Aug. 16-22, 2024

On Sept. 14 and 15, the Iowa State Barn Tour will include the Big Red Barn a mile east of Polk City on 118th Street. The barn was built by Adam Schaal, the same man who built the Museum on the Square. The museum will be open both days from 1-4 p.m. Roxana Currie, who is spearheading the hunt for other Schaal buildings, will be available to answer questions. For information on the barn tour, visit https://iowabarnfoundation.org/barns/1876-moeckly-barn.

Polk City Museum on the Square events

The Polk City Museum, 116 S. Third St., on the west side of the Square, is open on Thursdays from 4:30-6:30 p.m. during Farmers Market. 

• Steve Holmes, a Civil War Reenactor, will share the history of Polk City’s own Civil War soldiers on Sept. 24 at 6 p.m. at the Polk City Museum on the Square. Letters, pictures, family stories held in the Museum collection plus his extensive knowledge will make this program come alive.

Polk City Farmers Market

The farmers market is held in the heart of the town square every Thursday from 4-8 p.m. running through Sept. 5. It's a gathering of local farmers, artisans and vendors showcasing produce, handmade crafts and artisanal goods. With a lively atmosphere and a variety of offerings, it's the perfect place to support local growers and artisans while enjoying the community spirit. Don't miss out on this weekly celebration of fresh flavors and local talent.

Bike Night

Enjoy Bike Night in Elkhart, sponsored by Mean Machine Cycles, 462 W. Walnut, Elkhart. Enjoy food, music, prizes, bikes and more Friday, Aug. 23.

Polk City Community Library News

Polk City Community Library, 1500 W. Broadway St., 515-984-6119, www.polkcityia.gov/library.

• Ruth Suckow Traveling Exhibit, Aug. 11 – Sept. 8. A traveling exhibition celebrating the life and work of Iowa novelist and short story writer Ruth Suckow, who lived from 1892-1960, will be on display at the library.
• Monday Book Club, Monday, Aug. 19, 2 p.m. Join us for a discussion of “The Silent Patient” by Alex Michaelides. Alicia Berenson’s life is seemingly perfect. One evening, her husband, Gabriel, returns home late from a fashion shoot, and Alicia shoots him five times in the face and then never speaks another word.
• Adult Coloring, Tuesday, Aug. 20, 5 p.m. Join us for a relaxing evening of coloring on the third Tuesday of the month. Colored pencils and gel pens will be provided. You are also welcome to bring your own. Ages 17 and older.
• Plant and Produce Swap, Thursday, Aug. 29, 6 p.m. Is your houseplant collection starting to resemble a rainforest? Have so much zucchini coming in that it’s coming out of your ears? Stop by the library to trade homegrown produce, plants, seeds and tips with other enthusiastic gardeners. We'll have labeling supplies available. New to plant parenthood? No problem. There are sure to be extras, so feel free to drop by even if you don't have a plant or veggie to bring.
• Ladies’ Wednesday Coffee, Wednesdays, 10 a.m. to noon
• Sit N’ Stitch, Thursdays,  6-8 p.m. Bring your current project and join us for stitching and conversation.
• Men’s Friday Coffee, 10 a.m. to noon.

Polk County Conservation events

Visit www.polkcountyiowa.gov/conservation/events for information about upcoming programs offered by Polk County Conservation and for registration links.

• Hike For Health at Brown’s Woods, Monday, Aug. 19, 9:30 a.m. Why walk the mall when you can enjoy the great outdoors? Hike along with this friendly group of nature lovers who walk the trails each month for exercise and fun. Registration required by Aug. 18. The event is free and for ages 10 and older.
• Sunset Yoga, Mondays, Aug. 19, 7 p.m., and Sept. 16, 6:30 p.m., Jester Park Nature Center. Take time to unwind as the sun sets on the outdoor plaza or the Great Hall of the Jester Park Nature Center. The class will begin with a short nature hike to give participants a chance de-stress and enjoy the beauty of nature. The yoga class is perfect for beginners. The focus is on creating a mind and body nature connection as the sunsets. This Rooted in Nature program is offered in sponsorship with UnityPoint. Items to bring: yoga mat and blocks, hiking shoes, comfortable clothing, water bottle. Cost is $15 for this event for ages 12 and older. Registration is required two days in advance.
• Women in the Woods with Wine - Prairie Ponderings, Tuesday, Aug. 20, 7-9 p.m., Jester Park Nature Center. Tall grass prairie once covered 85% of Iowa's landscape. Most of this unique habitat has long since vanished; however, life on the prairie still lives today. During the program, we will stroll through the prairie to learn about the unique plants and animals that live there. This program is for women ages 21 and older who want to become more comfortable and knowledgeable about the natural world by joining other women interested in getting outside. Registration due by Aug. 18. Cost is $15.

Events in the area

Email your event information to tammy@iowalivingmagazines.com

Indianola Car Show, Tractor Show and Swap Meet
Aug. 24, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Warren County Fairgrounds, Highway 92, Indianola
The Two-Lane Cruisers of Iowa is hosting this event. To enter or for more information, call Curtis or Cliff, 515-577-2279 or 515-419-3824.

Summer Sundaze
Sunday evenings through Sept. 8, 6-8 p.m.
Jamie Hurd Amphitheater, 4100 Mills Civic Parkway, West Des Moines
Enjoy free live music and food trucks. Visit wdm.iowa.gov/JHA for more information.

Farmers Market | Music in the Junction
Through September, Thursdays, 4-8:30 p.m.
100-300 blocks of Fifth Street and Railroad Park
The Valley Junction Farmers Market features more than 80 weekly vendors selling fresh produce, baked goods, plants and flowers, arts and crafts, and prepared foods. The Farmers Market is from 4-8 p.m. Music in the Junction is 5-8:30 p.m. at Railroad Park. The beverage garden opens at 5 p.m. with live music starting at 6 p.m. Concerts are:
Aug. 22: Echos V
Aug. 29: Recoil
Sept. 5: Sons of Gladys Kravitz
Sept. 12: Get Off My Lawn
Sept. 19: Jana West and Retrospect
Sept. 26: The Punching Pandas

Food Truck Fridays
Fridays, Sept. 6 and 13, 5:30-8 p.m.
Campbell Park, 12385 Woodlands Parkway, Clive
Live entertainment and food are presented by Clive Parks and Recreation and the Clive Chamber of Commerce. Jump on the Greenbelt Trail and make your way to Campbell Park to enjoy music, food and fun. Bring the whole family. The park has three playgrounds and a green space. Bring a blanket or a lawn chair. Note: Campbell Park is now a cashless facility. No cash is accepted. Payment methods are Visa, Mastercard, Discover, American Express, Apple Pay and Google Pay. Sept. 6 features the Dick Danger Band, and Sept. 13 features Brother Trucker.

Paint Madison County, a Plein Air Festival
Sunday, Sept. 22
The public can watch artists at work at various sites around Madison County from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. A reception and sale will be from 4-7 p.m. at Covered Bridges Winery, 2207 170th Trail, Winterset. New this year is a youth division for participants with prizes awarded. For more information, visit www.madisoncounty.com.

Log Cabin Days celebration
Heritage Village, 1300 W. Second Ave., Indianola
Saturday, Sept. 28
10 a.m. - Parade (line up at the Administration Building at 9 a.m. – no sign up required)
11 a.m. to 1 p.m. - Chicken and noodles Lunch
11 a.m. to 7 p.m. - Heritage Village Experience (including pioneer wedding and funeral in the chapel, teacher in the schoolhouse, pioneer family in the log cabin and shopping in the general store), Crafts of the Past demonstrations, children's craft fair, raffle, food and vendors on the lawn.
Sunday, Sept. 29
10 a.m. to 4 p.m. - Tournament day with cribbage, chess, horseshoes and corn hole; bingo, family games, raffle, food and vendors. 

Other events:

Aug. 23-24: Huxley Prairie Festival. “The prairiest festival around.” Railroad Park, Heart of Iowa Nature Trail, Huxley. www.huxleyprairiefest.com

Aug. 23-25: World Food and Music Festival. The award-winning festival brings together two of life’s greatest offerings from all sides of the globe. Western Gateway Park, 1205 Locust St., Des Moines. www.dsmpartnership.com/worldfoodandmusicfestival
 
Aug. 24: Ingersoll Live. The annual block party returns to host vendors of all kinds, live music and plenty of family-friendly fun. From 3-10 p.m. along 2300 Ingersoll Ave. www.theavenuesdsm.com
 
Aug. 24: Wine and Cider Festival. Get a taste of Iowa's grape and apple harvest from more than 20 Iowa wineries and cideries. Jasper Winery, 2400 George Flagg Parkway, Des Moines. www.jasperwinery.com

Aug. 31 - Sept. 2, 7-8, 14-15: Fall Faire Renaissance Faire. The Renaissance Faire at Sleepy Hollow returns. The park changes to immerse attendees into the olden days for two weekends full of fun. Sleepy Hollow Sports Park, 4051 Dean Ave., Des Moines. www.sleepyhollowrenfaire.com
 
Sept. 6: Savannah Bananas. The Bananas bring their bananas style of baseball back to Des Moines. They tweak the rules of America’s favorite pastime, get the crowd involved and have tons of fun doing it. Principal Park, 1 Line Drive, Des Moines. www.thesavannahbananas.com
 
Sept. 6: Marc Maron. Maron has been an icon in the standup comedian and podcast scene for more than a decade. Starting at 8 p.m. at Hoyt Sherman Place, 1501 Woodland Ave., Des Moines. www.hoytsherman.org
 
Sept. 14: Applefest. Celebrate and sink your teeth into the apple harvest season. A full day of family fun and entertainment at Living History Farms, 11121 Hickman Road, Urbandale. www.lhf.org
 
Sept. 14: Norwalk Music Fest. All participating musicians are from central Iowa. The fest will have food vendors, games, beer tent and activities. Norwalk City Park, 907 North Ave., Norwalk. www.norwalkhometownpride.org/home
 
Sept. 20-21: Beaverdale Fall Festival. A community festival featuring food, drinks, art, commercial vendors and plenty of entertainment. Downtown Beaverdale. www.fallfestival.org
 
Sept. 20-22: Pufferbilly Days 2024. More than 30 different events coincide during the Pufferbilly Days celebration. Everything from spelling bees to concerts, pet shows, car shows and more. Downtown Boone, 903 Story St. www.boonecountychamber.com
 
Sept. 21-22: Latino Heritage Festival. An action-packed weekend for the largest celebration of Latino heritage in Iowa. Western Gateway Park, 1205 Locust St., Des Moines. www.latinoheritagefestival.org
 
Sept. 26-27: Third Annual "Ron Don" Cigar, Bourbon & Brew Bash. The fun is in the name: cigars, bourbon and brews, with a pheasant hunt on day one. Country Lane Lodge, 29300 Prospect Circle, Adel. www.rmhdesmoines.org
 
Sept. 26-28: Des Moines Area Quilt Guild Quilt Show. You’ll be hard pressed to find something more comfortable to keep you warm than a homemade quilt. Luckily, this show has you covered. Iowa State Fairgrounds, 3000 E. Grand Ave. www.woodsidequilting.com/dmaqg-quilt-show.htm
 
Sept. 27-28: Oktoberfest. To no one's surprise, there will be a lot of beer. However, there’s plenty of fun to go around the entire weekend with food, music and competitions. Lauridsen Amphitheater, Des Moines Water Works Park, 2251 George Flagg Parkway. www.oktoberfestdsm.com 

(Family Features) Begin building tiny, healthier practices into routines you already have to help make it easier to establish habits you can stick to. This concept is called “habit stacking,” and it can help you improve habits from morning to night.

Consider those busy mornings when you need an on-the-go solution. Rather than opting for sugary foods and drinks, turn to Green Tea Berry Banana Smoothies that include unsweetened green tea. When incorporated as part of an overall healthy diet, unsweetened tea can support heart health.

This no-sugar-added recipe from Lipton, a proud national sponsor of the American Heart Association’s Life is Why campaign, can help you enjoy healthier mornings while checking emails or hydrating before heading to the office.

Green Tea Berry Banana Smoothies
Recipe courtesy of the American Heart Association
Servings: 4 (1 1/2 cups per serving)

• 3 cups water
• 8 single-serving green tea bags
• 16 ounces frozen mixed berries (about 3 cups)
• 2 medium bananas, peeled, cut in half and frozen
• 1 cup fat-free plain Greek yogurt
• 2 teaspoons fresh-grated peeled gingerroot (optional)
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract (optional)
• 2 teaspoons chia or flax seeds (optional)

In small saucepan over high heat, bring water to boil. Remove pan from heat. Submerge tea bags. Steep 4 minutes. Discard tea bags. Let tea mixture cool 30 minutes. Pour into pitcher. Refrigerate 2 hours, or until chilled.

In food processor or blender, process tea, berries, bananas and yogurt until smooth. Add gingerroot and vanilla, if desired, and process until smooth. Pour into four glasses. Sprinkle with chia seeds, if desired.

Nutritional information per serving (without optional ingredients): 136 calories; 1 g total fat (0 g saturated fat, trans fat, polyunsaturated fat and monounsaturated fat); 3 mg cholesterol; 23 mg sodium; 29 g carbohydrates; 5 g fiber; 18 g total sugars (0 g added sugars); 8 g protein.

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