert of the Civic Music Association’s 101st season. civicmusic.org
“Reefer Madness,” Oct. 2-11, Stoner Theater (where else?). The Iowa Stage Theater Co. revives the musical that was inspired by a 1936 film by the same name, which tells the alarming fable of a clean-cut kid who falls prey to the allure of sex, drugs and — uh-oh — jazz. iowastage.org
“Hold On To Your Butts,” Oct. 6-11, Temple Theater. Two actors and a Foley sound-effects artist recreate a shot-for-shot parody of “Jurassic Park” in a national tour that started in London’s West End and off-Broadway. dmpa.org
“Swan Lake.” Photo: Courtesy of World Ballet Company
“Swan Lake,” Oct. 7, Stephens Auditorium, Ames. The Los Angeles-based World Ballet Company presents Tchaikovsky’s enchanted amphibious avian classic with a live orchestra. center.iastate.edu
Valley Junction Gallery Night, Oct. 9, Historic Valley Junction. Browse regional, national and international artwork on display in various galleries up and down Fifth Street in West Des Moines. valleyjunction.com
Indigenous Iowans Day, Oct. 10, Living History Farms. Learn about Iowa’s Indigenous cultures on a trip to the 1700 Ioway village, where guides lead presentations, demos and hands-on activities. lhf.org
IMT Des Moines Marathon, Oct. 18, downtown Des Moines. Runners take to the streets bright and early for the annual race that ends with a street party on Court Avenue. desmoinesmarathon.com
“Spamalot,” Oct. 20-25, Des Moines Civic Center. A revival of the 2005 musical based on “Monty Python and the Holy Grail” returns with all the flying cows, killer rabbits and dancing girls that made it a hit. dmpa.org
Oh He Dead, Oct. 23, Temple Theater. The D.C.-based band whose lead singer sounds like “a combination of Stevie Nicks and Tracy Chapman” (NPR) takes a turn in the Live at the Temple concert series to play a mix of soul, funk, folk and rock. dmpa.org
“Ghost Stories,” Oct. 23-24, Hoyt Sherman Place. The 2026-2027 Ballet Des Moines season kicks off with a scary good triple bill, featuring a world premiere inspired by Edgar Allan Poe, “Ghost Ballads” by guest choreographer Adriana Pierce, and haunting excerpts from “Giselle.” balletdesmoines.org
Ailey II, Oct. 27, Des Moines Civic Center. The famous modern dance company’s spin-off group, founded in 1974, features younger dancers who are just starting their careers. dmpa.org
Boy Band Review, Oct. 30-31, The Ingersoll. Four singing hunks profess their undying love through the greatest hits from the Backstreet Boys, ‘N Sync, New Kids on the Block, One Direction and others. theingersoll.com
Final Farmers Market, Oct. 31, Court Avenue. All good things must come to an end. Wear a Halloween costume to pick up the last pumpkins and pupusas of the regular season. dsmpartnership.com
Des Moines Symphony, Oct. 31-Nov. 1, Des Moines Civic Center. On Halloween weekend, the orchestra exorcises some demons with John Williams’ “Devil’s Dance,” Mussorgsky’s “Night on Bald Mountain,” Berlioz’s “Symphonie Fantastique” and a Liszt piano concerto featuring Derek Wang. dmsymphony.org
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