Alex Wilson of Catch Des Moines and Julie Kraft of the Cedar Rapids Metro Economic Alliance preview events around Iowa on the last weekend before Christmas. Powered by Mr. Electric Of Central Iowa. Click to listen:
This entire experience has been created to benefit Dorothy’s House. Dorothy’s House is a non-profit that supports victims of human trafficking. They create a “safe place for the practice of lives that have been interrupted by human trafficking, exploitation, and prostitution.” When you attend the Holiday Hullabaloo you are supporting an important non-profit within the Des Moines community.Santa’s Workshop is off to another area where you will find fun crafts and shopping! This area reminds me of the German-inspired Christmas market, Christkindlmarket. Local makers are in small wooden huts where you can purchase local gifts for loved ones such as candies, honey, beeswax candles, and so much more. When you walk into the Horizon Event Center you feel like you are walking into a magical wonderland. The kids were in awe over all of the immersive colors, lights, and decor. So much thought and preparation went into this event! As you walk around the area you will find a variety of activities including: We also fully enjoyed the fun characters wandering around including The Grinch, Olaf, and Elves. Everyone was so fun. We had a blast interacting with everyone who has brought the Holiday Hullabaloo to life!
Throughout the season you can catch live entertainment on stage including music or even a magic show. We had a ton of fun watching Jonathan May show us some pretty awesome magical tricks.
Hours vary throughout the season, but they are open Friday – Sunday and on various additional dates throughout the season. Make sure you purchase your tickets ahead of time. This is a cash-free event! There is a snack bar and drink bar available during various hours of the day. There is plenty of free parking offered too.Erin is a reliable resource and stepping stone for women and families to find support and make connections within our community. She wants families to feel confident to reach out and ask for help and advice to get pointed in the right direction. She enjoys traveling and exploring with her two children in tow!
Looking for a unique date night? The Holiday Hullabaloo becomes an adult holiday entertainment venue for adults 21+ years from 7 to 11 p.m. Adults can enjoy signature cocktails, ice bar entertainment (take a look at the schedule), make new friends, enjoy fun activities, and a festive atmosphere! Save the date for New Year’s Eve and attend the New Year’s Eve Silver Bell Soiree! This will be the last opportunity to enjoy the holiday festivities, hear live music from Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, silver balloon drop, and more. Purchase tickets here. Are you looking to ring in the holiday season? Head to Horizon Events Center for the Holiday Hullabaloo benefiting Dorothy’s House through December 31st. This is a family-friendly holiday experience that will delight guests of all ages. Wear your best festive wear, grab your friends, and beat the central Iowa seasonal temperatures for this fun Holiday Hullabaloo all indoors! HAPPY HOLIDAY SEASON! There are so many things to be grateful for, we want to share the joy with you, starting with FREE TICKETS to Des Moines’s Holiday Hullabaloo this Friday night, December 2, 2022, at 7 p.m. for adults 21+ (two tickets per party). By day you can decorate a cookie in Mrs. Claus’s Kitchen, […]We have a lot to be proud of and grateful for as we head into the new year. 😁 We are starting 2023 off slow and ramping up in February but here is where you can find us!
Now through March 15, 2023, show this Smile Labs VIP special offer to receive buy one, get one free complimentary admission at Greater Des Moines Botanical Garden!
In honor of Small Business Saturday coming up later this month (Saturday, November 26, 2022), we are teaming up with our friends at Kissed Peach Wax Saloon to treat you to a special offer! We know you’ll love them as much as we do, so don’t miss out on this one.Want a whiter, brighter smile but love your dark roast coffee, red wine, and other tasty treats that tend to stain your pearly whites? In just 20 minutes, we can whiten your smile with our exclusive Smile Labs VIP Membership for just $35 per month!
Happy spring, everyone! As we are finally thawing out here in the midwest it’s time to treat those taste buds to a sweet treat, courtesy of Smile Labs VIP and Metro-area Des Moines Culver’s locations. 🍦The 2022 Holiday Hullabaloo is an immersive, family-friendly holiday experience that will surprise and delight guests this holiday season. Enjoy a variety of activities, entertainment and festivities that will allow you to create some fun holiday hullabaloo and memories.
By day you can decorate a cookie in Mrs. Claus’s Kitchen, build a craft in Santa’s Workshop, stroll through toyland, play mini golf in Santa’s back 9, get competitive in our indoor snowball fight arena, shop the Marketplace or relax in the ice bar. In the evening, chill with your family, friends and co-workers at the Ice Bar (21+ only). All the daytime experiences will still be available for viewing. Sip on a signature cocktail, and enjoy live music and dancing, too. This is a cash-free event — only credit or debit cards will be accepted.
Valley Junction’s holiday jubilee in West Des Moines returns from mid-November through mid-December. The free event will be held from 5-9 p.m. on Thursdays from Nov. 17 to Dec. 15.Tickets cost $5 per person (free for children 2 or younger) and may be purchased at unitypoint.org/blankchildrens/about-festival-of-trees or at the door.Polk County Conservation’s Fall Makers Market is a free event that provides an opportunity to browse goods offered by more than 40 local makers, artists and handcrafters.The Holiday Hullabaloo benefitting Dorothy’s House will take place each Friday to Sunday from Nov. 25 to Dec. 31 at the Horizon Events Center, 2100 N.W. 100th St in Clive.
Starting on the market’s first Friday, Brenton Skating Plaza at Grand Avenue and Robert D. Ray Drive will be open for ice skating, with sessions from 5-6:45 p.m., 7:15-9 p.m. and 9:15-11:00 p.m. For information on admission, skate rentals and registration, visit dsm.city/departments/parks_and_recreation-division and click on “places.”
Christkindlmarkets are German-inspired holiday markets held in cities around the world. Merchants set up in decorated wooden huts, and musical performers and food vendors add to the festive atmosphere. Also, don’t forget the glühwein.
The Avenues of Ingersoll & Grand and the Roosevelt Cultural District on 42nd Street will host a new holiday event Dec. 10: a Peppermint Trail, with shops, restaurants and other businesses featuring peppermint or holiday-themed specials and décor.
From 10 a.m.-6 p.m. each day, families can decorate cookies, create craft items in Santa Claus’ Workshop, play mini-golf and shop in the Marketplace. There also will be an indoor arena for snowball fights and a Toyland.
The Avenues of Ingersoll & Grand is a nonprofit that promotes economic development in the along Ingersoll Avenue. Lists of businesses participating in the Roosevelt Cultural District and The Avenues of Ingersoll & Grand can be found The Avenues of Ingersoll & Grand website. Businesses in the districts can sign up to participate here.Every year, the Festival of Trees & Lights at the Iowa Events center benefits Blank Children’s Hospital, with dozens of decorated trees, entertainment and stories of children cared for at the hospital.
From 7-11 p.m. each night, the event will be limited to adults 21 and older, with an ice bar offering cocktails. Admission during the day will be $20 (free for children 2 or younger). Evening admission will be $25. Tickets may be purchased online at eventbrite.com.Philip Joens covers retailing and real estate for the Des Moines Register. He can be reached at 515-443-3347 at [email protected] or on Twitter @Philip_Joens.This year’s Christkindlmarket Des Moines will be held at Principal Park at 1 Line Drive in Des Moines from 5-9 p.m. Dec. 1, 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Dec. 2 and 3 and 11 a.m. -5 p.m. Dec. 4.
Adventureland’s annual North Pole Craft and Vendor show will be held at the Adventureland Inn, 3200 Adventureland Drive in Altoona, from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Nov. 19. The event will benefit the Society of Saint Vincent de Paul. A donation of one non-perishable food item per person or $1 per person is required for admission.
Many businesses in Valley Junction’s historic business district will extend their hours. Visitors can walk along Fifth Street or Railroad Avenue and find all manner of holiday happenings, from horse-drawn trolley rides to Christmas carolers under 125,000 holiday lights.
