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5 Free Things to Do in Downtown DSM in March

Five Free Things to Do

Downtown Des Moines (DSM) is a great place to be year-round — and it’s affordable, too! This month, take a look at these five totally free events and things to do in Downtown Des Moines.

Sample Local Food at Seed & Source

Saturday, March 2 | Greater Des Moines Botanical Garden 
At the free event, Seed & Source: Your Year of Local Food, you’ll connect with local producers, learn where to source local food and other goods, find tips to map out your own garden and make plans for a full year of local eating. Bonus: You’ll also get to sample local foods, too! This event is provided by Cultivate: Local Food Connections, the Wallace Centers of Iowa, Iowa Food Cooperative and several other partners.
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Seed & Source

Celebrate International Women's Day 

Friday, March 8 | Big Grove Brewery
More than 14 women-owned businesses will descend on the Downtown Des Moines brewery, including: Bing’s & I Support the Girls Iowa, DSM Craftsmaker Collaborative, Jenni King with Simply Stella Rose, Jill Darzweena, Macramade By Kelc, Imperfect Inspiration, Blissful Crafts, Cheer's Ink by Danielle Johnson, Crème Bakery plus Big Grove Brewery’s very own Rachel Reed, Brittani Coe and Meri Deerr. Girls On the Run and Barely’s Angels will both also be on-site to share how you can get involved.
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International Women's Day Market

Come One, Come All to the St. Patrick's Day Parade

Saturday, March 16 | Along Grand Avenue 
March is the month for green! The Friendly Sons of St. Patrick will host the annual free parade throughout along Downtown DSM’s Grand Avenue on Saturday, March 16. Don your best festive attire, bring a lawn chair or blanket to sit on and snag a spot along the route, then settle in for festive Irish floats and lots of St. Patty’s Day fun!
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St. Patrick's Day Parade

Explore Indoors Throughout the Skywalk

Spanning the Historic Court District to Western Gateway Neighborhoods
With four-plus miles of indoor, climate-controlled skywalks to navigate, weather can’t stop this Downtown DSM adventure! Play I Spy, try a family-friendly scavenger hunt by finding all the letters of the alphabet on the various skywalk signs or make a game of searching for 20 unique restaurants. The opportunities to play and explore are endless. Use our helpful Downtown DSM map to find your way!
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Browse Art + History at Hoyt Sherman Place

Hoyt Sherman Place, 1620 Pleasant St., Des Moines
Did you know Hoyt Sherman Place was became the first public art gallery in Des Moines in 1907? Self-guided tours of the art collection and original Hoyt Sherman mansion, built in 1877, are available at no charge during weekdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. as long as an event isn't currently taking place.
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Hey! We think you might also be interested in a few other free events taking place just outside of Downtown Des Moines this month, including opportunities to enjoy global food, culturally infused art and other unique, diverse experiences:

Plan your visit to Downtown Des Moines (DSM) with these tips for parking and navigation and follow @downtownDSMUSA on Instagram for more epic, things-you-just-can’t-miss happening around Downtown.

Greater Des Moines Partnership

DSM USA is the regional identifier for Greater Des Moines (DSM). DSM USA is a bold statement to the world: This is a welcoming, diverse and vibrant community with affordable and accessible amenities for residents and businesses. This regional identifier is the result of significant quantitative and qualitative research. The Partnership will champion the DSM USA message, and encourages its Investors, its more than 6,500 Regional Business Members and DSM USA Ambassadors to help share the region's story with One Voice.