The Des Moines Arts Festival will take over Western Gateway Park this weekend, filling the area with visual art, food and live music. The festival has been happening since 1958, when it started as “Art in the Park”, but this year marks 20 years since the festival moved downtown to Western Gateway Park. 

The festival has also received the Gold Grand Pinnacle Award for “Best Festival in the World” by the International Festivals and Events Association, as well as over 120 other Pinnacle Awards, according to the festival’s official website. 

This year, the festival will host 26 food booths and trucks, a craft beer tent, selections of short films, a juried art fair with 180 of the nation’s best artists selected from a jury process and live music on two stages. 

Des Moines-area and nationally known artists will be playing on both the HyVee Main Stage and Acoustic Stage, presented by the Meredith Corporation. Indie rock group Saint Motel will be playing the HyVee Main Stage on Friday night at 8:30 p.m. The band was last in Des Moines supporting Panic! at the Disco on their Death of a Bachelor tour. 

Due to the large number of sponsors, the festival is free to the public. Parking will be available in the parking ramp at 1100 Walnut Street, and valet parking is available for $10 per car. 

For more information, please visit the Des Moines Art Festival’s website.