When one thinks of an abundance of art and culture, Des Moines may not be the first city that comes to mind. Iowa’s capital has been the target of much criticism over the years for its lack of almost everything – especially art and culture.

This weekend though, the riverfront – Locust Street, Walnut Street and Court Avenue bridges, along with 1st Street and East 1st Street – will be featuring some of the best culture and art the United States has to offer.

The Des Moines Arts Festival has been ranked the seventh best fine arts festival in the nation, and has attracted over 500,000 people in the last five years. The festival evolved from the 40-year-old Art in the Park, a gated event that attracted 20,000 people at its peak.

Mo Dana, director of the Des Moines Arts Festival, said city leaders were trying to identify an event that could be presented downtown to promote the city and improve the quality of life in Iowa.

After a change in leadership and location, Art in the Park was reinvented and became a nationally-recognized event that attracts premiere artists from all over the country. With support from more than 75 sponsors and over 500 volunteers the Des Moines Arts Festival continues grow as one of the nation’s most prestigious art events.

“Des Moines has turned out to be a hub for a sophisticated audience that no one would ever expect,” says fifth-year exhibitor Dennis Heimbach.

This year there were over 800 applications to the Des Moines Arts Festival and it will showcase a wide artistic spectrum of 14 different categories. Among those categories are drawing and pastels, photography, ceramics, jewelry, wood, glass, metalworks, painting and sculpture. The downtown riverfront will be transformed into a collage of 150 art booths representing 33 different states.

“Fifty percent of the artists are new this year, so we are delighted to post these booths in our city,” Dana says.

The festival is free of charge and offers entertainment for all ages including interactive art activities, art demos and a variety of live entertainment acts ranging from the Ballet Theatre of Des Moines to local folk rock artists, the Nadas, Dana says.

Eighteen food vendors will line the streets serving food from around the world and a European garden will be replicated along the downtown riverfront. Not only does the Des Moines Arts Festival offer community members an opportunity to celebrate art, but it also attracts thousands of perspective art buyers from around the Midwest. Over one million dollars worth of art work is sold at the festival each year.

“The show offers art for the first-time buyer who only wants to spend $40 and for those with deep pockets,” Heimbach says. “The festival is an experience for everyone.”

Dana welcomes community members to the Des Moines Arts Festival whether they are looking for a piece of original artwork to buy or they simply want to enjoy the displays and chat with the artists.

“The Des Moines Arts Festival just goes to show that Iowans really do embrace culture and the arts, which is not what we’re known for,” Dana explains. “We were delighted to get national attention and show that Iowa is a culturally alive and advanced place to live.”