Ghouls just wanna have fun!

10/10

Author

Nick Rivas
October 10, 2024

Good morning, Des Moines! 🌅 This is DSM at Dawn where we’re creeping it real all October long.

In todays issue:

  • 🎃 Halloween Festivities

  • Local Development Updates 🏗️ 

  • 🎾 Pickleball

And we’re off.

— Nick Rivas

Haunted Happenings

Des Moines comes alive during Halloween with a mix of festive traditions and family-friendly events that create a spirited atmosphere throughout the city. Neighborhoods are transformed into spooky wonderlands with houses decorated in ghoulishly creative ways, and "Beggars' Night," a local tradition held on the night before Halloween, brings out children dressed as their favorite characters. Unlike typical trick-or-treating, Beggars' Night involves kids telling jokes or performing short skits to earn their candy, adding a unique and charming twist to the celebration. Popular spots like the East Village and Beaverdale also host community events, from costume parades to haunted house tours, making it a time of excitement for people of all ages.

In addition to the trick-or-treating fun, Des Moines offers a variety of Halloween-themed activities throughout October. We’ll have plenty more about one off Halloween events as the holiday gets closer, but we wanted to highlight some activities and attractions happening throughout the month of October.

Maybe you are into haunted houses. I’ve got you covered:
Slaughterhouse
Phantom Fall Fest
Haunted Scream Park
Barnum Circus of Freaks

Don’t miss Ghosts and Goblins In The Garden at Ted Lare this Saturday.

THE ROUNDUP 🧵📱

DART 🚌 

Changes are coming to public transit in Des Moines. The DART Commission has hired Jarrett Walker + Associates, in partnership with Transpo Group, to lead the redesign of the Des Moines Area Regional Transit (DART) system. This $870,000 project, funded by federal dollars and grants, aims to make public transit more sustainable. The redesign will address concerns about cost, service levels, and membership changes, as some communities, like Grimes and Pleasant Hill, plan to leave DART. The project will run through 2025, with a focus on improving routes and equitable funding for participating communities.

Highland Park 🏢 

The revitalization of the Highland Park neighborhood continues. The city of Des Moines is seeking proposals to redevelop the historic Odd Fellows Hall in Highland Park. Built in 1907, the building is on the National Register of Historic Places and was recently listed as endangered. The city purchased it for $500,000 and aims to preserve its structure while creating a mixed-use development with commercial space on the ground floor and affordable residential units above. Proposals are due by November 25, and the city hopes the project will revitalize the area.

East Village 🌇 

Raj Patel, the developer behind the Hotel Fort Des Moines restoration, has purchased the former LifeServe Blood Center site in Des Moines’ East Village for $2.85 million. His vision includes demolishing the existing building to create a mixed-use development featuring a hotel, housing, and restaurant or bar. Patel aims to enhance the area's vibrancy and draw more foot traffic, with plans taking shape over the coming months. The redevelopment is intended to support the East Village’s growth and downtown Des Moines' revitalization efforts.

Around Town 🏙️📈

In this section, I am going to highlight a local business, restaurant, or non-profit. This week, its a small business selling candles since 2023.

Sugar, Spice, and Everything Nice 🕯️ 

What started as a hobby turned into a business pretty quickly. Megan Spicer needed some creative/therapeutic relief so she turned to making candles. Soon, friends and family started noticing her talent and wanted to purchase some for themselves. Sugar, Spice, and Everything Nice was born.

These homemade Candles are made with 100% soy wax, eco or wooden wicks, and eco friendly, skin safe fragrance oil. She does mostly 16 oz mason jar or decorative dough bowl candles but can also accommodate most requests. In the future, you may see this expand to room sprays and wax melts. Keep an eye out!

At the moment, pick up and delivery are available in the Des Moines metro. Follow the Facebook page for updates on different items as well as popup shops throughout town.

Email: [email protected]
Phone: (641) 580-0391

@DSMATDAWN 📷

Bonus photo bc I love these candles!

Tag @dsmatdawn to get your photos published!

WHAT TO DO 🚨🏁

Cold Case Live

Val Air Ballroom is hosting a live exploration into unsolved crime tonight at 8. Host Joe Kennedy walks you through the process of solving a cold case, with in-depth analysis and firsthand investigator insights.

This family friendly event will take place at the Valley Community Center all day on Saturday. Compete in men’s doubles, women’s doubles, and/or mixed doubles in beginner, intermediate, and advanced brackets. There will also be games and activities for kids.

Bike Ride and Movie Night 

The Ride will start at Ichi Bike on 6th Avenue and finish up at Captain Roy’s for a showing of Halloweentown. This all starts at 5 TONIGHT!

Head out to the State Fairgrounds as the Monster X Tour will be putting on two separate shows this Saturday. There is also a pre-event Autograph Pit Party where you can meet the drivers and see the trucks up close.

Fall Meet & Cruise 2024

Join Highly Driven Entertainment at Saylorville Lake for our Second Annual Fall Meet & Cruise! Bring your cars, trucks, and bikes out to Oak Grove Beach at Saylorville Lake for the 2024 season finale. All are welcome to come check out a wide variety of unique rides before they head Downtown.

WEATHER   🌞 🌡️

Weather Beacon: ⚪️ Colder Weather In Sight

Thursday

High 86 | Low 59 | Sunny ☀️

Friday

High 87 | Low 56 | Partly Cloudy 🌤️

Saturday

High 77 | Low 49 | Partly Cloudy 🌤️

Sunday

High 61 | Low 38 | Partly Cloudy 🌤️

MUSIC SCENE 🎶🎤

Thursday

Ernest | 7 | Wooly’s
Red Leather | 7 | xBk Live

Friday

Mod Sun | 7 | Wooly’s
Dave Attell (Comedy Show) | 7:30 | Hoyt Sherman Place
A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie | 8 | Vibrant Music Hall

Saturday

Blame Not The Band | 6 | Captain Roy’s
The National Parks | 7 | Wooly’s
Briston Maroney | 8 | Val Air Ballroom
Ariias | Allegra Hernandez | Artificial Stars | 8 | xBk Live

Sunday

Jukebox The Ghost | 7 | Wooly’s

SPORTS 🏈🏅

Football 🏈

All four local teams are in action this week.

  • Washington @ Iowa 🦅 | 10/12 | 11

  • Butler @ Drake 🐶 | 10/12 | 1

  • UNI 🐆 @ South Dakota | 10/12 | 2

  • Iowa State 🌪️ @ West Virginia | 10/12 | 7

Hockey 🏒 

Iowa Wild Opening Night | Wells Fargo Arena will once again host the Iowa Wild this season, as it has every year since 2013. Check back throughout the season for all of the game information.

Saturday Oct. 12 | 6PM 
Magnet Schedule Giveaway
Coca-Cola Local Concert Series | Sierra Griggs
2 for 1 Confluence Beers until puck drop

Sunday, Oct 13 | 3PM
Shoe Charms Giveaway
Poster Schedule Giveaway
Post Game Skate

THANK YOU! 🙌 

Thank you for reading DSM at Dawn.

I would love your feedback! You can respond directly to this email with any comments, recommendations, or ideas.

P.S. If you, or anyone you know, would like to sponsor a future edition of The Dawn, please contact me at [email protected] or respond directly to this email.