I didn’t start Big Green Umbrella Media with the idea of it becoming an event company, and I still don’t envision events being the biggest part of what we do. We are publishers, first and foremost, and we do other things to complement that effort.
Along the way, we have now run more than 60 events with more than 15,000 people attending. That’s not going to fill Madison Square Garden or even Wells Fargo Arena, but it does help introduce hundreds of you to our advertising customers at each of our events, and that was — and continues to be — our focus.
I was recently forced to review our event history, as our ticketing provider sent a notice stating it was purging all event data prior to 2022. If we wanted any of that information, we were told we had to download it individually. So, I did, and that started my trip down memory road.
Summer Stir. Martini Fest. Des Moines’ Most Likeable People. Chocolate Walk. Winter Brewfest. Business People Making a Difference. Fire and Ice. Best of Des Moines. Martinis and Mules. Fine Spirits Festival. Wine and Whiskey Walk. Kids Expo. Some are huge successes. Some have gone away. Win some. Lose some.
We got into the event business by accident nearly two decades ago. A company out of Minneapolis that put on beer festivals contacted me about doing one in Des Moines. I asked Jeff Bruning of Full Court Press what he thought, and he said he was considering doing a beer festival, too. So, the three of us put the first one on together. Ultimately, there were too many cooks in the kitchen, you might say. Jeff and I then hosted them for a few more years, bringing the Iowa Cubs and Mindy Toyne into the mix. Even more cooks in the kitchen. Ultimately, we all parted ways but not before I learned much about the event business and what I expected to get out of it.
We next started multiple other alcohol sampling events with the ultimate goal of helping to introduce more of our CITYVIEW readers to more of our advertising customers, which, in many cases, were bars and restaurants. We don’t profit much from these events, as our customers keep the ticket revenue — and we want them to. More importantly, they are able to introduce their businesses to people who will come back and spend even more with them later.
We have since launched other types of events, many focused on recognizing the people, places and events that make central Iowa so great. We like doing that.
My initial goal with events was to offset the loss of classified revenue that Big Tech had taken from us. We easily surpassed that but did so with much more cost, a lot more work and a whole lot of fun. Want to join us for our next event? Or do you need a last-minute gift for a friend or family member? Buy tickets online now for Fire & Ice, which will be Jan. 18 in Valley Junction. Until then, cheers!
Shane Goodman
President and Publisher
Big Green Umbrella Media
shane@dmcityview.com
515-953-4822, ext. 305
www.thedailyumbrella.com
See Shane Goodman's past columns here. |
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FROM KCCI: Osceola shooting: Police investigating suspected attempted murder-suicide. OSCEOLA, Iowa — On Tuesday morning, a shockwave was sent through the quiet Grade Lake Park neighborhood on Lake Shore Drive in Osceola. Gunshots were fired inside the home of 85-year-old Jim and 83-year-old Mary Ellen Kimball. Police are calling it an attempted homicide-suicide inside the couple's home. ...READ MORE
FROM WHO-TV: Trump sues Des Moines Register, pollster. (The Hill) — President-elect Trump sued the Des Moines Register and pollster J. Ann Selzer on Monday over a poll released just before Election Day indicating Vice President Harris had a sizable lead in Iowa. ...READ MORE
FROM WOI: Survey: Iowa farmland prices dip 3.1%, breaking five-year growth trend. The survey was first conducted in 1941, and was the first of its kind in the nation. 75 counties of Iowa's 99 reported a decrease in average farmland value in 2024. ...READ MORE |
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Clear Mortgage meteorology
We'll see flurries during this morning in the Des Moines area and again in the evening. Another light snow chance comes our way Saturday. Watching Monday for precipitation chances as well.
For help with pre-approvals or refinancing, get in touch with Originating Branch Manager Carrie Hansen at carrie.mortgage. |
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| Read the latest CITYVIEW | | | PEOPLE & PETS
Yoga cat and puppy bonds
By Jackie Wilson
Pet owners may declare they are either dog lovers or cat lovers. Gary Hepker doesn’t need to decide on either.
He likes both.
Gary recently adopted Gracie, a 9-month-old mini goldendoodle. He desired a small dog for a long time and was on the waiting list at the Animal Rescue League (ARL), but he couldn’t find one. He found a puppy instead. | | | READ MORE |
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Woebegone Wednesday
Dunker’s by Matt will close permanently at the end of the month. Most of Jefferson mourns.
Reckoning the year in food and hospitality
Breakout restaurateur of the year - Trang Pham. The owner of Egg Roll Ladies parked her food trucks at a permanent brick and mortar café on Second Avenue. The 31-year-old single mom and army vet also formed a not-for-profit company to help others. And to close out the year, she opened Eggroll Ladies Downtown (604 Locust St.) creating a ground zero outlet for the least messy of all finger foods .
Bargains today
• Wine bottles are half-price on Wednesdays at Trostel's Greenbriar (5910 Merle Hay Road, Johnston). They are offering $25 credits on $100 of holiday gift certificates.
• Barntown's (9500 S.E. University Ave., West Des Moines) Wednesday specials are a pound of chicken tenders with fries and two sauces for $11.99, plus $13 core pitchers of beer.
• Wednesday is Biryani Festival at Chowrastha (5910 Ashworth Road, West Des Moines). Buy two and a third is free.
• Wednesdays bring steak night to Club 2000 (422 Indianola Road, Des Moines). Steaks are cooked to order with salad, potato and bread, $14.99.
• Angry Goldfish (2301 S.W. Ninth St., Des Moines) offers hot beef sandwiches with mashed potatoes and gravy for $11.50 on Wednesday.
• Kids eat free with every paying adult on Wednesdays at Chuck’s (3610 Sixth Ave., Des Moines).
• Rangemasters Training Center (10520 Hickman Road, Clive) has a Wednesday ladies day special of $13 per person for live firing range and one target. $10 handgun rentals or BYOG.
• Basic Bird (2607 Beaver Ave.) offers $1 chicken wings on Wednesdays.
• Price Chopper stores have a sale now on Pepsi products at $4.99/12 pack when you buy three.
• It's cavatelli night at Eastside Eddie's (3517 E. 26th St., Des Moines) served with garlic bread for $10.
• Bordanaro's (6108 S.W. Ninth St., Des Moines) has a Wednesday-Thursday only special on carryout pizza. They start at $6.50 for a 10-inch cheese pie. Each ingredient added is an extra charge, but this pretty much adds up to half-price pies.
• Waterfront stores have a special "mixed grill risotto" tonight from 4 p.m.
• Fresh Thyme (2900 University Ave., West Des Moines) has a sale on crab, scallops and shrimp, including Alaskan King crab through Christmas Eve.
— Jim Duncan, jd91446@aol.com |
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The 2024 results ...
CITYVIEW's Best Of Des Moines® | | | Best Local Cupcake Shop
1. Molly’s Cupcakes
2. Crème
3. The Bake Shoppe
The 2025 Best Of Des Moines Poll is now closed. Results will be published in the February 2025 issue of CITYVIEW. |
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| Featured home for sale | | |
$382,990 5112 N.W. 169th St. Clive, IA 50325
D.R. Horton, America’s Builder, presents the Hamilton. This home is located in our Highland Meadows community conveniently located near I-80, making commuting a breeze. This community combines small-town living with big city accessibility. The Hamilton Ranch home includes 4 Bedrooms, 3 Bathrooms, and a Finished Basement providing nearly 2,200 square feet of total living space! ....
See the listing here.
| | | See More Homes For Sale |
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| SOLD: Featured commercial real estate transaction | | | 2220 20TH AVE. N.W. ALTOONA
SALE DATE: 2024-08-29
SALE PRICE: $36,413,318
SELLER: HAWKEYE INVESTMENT PARTNERS I LLC
BUYER: KREUTZER TRUST
ACRES: 17.499
SQUARE FEET: 314,940 |
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Featured in the current
issue of Johnston Living magazine | | | Holiday recipes
Residents share the recipes that make the season bright.
By Ashley Rullestad
Favorite dishes are often at the heart of holiday gatherings. Their aromas wafting through the house signal time to join family and friends in celebration, reminiscing and gratitude. Their tastes spark memories and conversation. For many, certain recipes are a holiday must. They are inextricably woven into the fabric of the season, and the festivities wouldn’t feel complete without them.
Titus’ sausage balls
“The tradition of having sausage balls at holiday meals was started by my mother-in-law, Ellen,” Sara Hayden Parris says. “One of my first Christmases with my husband’s family, we were at her house, and we were eating some snacks she had put out. Ellen was resting in a chair and had sat down with a sausage ball in her hand. As she was talking, she flung her hands down by her side… and my miniature poodle mix, Titus, came right up and took it out of her hand. He very much enjoyed his sausage ball, and we all had a good laugh.
“Titus is no longer with us, but every holiday we make the sausage balls and Ellen recounts the story, and Titus’ memory lives on,” she says. | | | READ MORE |
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FROM ESPN: NBA announces revamped All-Star tournament for San Francisco. ... READ MORE
FROM SPORTS ILLUSTRATED: Report: Michael Vick Hired As Norfolk State's New Head Coach ... READ MORE
FROM Yahoo Sports: Oleksandr Usyk vs. Tyson Fury 2: AI-powered judging to be used during heavyweight rematch ... READ MORE |
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1620: Mayflower arrives at Plymouth Harbor. On December 18, 1620, with the English ship Mayflower anchored in Plymouth Harbor, Massachusetts, a small party of sailors from the vessel go ashore, as its passengers prepare to begin their new settlement, Plymouth Colony. ...READ MORE
1865: Slavery abolished in America with adoption of 13th amendment. Following its ratification by the requisite three-quarters of the states earlier in the month, the 13th Amendment is formally adopted into the U.S. Constitution, ensuring that “neither slavery nor involuntary servitude… shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction." .... READ MORE
1941: Japan invades Hong Kong. ... The first wave of Japanese troops landed in Hong Kong with artillery fire for cover and the following order from their commander: “Take no prisoners.” Upon overrunning a volunteer antiaircraft battery, the Japanese invaders roped together the captured soldiers and proceeded to bayonet them to death. Even those who offered no resistance, such as the Royal Medical Corps, were led up a hill and killed. ... READ MORE
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| Birthdays and notables | | | Happy birthday Kristine McDonald!
These celebrities were born on this date: Billie Eilish, Brad Pitt,Christina Aguilera,Bridgit Mendler, Ashley Benson, YBN Nahmir,Steven Spielberg, Katie Holmes, Ronald Acuna Jr., Lyrica Anderson, Keith Richards
SUBMIT: Send your birthday greetings and congratulatory notes to: tammy@iowalivingmagazines.com |
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The answer to the last riddle:When musicians perform on stage, the sound bounces off the walls; however, when a pigeon performs on stage, the sound does not bounce. Why? A COO STICKS! Other answers from Rex Post and Gail Tomlinson.
Today's riddle: What do you call a Irish man bouncing off the walls?
Have a guess? Email tammy@iowalivingmagazines.com |
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To advertise in the Daily Umbrella or Johnston Living magazine or weekly, contact:
Andrea Hodapp
Account Executive
Office: 515-953-4822 ext. 322
Mobile: 515-883-0523
andrea@iowalivingmagazines.com
©Big Green Umbrella Media, Inc., all rights reserved.
www.biggreenumbrellamedia.com.
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