Not So Boring 3rd Quarter

Leslie Jasper
Group Sales Manger
Des Moines Performing Arts

It’s IOWA STATE FAIR time! 

And, although “Nothing Compares”… really, nothing does… I am here to remind us of all the great happenings as we wrap-up the remaining summer months, in addition our beloved Iowa State Fair.  Just in case someone wants to load their August calendar with something other than the Butter Cow or Porkchop-On-A-Stick!

If the Iowa State Fair really DOES occupy most of your August days/nights, be sure to check out these awesome places and events that make our community and state not so boring after the fair, too! 

“Not So Boring” Happenings

(Find past happenings here and here)

I-Cubs

“Dog Day” August 12, bring your dog to the park for a game and enjoy dollar hot dogs!

www.MILB.com/index.jsp?sid=t451

Fridays at the Fountain

Free live music Friday nights at the West Glen Center in West Des Moines.  Family friendly.

August 9 and August 23

www.WestGlenTownCenter.com

Nightfall on the River

Nitefall on the River, presented by Veridian Credit Union, is an annual summer music series at the picturesque Simon Estes Amphitheater.  All Ages Shows, tickets $22-$31.

Final two shows of the summer!

Owl City, August 9 and Hanson, August 28

www.NightfallDSM.com

Des Moines Social Club

Fireball is back in a big way. It’s the ball of all balls. This year they’ve got sizzling sets by The Envy Corps and The Olympics, pair that with a fire-tastic performance by Chicago’s Pyrotechniq — all happening at the beautiful Simon Estes Amphitheater.

August 15, 7:30p.  Advance tickets $15 or $25 at the door.

www.DesMoinesSocialClub.org

Science Center of Iowa

Don’t miss the Science Center of Iowa’s 15th Annual Fundraising Event & Auction, one of the most talked about celebrations in Des Moines! With amazing live and silent auctions, delectable cuisine and cocktails and live music, the event is an exciting celebration of SCI and our commitment to informal learning.

August 23, 6p.

www.SCIowa.org

“Dancing on the Lake”

It’s the last one of the season!  Every Thursday night, come out and learn to dance social dances like salsa, swing, line dancing or contra dancing. Lessons start on the Overlook Terrace at 7:30 and the dancing begins at 8:00.Each week (June – August 22 ) will feature a different kind of dancing and music.

www.DMGov.org

Iowa Wineries

Did you know Iowa has over 70 wineries to explore?  During the remaining warm months, plan a road trip to visit these beautiful destinations and sample their delicious wines!

For a complete list of Iowa wineries:

www.CatchWine.com/wineries/iowa/

www.TravelIowa.com/attractions/wineries

Principal Riverwalk

Check out one of downtown’s hottest attractions, the newly finished riverwalk, starting at Walnut and Court Street in Des Moines.  Featuring a new “rest stop” that offers drinks, food, and a gorgeous view, The Riverwalk Hub Spot.

Ewing Park STAR Party

Bring your picnic blanket and come to Ewing Park to view the Perseid meteor shower! SCI and Des Moines Astronomical Society (DMAS) will have telescopes set up for you to experience this annual cosmic event. The action in the sky doesn’t get started until later, but the fun starts at 6:00 pm with activities in the park. August 10

www.DMGov.org

Parks and Recreation

There are only a few weeks left to take advantage of the pools and outdoor water fun!  Most pools close for the season September 2.

Des Moines Parks and Recreation

Gray’s Lake Bike Rental and water sports

www.DMGov.org

Big Creek Marina

www.BigCreekMarina.com   

Windsor Heights Parks and Recreation

www.WindsorHeights.org/index.htm

Waukee Parks and Recreation

www.Waukee.org/parksandrecreationdepartment.html

Polk County Conservation

www.PolkCountyIowa.gov/conservation

Knoxville Raceway

The biggest sprint car race in the world with the top drivers in the sport.  Join us for Knoxville Nationals, A four-day racing extravaganza that includes music, food, camping, expo and more that ends each night with some of the most exciting racing you can ever experience.

August 7 – 10

www.KnoxvilleRaceway.com/Event/53rd-Annual-Knoxville-Nationals

Blank Park Zoo

Last month of Zoo Brew!  Every Wednesday in August, starting at 5:30p.

www.BlankParkZoo.com

Giants Among Us

Tom Cox
Vice-President of Digital Content
Meredith Corporation

Central Iowa is in a very sweet spot in the U.S. economy.  In addition to being ground zero for agricultural related industry and commodity production, our region is fortunate to be home to the corporate headquarters of the some very large publicly traded insurance, media and financial services companies, or to at least host their major operational centers.  Their campuses of gleaming buildings and manicured lawns, art installations and inspired architecture are sprinkled around downtown and increasingly around the western suburbs.

The thought of contemplating business relationships with these corporate giants is likely very appealing for many of the locally owned businesses that comprise the rolls of the West Des Moines Chamber.  It is however, important for owners and employees of local firms to remember one thing about their friends, neighbors and colleagues who work for these big firms; while these fine folks live in central Iowa and have homes and offices here, and send their kids to school here...they don't really work here.

What?

If you think about the major employers in our community, with the exception of primary health care delivery, almost none of them earn the bulk of their revenue from within the boundaries of our state.  That’s a good thing for the local economy, but it can be challenging for local firms as well.  The majority of the employees of the giants are busy all day long serving customers who live across the U.S. and around the world.  And, like all other major modern enterprises, these corporations are able to source goods and services from across the country and the world.  Personally, I take a phone call a week from any number of earnest sales representatives who would like me to outsource work halfway around the globe.

In my own case, when I go to work each day, unless I am travelling, I may sit downtown but am really in New York, or Atlanta, or Hartford, or Phoenix, or Portland, or any number of other places where we have business units or major vendor relationships.  I do occasionally get to spend budgeted dollars with local firms who directly benefit from having us in town.  But to compete for this, these small firms must continue to provide competitively priced services that go beyond having a local phone number.  All things being equal, it is nice to be able to see the people you work with without going to the airport, but it is no longer essential.

The point of all this is to remember that being near the corporate giants is only an advantage if you are either able to provide a service where relationships and closeness matter, or where your local cost is truly advantageous to the client firm.  Certainly one distinct advantage local firms have is that it is easier to get that first opportunity for a meeting with the folks who they see at school functions or rub elbows with at civic events.  And herein lies a secret... managers like me who have some small part in the overall budgeting process really do like to source locally, but proximity is often far from the top factor in play.  The billions of dollars in earnings the giants bring home each year is a lot of money, but the profits from that are not derived by spending freely or without strict observance to shareholder demands and the "strategic sourcing" of vendor relationships; locally, regionally, nationally and globally.  So when contemplating doing business with the giants among us, find your reason for why being local matters.

Tom Cox is the Vice President of Digital Content for Meredith Corporation's Local Media Group (which owns no Iowa television stations).  He resides in West Des Moines with his wife, Liz, and three children who attend West Des Moines schools. 

Not So Boring April - June

Leslie Jasper
Group Sales Manger
Des Moines Performing Arts

We’ve all heard and/or said the rhyme at some point of our lives:  April showers bring May flowers. 

As Midwesterners, we’ve been trained by the sometimes-unpredictable weather patterns, to talk about what Mother Nature is offering us and, due to that, this old saying has maintained its popularity for hundreds of years.  Since it’s origination in the mid-1500’s – beginning as “Sweet April showers do spring May flowers” in a collection of writings by Thomas Tusser – it has continually served as a great reminder that with even the most unpleasant, we must be patient and something beautiful will always follow. 

Considering most of our most recent “showers” have been snow showers, for most of us, the spring flowers can’t come soon enough.  We’ve been patient for months, getting through the deep winter freeze, so it’s time for the May beauty promised to us by this age-old rhyme.  Along with the flowers however, come some things that may be even better than a colorful spring bloom.  Warm sunshine, grills and firepits, patio dinners, and of course, outdoor activities.

And so, to all you patient it’s-been-gloomy-too-long-I’m-ready-for-flipflops Iowans:  It’s time to celebrate spring’s arrival and Thomas Tusser’s famous words (hoping that April showers really do spring us some May flowers)!

“Not So Boring” Happenings

I-Cubs

Home Opener April 12!

www.MILB.com/index.jsp?sid=t451

Valle Drive-In Theater

Opens April 19, come visit Iowa’s oldest running drive-in theater. Open Friday-Monday.

www.ValleDrive-in.com/default.asp

Farmers Markets:

Valley Junction Music in the Junction, Opens May 2

www.ValleyJunction.com

Downtown Des Moines, Opens May 4

www.DesMoinesFarmersMarket.com

Drake Farmers Market, Opens June 5

www.DrakeFarmersMarket.com

Tulip Time

The most colorful Dutch celebration in Iowa!

May 2 - 4

www.PellaTulipTime.com

Temple Theater

Sit outside at Centro’s patio for dinner/drinks and attend Broadway’s Next Hit Musical, an award-winning improvised musical comedy, May 1 – 12.

www.DesMoinesPerformingArts.org

www.CentroDining.com

Science Center of Iowa

Bring your picnic blanket, grab some popcorn, and attend Cinema Under the Stars, May 11!

Jurassic Park will be playing, beginning at dusk.  Free to attend (will be held inside if bad weather).

www.SCIowa.org

Habitat for Humanity

Spring volunteer opportunities available (get outside and BUILD)!

www.GDMHabitat.org/

Jasper Winery

Summer Concert Series begins May 16.

www.JasperWinery.com

Parks and Recreation:

Check your local parks and recreation website for pool dates, park shelter info, and sports leagues.

Des Moines Parks and Recreation

Gray’s Lake Bike Rental, Begins April 14

www.DMGov.org/Departments/Parks/Pages/BicycleRentalProgram.aspx

West Des Moines Parks and Recreation
RUNzing 5k and 10k, May 18

www.WDM.Iowa.gov/index.aspx?page=197

Windsor Heights Parks and Recreation

Curbside Spring Clean-Up, May 9

www.WindsorHeights.org/index.htm

Waukee Parks and Recreation

Sign-up for summer programs now!

www.Waukee.org/parksandrecreationdepartment.html

Sports Events:

Des Moines and surrounding communities offer a wide variety of special sports activities throughout the year – check out these great spring/summer events!

Glow Run

April 20 (register now through April 18)

www.GlowRun5k.com/dm.html

Drake Relays

April 25 – 28

www.GoDrakeBulldogs.com/SportSelect.dbml?SPID=8142&SPSID=71588

Gladiator Challenge

May 18 – 19 (register now through May 15)

www.Gladiatorassaultchallenge.com/

Dam to Dam

June 1 (20k almost full, register soon)

www.damtodam.com

Electric Run

June 15 (Register now through June 6)

www.ElectricRun.com/desmoines