PRESENTED BY

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

Happy Thursday, Des Moines! This time last week I was on my way to San Diego. Today, it’s back to a normal Thursday morning here in the 515.

It’s a big sports weekend both locally and around the world. Here in the capital city, the Principal Charity Classic tees off tomorrow at Wakonda Club. If you’ve never been, I highly recommend checking it out. You might even spot me out there this weekend.

And while we’re talking sports, there’s this little thing called the World Cup kicking off today right here in the United States*. You can check out all of the match times here. If you’re looking for a place to catch the U.S. match against Paraguay tomorrow night I have found a couple watch parties:

*Today’s games are actually in Mexico 😃

Quick Hits

In today’s issue:

And we’re off.

— Nick Rivas

After years of delays, the Des Moines City Council unanimously approved a 50-year lease for a new soccer stadium on the former Dico Superfund site just southwest of downtown. The Iowa Soccer Development Foundation will pay $656k annually and has six months to finalize a conceptual development plan for city review. Plans call for at least 5,500 seats plus a "Global Plaza" for festivals and community events, with groundbreaking targeted for late 2026 and the first match eyed for 2029.

KCCI 8 →

Central Iowa Water Works has issued a Stage 3 Water Use Plan, banning all outdoor lawn watering for residential, business, and government customers across the region. The ban is driven by elevated nitrate levels in the Des Moines and Raccoon rivers, which are straining the treatment system serving more than 600,000 people. Drinking water remains safe and meets EPA standards, but CIWW says conservation is critical to maintain it.

WHO 13 →

The Des Moines City Council approved a preliminary agreement to redevelop the vacant OfficeMax and Dollar General spaces at 2700 Ingersoll Avenue into an $8.2 million health facility for adults 55 and older. The expected anchor tenant is UnityPoint Health's PACE program, which provides all-inclusive care for elderly patients. Construction is targeted to begin this summer with completion in early 2027.

WHO 13 →

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Community and Family Resources is building a new 45,000-square-foot behavioral health facility at 3451 Easton Blvd., called Grays Woods Recovery Center, with an expected opening of July 2027. The $18.5 million project will add 74 new beds for addiction treatment, adolescent services, and medically monitored detox — all under one roof. Executive Director Michelle De La Riva says the goal is to reduce stigma around seeking help, noting that in 2023 alone, 661 people were turned away from CFR facilities due to lack of space.

👉 Details

DART unveiled a new decorated city bus honoring Juneteenth at DART Central Station in Des Moines. Organizers say the bus honors the past and celebrates freedom, marking the day in 1865 when federal troops arrived in Galveston, Texas to ensure all enslaved people were finally free. The bus will be in service through July 5.

👉 More

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

Thursday

Friday

Saturday

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

🕷 I’m Gonna Marry You Tobey Maguire
📆 June 5-14
📍 Stoner Theater
A dark comedy inspired by Y2K fandom culture, celebrity obsession, and one unforgettable kidnapping plot.

👭 Side Show
📆 June 11-13
📍 Jamie Hurd Amphitheater
A moving outdoor musical about the famous Hilton twins and the bond that made them stars.

🎤 Jeff Dye
📆 Thursday
📍 Funny Bone
Fast-paced stand-up from the comedian and TV personality known for Money From Strangers and The Joe Rogan Experience appearances.

🎤 Steve Trevino
📆 Friday-Saturday
📍 Funny Bone
One of comedy’s most popular touring comics, delivering relatable stories on marriage, family, and 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

Jake Schrodt | 4 | Polk City Farmers Market
Punching Pandas | 5 | Ankeny Market & Pavilion
Damon Dotson Band | 6 | Jasper Winery
Stadium Drive | 6 | Confluence Brewing
Decoy Trio | 6 | Valley Junction Farmers Market
One Can Stan | 6 | Greenwood Lounge
Scott Kirkhart | 6 | Destination Grille
Jesse & The Medicine Men | 6 | Poncho’s
The Bones of J..R Jones | 7 | xBk Live
Napoleon Douglas & Co | 7 | Noce
John Krantz Trio | 7 | Court Ave Brewing
Blake Jack | 7 | Camp Dodge
Kenni Falls | 7 | Board & Batten
Austin Brown Trio | 8 | xBk Annex
MFKS | 8 | Confidence Speakeasy
Sharane Calister | 8:30 | Bix & Co
Triple J’s | 9 | Yacht Club
Luke Thomas | 9 | Shotgun Betty’s

Friday

Robert Deitch & Friends | 4:30 | Middlebrook Farm
Brian Congdon | 5 | Caffrey’s
Jake Kemble | 5 | 1908 Draught House WDM
Velvet Trio | 5 | Truman’s Pizza
Bob Pace & The Dangerous Band | 5 | Greenwood Lounge
Jake Beaty | 5 | Bevy’s Tavern
The Sons and Sara | 5:30 | Riverview Park
Brian Herrin Trio | 5:30 | Campbell Park
Bad Friends | 5:30 | Walker Johnston Park
Jasper Tide | 6 | Confluence Brewing
Harrison Ingham Band | 6 | Captain Roy’s
The Foxes | 6 | Middlebrook Mercantile
Adam Kulmatycki Duo | 6 | Soggy Frog
Dan Medeiros | 6 | The District at Prairie Trail
Neil Hewitt | 6 | Paws & Pints
The Adaptors | 6 | Pelican Post
Corbett Reeves | 6 | Iowa Distilling
Barry Rutter | 6 | Shotgun Betty’s
Patricia Holly | 6 | Zeke’s Rooftop
Jordan Beem | 6 | Copper Creek Lake Park
High Fade | 7 | Wooly’s
The Hanna Marks Quartet | 7 | Noce
Graveripper & more | 7 | Local Bar & Stage
Natalie Simon & LIGHTcube | 7 | The Cave
Pizza Party Tour | 7:30 | xBk Live
Tommy Stinson & Friends | 7:30 | Doc’s Lounge
The Soul Searchers | 7:30 | The Ingersoll
Electric Eden | 7:30 | Temple Theater
Dirty Rotten Scoundrels | 8 | The District at Prairie Trail
Brooke Eden | 8 | East Village
Sister Sara | 8 | Kenny’s Garage
David Archuleta | 9 | East Village
David Zollo & Brian Cooper | 9 | Greenwood Lounge
Monkeyfour | 10 | Prairie Meadows

Saturday

Velvet Trio | 12 | Annie’s Irish Pub
The Chuggaluggers | 4 | 1833 Saloon
Brian Herrin | 4 | Revelton Distilling
The Peoples Band | 5 | Soggy Frog
Beggars’ Bargain | 5 | Winterset Cidery
Tony McGhee | 6 | Middlebrook Mercantile
Billy Currington & Kip Moore | 6:30 | Water Works Park
Cold Filtered | 6:30 | Captain Roy’s
Pink Flag & More | 7 | Locals Bar & Stage
Lucky Jax | 7 | Lake Robbins Ballroom
Smells Like Nirvana | 8 | Wooly’s
Druids | 8 | xBk Live
Dick Danger Band | 8 | Good Times
The Feel Right Band | 8 | Kenny’s Garage
Pickleback | 8 | Back Roads Lounge
Trespassing | 8 | Down Under
Kevin Lindgren | 8:30 | Mickey’s Waukee
Butt Toot King | 9 | East Village
Jeff Banks Band | 9 | Greenwood Lounge
JJ & The Boys | 9 | Hawk Heaven Tavern
Ty Sunderland | 10 | East Village
80 Grit | 10 | Prairie Meadows

Sunday

Jake Beaty | 1 | Cabaret Ankeny
The Savage Freds | 2 | Truman’s Pizza
The Other Brothers | 2 | Middlebrook Mercantile
Corey Jamison | 2 | Winterset Cidery
Joshua Sinclair | 3 | The Pelican Post
Madison County Line | 3 | Covered Bridges Winery
Dan & Quinn Trilk | 3 | Wilson’s Orchard & Farm
BitterSweet | 4 | Wellman’s Pub & Rooftop
Antonio Lopes | 5 | Exile Brewing
Stardusters | 5 | Lake Robbins Ballroom
Alison Krause & Union Station | 7 | Water Works Park
The Wallflowers | 8 | Hoyt Sherman Place

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

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