Springtime Festivals, Events & Craft Beverages in Central Iowa

It’s springtime in central Iowa, and there is much to look forward to during this season. The largest number of craft beverage events in the state occurs in central Iowa, making the region a top place to be for fans of locally made beer, wine and spirits.

You’ll find many events themed around alcoholic beverages in Des Moines, as well as award-winning wineries scattered all over the region. Pella Tulip Time in early May is also a big draw to the area.

Meanwhile, spring is a perfect time to head to central Iowa to explore the miles of bike trails, photograph

by Alyssa L. Ochs

the historic covered bridges and take scenic drives through the countryside. If you’ve been thinking about taking a budget-friendly spring break trip with a little something for everyone in your travel group, central Iowa is definitely a great choice!

What Springtime Means for Craft Beverage Producers

In central Iowa vineyards, springtime means a shift from dormancy to rebirth. Many essential transitions occur among the rows at this time, such as bud break, vine replanting and soil maintenance to fill the long and hard days of vineyard workers.

Meanwhile, brewery and distillery staff members are often handling cleaning, organizing, and housekeeping matters in the spring and after the busy holiday season wraps up. But even though craft beverage producers are busy in the spring, this is still a wonderful time to get out and visit their local businesses. Tourism in the region is typically less now than in the summer months, which means more opportunities to talk to producers about their production and learn more about their processes for creating the beverages on their drink menus. There’s something different to learn about during all four seasons of the year if you are curious to know how beer, spirits and wine are made in central Iowa.

Featured Craft Beverage Stops in Central Iowa

Confluence Brewing Company: Is a must stop destination in Des Moines to taste the beer that Des Moines calls it’s own. There’s no better place to enjoy great beer, beautiful times, and good friends with a spacious taproom and patio. In addition, visitors can bring in their own food, buy something from on-site food trucks, or order delivery from one of the nearby local restaurants.

Firetrucker Brewery: Located in Ankeny, Iowa, is an artsy brewery with 16 tappers running high-quality beer and a steady stream of rotating, infusion and seasonal brews. The brewery collaborates with art studios and always has a lot of events on its calendar, such as bingo, happy hour and game tournaments.

The Hall: One of the best places to meet up with friends and get a sense of the local vibe in central Iowa is The

• Greene

• Boone

• Story

• Marshall

• Tama

• Guthrie

• Dallas

• Polk

• Jasper

• Adair

• Madison

• Warren

• Marion

• Mahaska

• Poweshiek

Hall. More than just a standard food hall, it has 54 taps of drinks to choose from. Everyone can find something they like at The Hall, plus there are often fun events to join, such as trivia and bingo.

Des Moines is the hot spot for breweries and wineries in this region of the state, with lots of options to choose from if you stay locally for the weekend or longer. Des Moines-based breweries to consider for your itinerary include 515 Brewing, Big Grove Brewery, Confluence Brewing Company, Court Avenue Restaurant & Brewing Company, Twisted Vine Brewery and the Des Moines branch of Peace Tree Brewing Company. Des Moines-area wineries for your spring travels include Jasper Winery, Summerset Winery and Covered Bridges Winery.

Spring Events in Central Iowa

Similarly, Des Moines takes center stage for spring events, so it’s easy to enjoy a tasty drink, get active or enrich yourself with a bit of culture during a trip here. A fun annual event in March