Singer/songwriter John Ondrasik (On drah sick) has spent the past decade writing deeply personal songs that include social messages, invoke the human spirit and make an emotional connection. This can be heard on the past four albums by Five For Fighting, the band name under which he records and performs. With Matt Wertz

Westminster’s Fine Arts Series presents the Alash Ensemble, masters of throat-singing, an amazing technique for singing multiple pitches simultaneously. The group is from Tuva, located between Siberia & Mongolia. Free admission & childcare.

This 12-hour marathon runs through 6 a.m. Sunday and includes access to all IGS Library resources and the expert assistance of our volunteers. Compare notes and enjoy the company of other die-hard family history enthusiasts. Reservations required.

Mar 19, 2010 (Fri) 5:00 PM Mar 20, 2010 (Sat) 11:00 AM Mar 21, 2010 (Sun) 11:00 AM Hy-Vee Hall Features & Special Sections - "Hudson Hornet" from the hit film "Cars" - "El Tiki" from the pages of Ol Skool Rodz - Ratical Rod Altered Street Coupe - Wild Zinger Corvette & Volkswagen - All American Motorcycle Show - Ol Skool Rodz Motorama Traditional Rod & Custom Exhibit - Free Game Hype Gaming Center featuring XBox, Wii and Playstation Games - Take a Ride in the Knoxville Nationals Sprint Car Simulator Special Guest Appearances - Chip Foose from TV's Overhaulin' - Henry Winkler - "The Fonz" from TV's "Happy Days" (charges for autographs) Tickets GA – $13, Children 6-12 – $5, Children 5 and under Friday: Kids Night Free Children’s Admission (12 & under)

Over 300 booths of ideas for your lawn, garden and outdoor living! Come listen to local gardening expert Jerry Kluver tell you how to gear up for spring with seminars throughout the entire weekend. Come see the largest flower show in Des Moines located in Hy-Vees 50' x 50' booth. Over 10 beautiful landscaped displays putting their best look together for you!

Come check it out!

The Easter Bunny will be at Merle Hay Mall to visit with boys & girls.

Come visit the Easter Bunny and get your photo's taken at Southridge Mall.

Valene and Coleman, two brothers living alone in their father's house after his recent death, find it impossible to exist without the most massive and violent disputes over the most mundane and innocent of topics. Only Father Welsh, the local young priest, is prepared to try to reconcile the two before their petty squabblings spiral into vicious and bloody carnage.

Challenge your intellect...
Challenge your friends...
Expand your mind! It's all about the team!
With $5 pitchers and mixed drink specials all night! For further information: www.desmoinessocialclub.org.

Get your geek on at Blue Moon during Pub Trivia! Gather your friends & enjoy 7 rounds of trivia, great prizes & awesome drink specials from 8 -10 p.m. every Tuesday through April 27th! Can DJ Cubbie & the geeks at Select Entertainment stump you? All night enjoy $2.50 draws, $3 bottles, $4 bombs and $3 Captains - but please, save some brain cells for the trivia! And if you work up an appetite, we're offering hot gooey, 12-inch pizzas for only 6 bucks!

The Easter Bunny will be in Center Court to visit with boys & girls. Ride the Bunnyland Express train for only $1! Bunny’s hours are Monday-Saturday 10am - 8pm & Sunday 11am - 6pm. Valley West Mall will be closed Easter Sunday.

Written and performed by Bo Eason and directed by Larry Moss, RUNT OF THE LITTER opens in the final hour of Jack Henry's lifelong dream, only one thing stands in his way -- his brother. The play looks at what happens to two brothers in a family of over-achievers: when their parents assure their oldest son he is destined for football superstardom, and tell their youngest son he is too small to compete, a line in the family sand is drawn that colors the rest of their lives. Runt of the Litter is, in fact, a semiautobiographical account of Bo Eason's life and career as a defensive back for the Houston Oilers in the 1980s, where he played safety. His determination and killer instincts on the playing field remain the stuff of legend. His brother, Tony Eason was the quarterback who led the New England Patriots to the Super Bowl in 1986. It debuted in New York in 2002 and has subsequently been performed by Bo Eason at theatres around the country. Please note: only children age 5 and over with tickets will be allowed into the theater for this production.

Cheer on Iowa's Best Singers! Vocal Hero is a $10,000 singing competition with a $5,000 grand prize. Tuesdays through April 20, Finish Line Show Lounge @ Prairie Meadows. All contestants must have previously qualified to participate. For more information: www.prairiemeadows.com.

Featuring a variety of works created by 15 students in Drake's Art and Design Department, the exhibit will run through Sunday, March 28. This year, 79 works were submitted for consideration. Jill Featherstone, museum education director of the Des Moines Art Center, selected 23 for the exhibition. Matt Selsor, exhibit curator and director of the Anderson Gallery, and the Art and Design Department faculty selected a final work for inclusion as the winner of the Provost's Purchase Prize. "I looked for works that demonstrated a competency in execution while retaining an emotional impact," Featherstone said. "I also wanted to recognize works in every program represented by Drake's Department of Art and Design." The exhibit will showcase art by the following students: •Hannah Boom, a senior graphic design, magazines and art history major from Manchester, Iowa •John Cannon, a senior graphic design major from Eldridge, Iowa •Jennifer Cerna, a sophomore psychology major from Milford, Kan. •Andrew De Broux, a senior graphic design major from Windsor Heights, Iowa •Amanda Rae Bruns, a senior drawing major from Newton, Iowa •Alexandra Doffing, a senior advertising and graphic design major from Hastings, Minn. •Meredith Gallivan, a senior graphic design major from Byfield, Mass. •Hannah Hoffman, a junior graphic design and international business major from Whitefish Bay, Wis. •Tatiana Klusak, a junior advertising and graphic design major from Tiverton, R.I. •Olivia Lansing, a senior graphic design major from Delwood, Minn. •Trisha Lightfoot, a senior advertising and graphic design major from Shenandoah, Iowa •Ashley Machacek, a senior painting major from Arvada, Colo. •Ashley Pettit, a senior drawing and graphic design major from Fort Benton, Mont. •Haley Tatom, a sophomore painting and psychology major from Anchorage, Ala. •Sandra Tomer, a senior graphic design major from Ames, Iowa The Anderson Gallery is open from noon to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday. For more information about the exhibit, contact Matt Selsor at 515-271-1994 or matt.selsor@drake.edu. Search Archive Title and ContentTitleContent Go Go to ArchiveLatest News 03/09/2010 Education dinner to honor five outstanding educators 03/04/2010 Drake series to feature leterpress demonstration 03/03/2010 Drake signs exclusive agreement with Licensing Resource Group 03/03/2010 Greater Des Moines recognized as Track Central USA 03/02/2010 Drake pharmacy professor presented with leadership award 03/02/2010 Grad students help launch literacy program at Polk County Jail 03/02/2010 Student-athletes named to the Pioneer Football League Academic Honor Roll 03/02/2010 Professor LouAnn Simpson named university marshal 03/01/2010 Drake Students in Free Enterprise to host 'Brand Yourself' workshop 03/01/2010 Human-rights advocate to give Drake lecture on Survivorship Stories of War

The Gallery Show of Timothy Florer will be on display during the month of March at St. Mark Lutheran Church, 1115 Grand Avenue in West Des Moines, Room 113 in the east lobby, as part of its Fine Arts Program. The display is open to the public during office hours and during worship services, Saturdays, 5:30-6:30 p.m. and Sundays, 8:30 a.m. – noon. His medium is black and white photography; on display will be works from his first two books: Rural Iowa Ruins and Against The Current. Tim began a serious endeavor into fine art black-and-white photography in 2000. Since 1974, Tim sold life insurance and annuities in rural Iowa and in his travels, he witnessed the decline of rural structures and small towns. He felt the need to capture images of these structures before they became extinct. This mission evolved in 2002 into Tim’s first book, Rural Iowa Ruins. Using the same format, Tim’s second book, Against the Current, was published in 2003; a photographic study of the Upper Mississippi Valley. Tim has had solo shows on the west coast and Midwest, and his works are on display at major corporations and museums. He has been the featured photographer in The Iowa magazine 2005 calendar. He is also the co-founder and director of the 4-H Camera Corps.

The Great Frame Up is hosting a special fundraising exhibit for HOPE International thru March 31st to help rebuild Haiti after the devastating earthquake. Talented local artists have joined with The Great Frame Up to create a special art exhibit to benefit Haiti. Proceeds from the sale of the originals in the collection will go directly to HOPE International for Haiti and a local charity. This is a wonderful art exhibit with proceeds benefiting Haiti. Local artists featured who have donated their artwork for the event include Jill Wells of Indianola, Bill Gordon of Clive, Jane Robinette of Urbandale and many others.

Robyn O'Neil: The World Has Won. A Final Bow Was Taken is a survey exhibition devoted to the Omaha-born, Houston-based artist's work.

First Steps Dance classes are designed to introduce children to the fundamental skills of dance at a cost and time commitment that is minimal to parents. All classes are led by Jennifer McCullough, an instructor who has taught dance for over 12 years. Let your child learn basic dance movements in a non-threatening, recreational environment! Beginning Tap Class NEW! Bring in the Noise!!! Students are introduced to the fundamentals of tap and the foundation of rhythm. The focus is on basic technique and terminology. Students develop body awareness and the ability to express themselves through movement. The program fee covers all 6 weeks of instruction and a long-sleeve t-shirt. Basic children’s tap shoes are available for purchase at The Theatrical Shop in Valley Junction, Mark’s Dancewear in Johnston, or on-line through many retailers. Date(s): Mondays, February 22-April 5 (no class on March 15) Time(s): 6-6:30pm Program #: 10761 Time(s): 6:45-7:15pm Program #: 10762 Location: Raccoon River Park Nature Lodge Ages: 4-6 Fee: $30 PRE-REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED!

Olson-Larsen Galleries will host an opening reception for a group show of artwork by Blair Benz, Karen Chesterman, Mary Koenen Clausen, Peter Feldstein, and Jeanine Coupe Ryding. This event is free and open to the public. The exhibition will be on display through April 3. Butterflies, moths and flowers populate the intricate charcoals of Blair Benz. Benz achieves impossible depth and richness in his small still lifes, which sometimes include landscape elements. His work has been shown in the Gallery of Art in Eugene, Oregon, the Iowa Artists Exhibit at the Des Moines Art Center, and the Midlands Invitational 2000 at the Joslyn Art Museum in Omaha. Karen Chesterman’s recent oil paintings feature hints of unreadable script, Asian symbols and geometric elements. These components both contrast with and complement their backgrounds—the rich, vibrant color fields Karen creates using layers of thin oil paint. Karen’s works hang in Midwestern galleries, private collections, and institutional collections in banks, hospitals, and corporate offices, including those of American Republic Insurance and Kirke Financial Services in Des Moines. Mary Koenen Clausen’s collages are complex and contemplative. Figures composed of mismatched heads and bodies float among animals, icons, musical notes, and foreign texts on backgrounds of thickly layered paint. She was part of the Iowa Artists show at the Des Moines Art Center in 1991 and has been in group shows in Kansas City, Boston, and New York as well as at the Davenport Art Museum and Augustana College in Rock Island, Ill. The most recent series of Peter Feldstein’s inkjet prints feature layers of abstract shapes that appear to be moving and morphing into new configurations. Peter writes that his images “provide an anchor for reflection upon, and hopefully understanding of, my place in my macro community.” Peter’s work has been exhibited at The Center for Creative Photography in Tuscon, the Walker Art Center and the Rhode Island School of Design. In Jeanine Coupe Ryding’s woodcuts, layers of colors, patterns, and shapes are arranged into rhythmic compositions. Her most recent series emphasizes natural imagery such as vines, flower blossoms and leaves. Her prints are in the collections of the Boston Museum of Fine Arts, Des Moines Art Center, New York Public Library, Amoco Corporation, Marshall Fields Company, and Hallmark, Inc. All exhibition works can be viewed at www.olsonlarsen.com on the EXHIBITS page.

Center’s Dome will be filled with brightly colored bulbs, including tulips, daffodils, alliums, hyacinths and a variety of unusual bulbs, February 15-March 31. The garden design is inspired by There was an Old Woman Who Lived in a Shoe and will include a giant shoe, porch swing and children’s toys. Easter lilies will be incorporated for the holiday and children can visit with the Easter Bunny and live animals including bunnies, chicks and ducklings on March 20. Visitors to the Des Moines Botanical & Environmental Center in 2010 will be welcomed with a new horticultural and educational experience as the gardens transform throughout the year, all inspired by popular children’s stories, including Dr. Seuss, Charlie Brown and Eric Carle books. “Story Time in the Gardens” includes seven plant bed changes in the Dome – many bringing the stories alive with life-size props – educational activities, theme-related gift shop items, Riverwalk Café menu choices and special events, all inspired by children’s books. The theme continues into the Show House, with four unique, seasonal designs, and outside to the Herb Garden which is open May through September. Please visit the Des Moines Botanical & Environmental Center throughout the year to see each new garden. The Des Moines Botanical & Environmental Center is a family-friendly environment with plenty of free parking and wheel chair accessible. The Des Moines Botanical & Environmental Center is open daily, 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The Des Moines Botanical & Environmental Center is one of the most popular cultural attractions in Iowa, providing educational, recreational, and community resources to thousands. More than 150,000 visitors visit the Des Moines Botanical & Environmental Center to see over 200 different kinds of tropical and household plants in the Dome. The Des Moines Botanical & Environmental Center is operated by Des Moines Water Works.

Schedule too busy for a 13 week course? Come try our new and exciting mini courses. A wide variety of materials are used in each course to create one complete work of art. The possibilities are endless! Each course meets for TWO Saturday sessions. Ages 6-8 and 9-12 African Masks - February 13 and 20 Gnome Homes and Fairy Houses - February 27 and March 6 Papier Mache Animals - March 27 and April 3 Impressionistic Landscapes - April 10 and 17 Puppet-Making - April 24 and May 1

Artists of the Saturday afternoon Sketch Club.
RECEPTION: Sunday, Feb. 28, 1 - 3 p.m.

“The Dolls of Japan: Shapes of Prayer, Embodiments of Love is sponsored by The Japan Foundation. Japanese dolls reflect the customs of Japan and the aspirations of its people, possess distinctive regional attributes, and over the centuries have developed in many diverse forms. Dolls also provide a showcase for traditional Japanese craft products, such as textiles. In “The Dolls of Japan,” dolls are grouped according to particular events in the Japanese calendar, their method of manufacture, their design and regional characteristics. Included are Japan’s representative dolls, including Hina ningyo (Girls’ Festival dolls) and Gogatsu ningyo (Boys’ Day dolls), which have their origins in ancient customs; dolls connected to traditional performing arts like noh, bunraku and kabuki; regional dolls from throughout the country; and “creative dolls” produced by contemporary craftspeople.

The exhibit traces the history of ACT, Inc. – originally known as American College Testing Program – to a meeting of co-founders E.F. Lindquist, a University of Iowa professor and national expert in educational measurement; Ted McCarrel, UI Director of Admissions and Registrar; and 16 state representatives who met in Iowa’s Old Capitol on the University of Iowa campus on Aug. 21, 1959. That event founded the American College Testing Program, now known as ACT, Inc. The display includes a timeline of major events in ACT history and artifacts from ACT’s past including test documents and components from early test scoring machines. Visitors can also view an audio-video display with recordings from early leaders describing how the organization evolved.