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Good morning, Des Moines! 🌅 This is DSM at Dawn.

There’s plenty to celebrate this week. Juneteenth is tomorrow giving many people a three-day weekend. Father’s Day arrives on Sunday as we welcome the official start of summer on the same day.

If you’re a sports fan, the US Open tees off today and Team USA returns to the pitch tomorrow in Seattle. If you find yourself with the day off, Big Grove is hosting a watch party for the match.

Quick Hits

In today’s issue:

And we’re off.

— Nick Rivas

Hubbell Realty Co. is celebrating the grand opening of three new projects at Gray's Station this Thursday: a $3 million Clubhouse with a fitness center, pool, and event space; the fourth phase of LINC apartments (51 units, half already leased); and Telus, a 32-unit for-sale condo project. The celebration offers public tours of all three developments, part of Hubbell's larger $500 million vision for the 75-acre community on downtown's southern edge.

Business Record →

DART's redesigned bus network launched June 14, cutting the number of routes from 27 to 11 and consolidating stops across the metro. To help riders adjust, all DART bus routes are free to ride through June 30, with regular $1.75 fares resuming July 1. The agency says the new system is built to move more riders faster, with several routes now running on 15-minute frequencies.

KCCI 8 →

Looking to make your next event unforgettable? 🎶 Dapper DJs, led by Riley Schneekloth (a.k.a. DJ Riled Up), brings nearly a decade of experience and a reputation for creating memorable celebrations across Central Iowa.

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UnityPoint Health's 26th annual Rally Against Cancer surpassed its goal, raising a record $607,000 for the John Stoddard Cancer Center. More than 580 attendees gathered for the event, which featured a keynote from sports broadcaster and five-time cancer survivor Dick Vitale. Proceeds will support patient navigation services, counseling, wellness programs, and survivorship resources across the region.

👉 Story

IMPACT Community Action Partnership and the Des Moines Fire Department are asking for donations to help families stay cool this summer. New, unopened fans and window air conditioning units are now being accepted at Des Moines fire stations, and financial donations can also be made through IMPACT's website marked for cooling assistance.

👉 More

Want a Featured Event with a poster,
reach out and say hi.

Thursday

Friday

Saturday

Sunday

🚪 Noises Off
📆 June 5-21
📍 The Playhouse
A wildly chaotic comedy where everything that can go wrong during a stage productions does.

🎤 John “The Ragin Cajun” Morgan
📆 Friday-Saturday
📍 Funny Bone
The Louisiana-born comedian brings his Southern storytelling, quick wit, and down-home humor for a couple nights of relatable laughs and sharp observations on everyday life.

This newsletter exists because of this community.

DSM at Dawn is free and always will be. If you find it helpful, fun, or worth sharing, you can chip in to help keep it running and growing.

Everything goes back into making this better for Des Moines,

Grateful you’re here.
— Nick

Thursday

Red Dirt Renegade | 5 | Ankeny Market & Pavilion
The Dan Medeiros Project | 6 | Confluence Brewing
Tyler Richton & The High Bank Boys | 6 | Jasper Winery
Mike Aceto | 6 | Water Works Park
Kinda Petty Band | 6 | Valley Junction Farmers Market
Tony Bohnenkamp | 6 | Destination Grille
Jesse & The Medicine Men | 6 | Poncho’s
The Textures | 6:30 | Botanical Garden
Weary Ramblers | 6:30 | Jester Park Nature Center
Tigers Jaw | 7 | Wooly’s
Gannon Fremin | 7 | xBk Live
Mitch Towne & Co | 7 | Noce
34th Army Band | 7 | Camp Dodge
Bob Pace | 7 | Board & Batten
Christopher Cross | 7:30 | Hoyt Sherman Place
The Soul Searchers | 8 | Greenwood Lounge
MFKS | 8 | Confidence Speakeasy
Decoy Duo | 8:30 | Bix & Co
Claudia Coltrain | 9 | Shotgun Betty’s

Friday

Andrew Hoyt | 4:30 | Middlebrook Farm
Monkey Four | 5 | Water Works Park
Dustin Baird | 5 | Truman’s Pizza
Mike Tiedeman | 5 | Caffrey’s
Mancat | 5 | Bevy’s Tavern
Standing Hampton | 5:30 | Riverview Park
Major Blues & the Mugshots | 6 | Confluence Brewing
Joshua Sinclair | 6 | Iowa Distilling Co
Ducharme-Jones Band | 6 | Captain Roy’s
Tyler Frazier | 6 | Paws & Pints
Kracklin | 6 | Zeke’s Rooftop
Ava Lemon | 6 | Middlebrook Mercantile
Drive Thirty5 | 6 | Copper Creek Lake Park
Day Ashworth | 6 | The District @ Prairie Trail
Jason Kinsel Band | 6 | Soggy Frog
Dance Gavin Dance | 6:30 | Val Air Ballroom
Grunge Unplugged | 6:30 | Reclaimed Rails
Bevington Bluegrass Festival | 6:30 | Briarpatch
Luke Bryan | 7 | Casey’s Center
Gina Gedler | 7 | Noce
Velvet Trio | 7 | Pal Joey’s
Kevin Best | 7 | Kelly’s Little Nipper
Brittany Sword | 7 | Joe’s Pub
Tommy Browder & The Country River Band | 7 | Talk Shop Lounge
Kate Kristine | 8 | xBk Annex
Flying Silos | 8 | Jamie Hurd Amphitheater
Jeni Grouws Band | 8 | The District @ Prairie Trail
Cover That | 8 | Down Under
Oreo Meatwagon | 8 | Back Roads Lounge
Leradee & The Positives | 8 | Doc’s Lounge
Dick Danger Band | 8 | Kenny’s Garage
Alexander Richard | 8 | Cabaret Ankeny
Dustin Farrow & The Relics | 9 | Yacht Club
The Steam Boars | 9 | Greenwood Lounge
Encore Legends | 10 | Prairie Meadows

Saturday

The Hors D’oeuvres | 12 | Annie’s Irish Pub
Funhouse & Shock Collar | 4 | City Park Bondurant
Gina Gedler | 4 | Revelton Distilling
Nick Hermann | 5 | 1908 Draught House Norwalk
Velvet Trio | 5 | Soggy Frog
Bevington Bluegrass Festival | 5 | Briarpatch
Jeff Banks Band | 6 | Captain Roy’s
The Juan & Only | 6 | Cowboy Mexican Bar & Grill
Bob Dorr & The Blue Twoat | 6 | Middlebrook Mercantile
Justin Trevino | 6 | Lake Robbins Ballroom
The Acacia Stain | 7 | Wooly’s
Max Wellman Big Band | 7 | Noce
Yubu Band | 7 | Shirley’s
Grunge Unplugged | 7 | Brightside Aleworks
Alex Williams | 7 | Talk Shop Lounge
Wyatt Flores | 8 | Val Air Ballroom
Heath Alan | 8 | Greenwood Lounge
JKB Duo | 8 | Hawk Heaven Tavern
Pickleback | 8 | Kenny’s Garage
The Chuggaluggers | 8 | Down Under
Sister Sara | 8:30 | Mickey’s Waukee
Final Mix | 9 | Back Roads Lounge
Mike Walsh Band | 10 | Prairie Meadows

Sunday

School of Rock | 12 | Captain Roy’s
Suede | 1 | Water Works Park
Dan Medeiros Project | 1 | Cabaret Ankeny
Royce Johns | 1 | Soggy Frog
Kara Christensen | 1 | Madison Co Winery
The Fabulous TruTones | 2 | Middlebrook Mercantile
Final Mix | 2 | Truman’s Pizza
Matt Woods Roots Music | 2 | Covered Bridges Winery
Alex Schroeder | 2 | Winterset Cidery
Encore Legends | 2 | Iowa Speedway
Randy Burk | 3 | Wilson’s Orchard & Farm
The Juan & Only | 4 | Wellman’s Pub & Rooftop
Rob Lumbard | 4 | Greenwood Lounge
David Watson | 5 | Exile Brewing
High Society | 5 | Lake Robbins Ballroom
Lil’ Ed & the Blues Imperials | 6 | xBk Live
Music Under The Stars | 7 | Jasper Winery
Jazz Night | 8 | The Contrary

If you’re looking for a game to catch this weekend:

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