Live Entertainment in Des Moines

Civic Center of Greater Des Moines presents Iowa's most comprehensive performing arts programming — a 2,735-seat concert hall hosting Broadway touring productions, the Des Moines Symphony, and major cultural events for the Iowa capital and surrounding region. Its role as Iowa's primary Broadway venue and its comprehensive programming calendar make it essential to understanding Des Moines's genuine cultural ambitions.

Des Moines Civic Center is Iowa's most important performing arts venue — a Downtown Des Moines hall presenting Broadway touring shows, major concerts, and cultural events for one of America's most dynamically growing mid-size cities. The Civic Center's extraordinary programming breadth and its role as Iowa's primary Broadway presenter create a performing arts venue of genuine Hawkeye State cultural significance.

Funny Bone Comedy Club presents national touring stand-up comedians serving the Des Moines metro market.

Principal Park (GreenState Ballpark) is home to the Iowa Cubs — a beautiful downtown Des Moines Triple-A ballpark that consistently ranks among the finest minor league facilities in America. Iowa's extraordinary baseball culture and the beautiful park's role as a gathering place for Des Moines's remarkable community create a sports entertainment experience of genuine Iowa community significance.

Hoyt Sherman Place is Des Moines's most beloved historic concert hall — a 1,370-seat Victorian mansion theater complex on Sherman Hill that presents concerts, Broadway shows, and performing arts in one of Iowa's most architecturally distinctive venues. Built as a private home in 1877 and converted into the Des Moines Women's Club arts complex, Hoyt Sherman brings an extraordinary intimacy and elegance to performing arts programming that no modern arena can replicate.

Hoyt Sherman Place presents touring concerts and comedy in a restored 1907 mansion-turned-theater in downtown Des Moines.

Iowa Events Center is Des Moines's premier indoor entertainment complex — Wells Fargo Arena (17,000-capacity) and the Hy-Vee Hall convention space presenting major concerts, Iowa Barnstormers arena football, and the biggest events in Iowa. Des Moines's position as Iowa's entertainment hub for the entire state creates consistent demand that makes Wells Fargo Arena one of the Midwest's most active mid-size arenas.

Iowa State Fair Grandstand is Iowa's largest outdoor concert venue — a 31,000-capacity outdoor amphitheater on the Iowa State Fairgrounds presenting major touring acts during the Iowa State Fair and standalone summer concerts. The Iowa State Fair's extraordinary cultural significance (described by Harper's Weekly as "the Olympics of agriculture") creates a concert atmosphere combining rural tradition with contemporary entertainment energy unique to the American Midwest.

Val Air Ballroom in West Des Moines presents touring concerts in a historic 1938 dance hall central to the Iowa music scene.

Vaudeville Mews is Des Moines's favorite independent small music venue — a 250-capacity downtown club booking punk, indie, metal, and experimental artists in an intimate setting that serves as the beating heart of Iowa's underground music scene. The venue's commitment to independent touring artists and willingness to take chances on adventurous programming have made it an institution beloved by Des Moines's creative community and a trusted stop for touring bands seeking an authentic Iowa experience.

Wooly's is Des Moines's most active live music venue — a 525-capacity club in the East Village entertainment district that books national touring rock, indie, and alternative acts year-round for Iowa's capital city. The venue's consistent programming quality, excellent sound, and location in Des Moines's most vibrant neighborhood have made it the essential mid-size concert room in Iowa, serving a city that has quietly become one of the Midwest's most livable and culturally active metros.

Wooly's in the East Village presents touring indie and rock acts, one of Des Moines's most active mid-size music venues.