Courage – Alpine Symphony
May 9, 2026 - May 10, 2026 - All Day at Des Moines Civic Center
221 Walnut St
The Symphony’s Season Finale explodes with Richard Strauss and his monumental storytelling. The Symphony’s powerful brass section is on display, from the composer’s Vienna Philharmonic Fanfare to the cinematic grandeur of his Alpine Symphony featuring 34 brass players. Amaryn Olmeda returns to Des Moines for Mendelssohn’s beautifully melodic Violin Concerto
Two Shows:
Vacation Bible School
June 7, 2026 - June 11, 2026 - 12:00 am at Faith Lutheran Church
10395 University Avenue
Get ready to hit the slopes and learn that God is the source of our strength on June 7-11 at the Faith Lutheran Church Vacation Bible School, 10395 University Avenue in Clive.
Our Vacation Bible School, whose theme is Snowball Mountain Challenge, is open to all enthusiastic mountaineers who will be ascending into Pre-K to sixth grade. This event is free for everyone! Invite your young mountaineers’ neighbors, brothers and sisters and their friends to join in the trek to the top!
Our camp kicks off on the evening of Sunday, June 7 from 5:30 pm to 8:00 pm where the young Challengers are introduced to the theme for the week, meet their fellow Challengers and receive a brief introduction to the rotations.
As part of their journey, these Challengers will enjoy storytelling, snacks, science, art and games. Pre-K and kindergarten climbers can choose to attend the session from 9:30 to 11:30 am in the mornings from June 8 to 11 OR with the pre-K to fifth grade climbers that will be meeting in the evening from 5:30 to 8 pm from June 8 to 11. Each evening during the Vacation Bible School, we’ll have a free-will offering meal for everyone at 5:00 pm.
Registration is open now! To enroll your young Challengers, visit the webpage VBS 2026 Registration! June 7th -11th. For more information, contact Gail Marske at Faith Lutheran Church, 515-225-8334 or email at cfm@faithlc.org.
See you on the slopes!!
2nd Annual Summer Soiree
June 20, 2026 - 6:00 pm - 9:00 pm at Embassy Suites by Hilton
101 East Locust Street
Welcome summer and support a great cause at Grace For Addictions’ 2nd Annual Summer Soiree, to be held at the Embassy Suites Hilton, 101 East Locust, in downtown Des Moines at 6pm, Saturday, June 20.
This soiree has something for everyone. Bid on items donated by local merchants and performing arts groups through a silent and a live auction of products and services from local merchants and more! Take in a dance lesson and then dance to live music presented by The Ladybirds and the Soul Searchers. Enjoy a plated meal. Learn about recovery from addiction. We may even have a surprise or two. Or three. This is a dress-to-impress gala!
Early tickets are on sale now!! Through May 31, you can purchase a ticket at $100 per person or $720.00 for a table of eight. Beginning on June 1, individual tickets will cost $125 per person or $840 for a table of eight.
You can also purchase a VIP package which includes admission to the 5:00 Mocktail Hour, exclusively for VIP Ticket Holders’ Mocktail Hour; the VIP package also includes 2 Free Drink Tickets {Mocktails}, GFA Swag Bag and Premier Dinner Seating. If you purchase your VIP package before May 8, you also get admission to the Iowa Cubs baseball game on May 9 at 3:08 pm. Coming in from out of town? Stay at the Embassy Suites on the evening of June 20 for the discounted rate of $169.00.
Open Books: Bringing Stories of Hope to Light – A Mental Health Community Conversation
June 25, 2026 - 4:00 pm - 6:00 pm at Community Support Advocates – 1516 Valley West Dr. West Des Moines
1516 Valley West Dr
Community Support Advocates – 1516 Valley West Dr. West Des Moines, IA 50266
Event Description (feel free to shorten as needed for field character limits): Open Books is a quarterly community conversation series designed to make mental health support more transparent, understandable, and human. Through real stories and candid discussion, we explore how support actually works—what helps people stay engaged in care, where systems fall short, and how community-based approaches like peer support, youth services, and creative programming make a meaningful difference. These sessions are open to families, community advocates & leaders, and anyone who wants a clearer picture of how the mental health support system works in practice. All sessions will be held at Community Support Advocates headquarters, unless otherwise noted. Dates and topics are as follows:
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How Support Actually Works
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Thursday, June 25, 2026
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Inside Youth Mental Health Services
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Wednesday, September 9, 2026
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The Role of Art in Mental Health
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Thursday, December 10, 2026 (@ Mainframe Studios)
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Mental Health and the Justice System
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Wednesday, March 3, 2027
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Event cost: free
Event URL: https://teamcsa.org/event/
Event Contact: Katelyn Gonzalez
Event Contact Phone Number: 515-313-5621
Event Contact Email: katelyng@teamcsa.org
TLC & Salt-N-Pepa
August 18, 2026 - 8:00 pm - 10:00 pm at Iowa State Fair Grandstand
3000 East Grand Avenue
With special guest En Vogue
Jefferson Starship: Runaway Again Tour
September 11, 2026 - 7:30 pm - 11:30 pm at Hoyt Sherman Place
1501 Woodland Ave.
