See the new Hinterland Music Fest main stage
The new Hinterland Music Festival main stage will feature more space to spread out, more trees, and increased water access throughout the concourse.
Des Moines recently made the USA TODAY’S 10BEST Readers’ Choice Awards‘ list as one of the premier cities for art and cultural festivals.
Iowa’s capital city is home to dozens of festivals every year, from music and food festivals to arts and entertainment. So out of all the festivals in Des Moines, which are some of the best in the country? Here’s what to know.
What Des Moines festivals are among the best in the country, according to USA TODAY 10BEST?
The Des Moines Arts Festival and the World Food and Music Festival each placed in the Top 10 of their respective categories.
The Des Moines Arts Festival placed 10th on for best arts festivals, while the World Food and Music Festival was rated the eighth-best cultural festival in the U.S.
Here are the best art festivals in the U.S., according to USA TODAY 10BEST:
- Orange Beach Festival of Art (Orange Beach, Alabama)
- Rio Grande Arts and Crafts Festival Balloon Festival Show (Albuquerque, New Mexico)
- International Festival of Arts & Ideas (New Haven, Connecticut)
- Artisphere (Greenville, South Carolina)
- Columbus Arts Festival (Columbus, Ohio)
- Festival of Arts & Pageant of the Masters (Laguna Beach, California)
- Old Town Art Fair (Chicago)
- Park City Kimball Arts Festival (Park City, Utah)
- The Woodlands Waterway Arts Festival (The Woodlands, Texas)
- Des Moines Arts Festival (Des Moines)
Here are the best cultural festivals in the U.S., according to USA TODAY 10BEST:
- Fiestas de la Calle San Sebastián (San Juan, Puerto Rico)
- Black Wall Street Rally (Tulsa, Oklahoma)
- Dublin Irish Festival (Dublin, Ohio)
- Fyr Bal Festival (Ephraim, Wisconsin)
- Anchorage Fur Rendezvous (Anchorage, Alaska)
- Black Food Truck Festival (Charleston, South Carolina)
- Rougarou Fest (Houma, Louisiana)
- World Food and Music Festival (Des Moines)
- Celebrate Nashville Cultural Festival (Nashville)
- Celtic Music and Heritage Festival (St. Augustine, Florida)
In 2025, the Des Moines Arts Festival ranked No. 7 in the same USA TODAY 10Best cultural festival category, and the World Food and Music Festival placed fifth in the best city food festival.
What is the Des Moines Art Festival?
The annual multiday event dates back to the late 1950s and attracts hundreds of thousands of people every year to Western Gateway Park for musical performances, food and beverage stands, art exhibits and more.
The 2026 festival takes place from Friday, June 26, to Sunday, June 28.
What is Des Moines’ World Food and Music Festival?
What started as a two-dozen-vendor event in the Historic East Village in 2005 has grown into a festival that draws roughly 100,000 people to the streets of downtown to experience one of Iowa’s most vibrant international celebrations.
The festival typically takes place in August and showcases food and beverages from more than 30 countries, all alongside a three‑day lineup of music and performances from around the world.
The World Food and Music Festival runs from Friday, Aug. 28, to Sunday, Aug. 30, in 2026.
Cooper Worth is a service/trending reporter for the Des Moines Register. Reach him at [email protected] or follow him on X @CooperAWorth.
‘ The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties ’
‘ Some details of this article were extracted from the following source www.desmoinesregister.com ’
