Water Works Park: A Destination for Community, Culture and Connection

Des Moines Water Works Park is transforming into a vibrant community destination in Greater Des Moines (DSM). 

Discover more about the park from Chris Burch, Executive Director of the Des Moines Water Works Park Foundation: 

Des Moines Water Works Park has become a hub for outdoor recreation and community events. How has the Des Moines Water Works Park Foundation helped transform the park into such a vibrant destination for Greater Des Moines (DSM) residents and visitors?

The Des Moines Water Works Park Foundation was established over ten years ago to provide events and activities in the park, allowing Des Moines Water Works to remain focused on water quality and conservation. During our infancy, the construction of the Lauridsen Amphitheater, Killinger Family Stage, Reichardt Family Natural Play Area, Karras Kaul RAGRBRAI sculpture and other park amenities was halted by flooding. As work was completed and events and concerts were planned to kick off the newly developed infrastructure, COVID-19 hit Des Moines. As a result, all public events in Des Moines were cancelled, including those at Water Works Park.  

These two catastrophic events have had the Foundation playing catch-up since day one. It has been over the past five years that the Foundation has been able to actively offer ticketed and free performances and community events at Water Works Park. The development of the Des Moines Biergarten has been a tremendous boost and the potential for even more events in the future paints a bright picture for the park.  

Fridays in the Park at the Lauridsen Amphitheater Biergarten sounds like a great way to bring people together. Can you tell us more about the inspiration behind this series and what visitors can look forward to when they attend?

One of the goals of the Des Moines Water Works Park Foundation is to enhance the guest experience in the park, not only for first-time visitors, but also for our park regulars. The Des Moines Biergarten is an excellent example of a feature in the park that attracts both visitors and locals alike.

Fridays in the Park offer an opportunity to enhance the Biergarten experience on Friday nights by featuring a variety of food trucks, live entertainment and most recently, networking around a picnic table in partnership with the Des Moines Chamber of Commerce. 

The weekly Sunday series, Local Bands, Brews, and Bikes, adds another layer of community engagement at the park. Tell us more about this series and how people can get involved, whether as performers, vendors or attendees.

The Des Moines Biergarten is a perfect way to enjoy a Sunday afternoon in Water Works Park. Whether you're riding your bike, walking the dog or looking for family-friendly live entertainment, Local Bands, Brews, and Bikes has it all. Local performers take the stage from 1 to 4 p.m., offering a diverse range of musical genres for everyone to enjoy under the shade of the trees. Check out the full schedule of free performances here. 

The Cultural Series, presented by the Burnett Family Foundation, celebrates the diversity and creativity of the community through live performances and events at Water Works Park. What inspired the launch of this series and what upcoming performances or highlights should people be looking forward to?

The Lauridsen Amphitheater in Water Works Park offers an excellent backdrop for larger performances, while the Killinger Family Stage accommodates medium to smaller-sized crowds. While the stage is used for ticketed events, the Foundation also engages first-time park users and regulars by offering free community events. These events would not be possible without the support of donors, allowing Water Works Park to host performances by Ballet Des Moines, the Iowa Choreography Festival, Des Moines Performing Arts, Music Under the Stars and many more throughout the season.

Be sure to join us Labor Day Weekend for performances by the Des Moines Symphony as we celebrate a decade of music.

Decades: Back to the 80s

Saturday, August 30, 2025 | Lauridsen Amphitheater at Water Works Park

Take a trip back to the '80s with a high-energy lineup of the decade's biggest hits, including The Power of Love, Time After Time, Material Girl, Another One Bites the Dust, Footloose, Addicted to Love and more! Enjoy the unforgettable music of legends like Madonna, Billy Joel, Debbie Gibson, Huey Lewis & The News, Phil Collons, Queen, Joe Cocker and others. Pack your lawn chair and picnic blanket and join the Des Moines Symphony for a free, family-friendly performances!

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Disco Divas: Back to the 70s

Sunday, August 31, 2025 | Lauridsen Amphitheater at Water Works Park

Break out your platform shoes and get ready to groove as Disco Divas joins the Orchestra to honor the legendary Queens of Disco: Donna Summer, Gloria Gayner, Patti LaBelle, Chaka Khan and Diana Ross along with timeless hits from Earth, Wind & Fire, The Bee Gees and more. Don't miss this free, family-friendly performance!

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For a complete schedule, visit waterworkspark.org.

Beyond the recurring events, Water Works Park hosts a wide variety of programs throughout the year. What other upcoming events or initiatives should people keep on their radar?

The Des Moines Water Works Park Foundation continues to evolve. As a non-profit charity, we continually explore new opportunities and ways to engage park users, offering year-round activities in the park. This includes Foundation programs like Celebrate Nature: An Earth Day Adventure, the Harvest & Handmade Fair and Tinseltown in Water Works Park. 

At the same time, the park can host private rentals, such as weddings or company employee outings, ticketed concerts or free public events. There is an activity in the park almost every weekend. A sample includes Performances with the Des Moines Symphony, the National Senior Games closing ceremonies, the IMT Des Moines Marathon and much more. 

For additional events and seasonal festivities coming up in Greater Des Moines (DSM), visit the calendar of events. You can also find live music happening each week thanks to the “Live Music This Week in DSM” blog series. Plus, follow @DSMpartnership on Instagram for even more things-you-just-can’t-miss happening around DSM.