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Meet in the Middle

Welcome to Greater Des Moines, Wing Ding 32 attendees! 

We can't wait to host Wing Ding in Des Moines. On this page, you'll find information to help you plan extra things to do around the city, events you won't want to miss and Des Moines' best restaurants and dining experiences. 
  
Thanks KIOA 93.3, the official radio presenting sponsor of Wing Ding 32!

Click on the links below to find out more about the following:

Welcome Party
Road Closures
DMACC Education Courses
Wing Ding 32 Parade & Event Info
Parking
No-Zone Trailer
Local Fireworks Displays
Local Flavors
Schedule of Events
Special Offers
Tour Info

Welcome Party

The Greater Des Moines Convention and Visitors Bureau, the City of Des Moines and Prairie Meadows Racetrack and Casino have put together the 2010 Wing Ding 32 Welcome Party. The party will be Tuesday, June 29 at Prairie Meadows Racetrack and Casino in Altoona. Enjoy the performance from the 50s and 60s band and see the action of the races, including six races that will be dedicated to Wing Dingers.

Other highlights:
The Welcome Party will feature races from 6 p.m. until 7:30 p.m., with the band beginning in the Finish Line Lounge at 8 p.m. In order to enter the VIP area, attendees must wear GWRRA apparel, his/her vest or a Wing Ding 32 wristband. 

Road Closures

Monday, June 28-Saturday, July 3: 5th Street will be closed from Crocker Street to Watson Powell Jr Way.

Friday, July 2: Watson Powell to Grand Avenue will also be closed for the staging of the parade from 3-6 p.m.

Click here for a map of these road closures.

DMACC Education Courses


Click here for a map of the DMACC Ankeny Campus.

Wing Ding 32 Parade & Event Info

Thursday, July 1 - The Light Parade
Join us on Thursday, July 1 for a night of great entertainment, fun and activities in one of Iowa’s greatest downtown districts. 

Historic Valley Junction, the original downtown of West Des Moines, is home to over 150 independent businesses, including unique retailers, great restaurants and professional services. This district is the place to be on Thursdays from May- September, with a farmers' market along the street from 4–8 p.m., along with free live music and beer garden in the park from 5:30–8:30 p.m. Scheduled performers are crowd favorites Malcom Wells and The Two Timers. For more information about the district or calendar of events, visit valleyjunction.com. 

Join us before the Light Parade, which includes 60-100 lighted motorcycles, beginning at 9:30 p.m. 

Great Things Come Together in Historic Valley Junction!

Light Parade Directions                    Light Parade Map

Friday, July 2 - The Grand Parade
The GWRRA Grand Parade begins at 5:30 p.m., alongside the Polk County Convention Complex in Downtown Des Moines. The Grand Parade, which will include 600-800 motorcycles, will start downtown and snake through Greater Des Moines’ beautiful landscape and neighborhoods and end in the suburb of Urbandale, Iowa. The community will await your arrival as Urbandale becomes a center of excitement for the Fourth of July Holiday! Following the parade will be a presentation by the GWRRA’s Drill Team and Top Gun at the Urbandale High School. The Urbandale 4th of July Committee has planned an evening of fun for Wing Ding 32 after the parade. Attendees may take part in the community’s annual Fourth of July celebration, complete with GWRRA’s drill team, carnival vendors and live music from Boomerang Classic Rock and Soul Band. Urbandale’s 4th of July Celebration will last throughout the weekend including a parade on Saturday morning at 10 a.m. and a terrific fireworks display on Sunday evening, July 4 at 10 p.m. Click here for all the fun details.

A shuttle will also run from Merle Hay Mall to the Urbandale festivities. The following is a schedule of events for July 2: 
Grand Parade Directions                    Grand Parade Map

Saturday, July 3 - Downtown Des Moines Farmers' Market
Come down to Court Avenue on Saturday morning from 7 a.m.-Noon to see why the Downtown Farmers’ Market was voted the 7th most loved farmers market in the country, in 2009. As we welcome our Gold Wing friends to the Downtown Farmers’ Market you will enjoy the ambiance created especially to celebrate summer. A stroll through the Market offers a wide variety of activities, including live music and entertainment located in 6 different areas throughout the market. This is the place to find your unique Iowa souvenirs and gifts, in addition to the spectacular mix of farm fresh fruits, vegetables, eggs, meats, and cheeses, the farmers’ markets features hundreds of locally produced products, such as wine, salsa, soaps and jewelry, arts and crafts, and home décor. If you are hungry, this farmers market can curb your appetite for breakfast, lunch, and even ice cream. Click here for more information.

Parking

Free parking will be available at the Park and Ride garage at 7th and Center. The GPS coordinates for the ramp's entrance are 41.353178 N and 93.373634 W.

No-Zone Trailer

Allied logoAllied Insurance presents the Barr Nunn No-Zone Trailer. The No-Zone Trailer, which will be located outside of the Iowa Events Center, will help educate riders on safety, including riding near or behind a semi or trailer and the blind spot areas where crashes are most likely to occur. This area will be open to riders from Wednesday, June 30 to Friday, July 2.

Local Fireworks Displays

Fireworks displays will take place throughout the area July 1-4. Information is available at SeeDesMoines.com/fireworks, as well as at the GDMCVB information booth at the Iowa Events Center. Find out more about activities happening in the area by stopping by the information booth.

Local Flavors

Greater Des Moines has a few hidden gems you won’t want to miss. Try out the city’s tastiest burgers and refreshing ice cream from local shops. From 50s-style diners to delicious barbeque, there’s something for every Wing Dinger to enjoy! Go to SeeDesMoines.com/local_flavors for info.

Schedule of Events

Wing Ding 32 will be held at the Iowa Events Center in Downtown Des Moines, Iowa.
Iowa Events Center: 833 5th Avenue, Des Moines, IA 50309
GPS Coordinates: 41.592266, -93.624263

Click here to view this year's schedule of events.

Special Offers

Take advantage of special offers and discounts ONLY available to Wing Ding 32 attendees. You can also check out our 2010 Coupon Brochure to find other great deals for attractions, golf courses, restaurants and more around the city.

Historic Valley Junction will offer a special seating section by the bandstand for Wing Dingers. Enjoy the Farmers' Market and free live music prior to the Light Parade.

The Downtown Farmers' Market (Saturday, July 3) will offer Wing Dingers special coupons, a special parking area, dedicated tent to relax and take in the farmers' market atmosphere, as well as a dedicated volunteer to help Wing Dingers navigate the event. 

Tour Info

To help make the most of your Des Moines experience, the GDMCVB has arranged tours of several area attractions. Plan your days to take advantage of these memorable sites.

Fees include admission charges and transportation to and from Hy-Vee Hall at the Iowa Events Center. The maximum number for each tour is 52 people.

To make reservations for the tours – please call GWRRA Customer Service at (800) 843-9460.

Thursday, July 1
Morning Tour – 8:45 a.m. - 12:15 p.m.; $10 per person
National Maintenance Training Center (NMTC): Brings in logistics units and train them on virtually everything they will need to know to effectively meet their wartime mission. Our main stays include maintenance, staff planning, supply, distribution, battlefield survivability training, etc. The tour will include the Field Maintenance Shop, Supply Support Activity, Surface Maintenance Shop and Tactical Training Team. All these areas combined help support the logistical needs of the Army. Units can come to NMTC and conduct technical maintenance training and warehousing in addition to training on battlefield survivability. Tour times are from 9:30-10:30 a.m. This tour is not open to the public and has been arranged just for the GWRRA attendees.

The National Maintenance Training Center has been in operation since June 1992. It is the only facility of its kind designed to train direct support and general support maintenance companies throughout the Army (Army National Guard, United States Army Reserve and Active Army). The mission of the 103,000 square feet facility is to provide a training environment for direct support and general support maintenance units to train collectively on force modernization (FORCEMOD) equipment. This collective training is based on the unit’s wartime mission. The National Maintenance Training Center also has the ability to provide command and control training for maintenance battalion, headquarters staff elements.

There are 32 full-time Iowa Army National Guard and 24 Active Duty Army soldiers and officers assigned to the Center to facilitate the Center’s training activities. The Center has the capacity to train 26 units each year which will bring up to 4,000 soldiers and 60,000 man days of training to Camp Dodge.

Iowa Gold Star Museum: Iowa’s premier veterans museum, interprets the Iowa veterans from the Lewis and Clark Corps of Discovery to present day. Exhibits include a WW II era P-40B Flying Tiger airplane replica; a Cobra attack helicopter, a Vietnam era Huey helicopter, and over 200 military small arms. The museum also has a reference library on Iowa and US military history. Camp Dodge has been the site of several cultural surveys that have led to greater awareness about the area's history. Camp Dodge was the 13th cantonment (of 16 total) during World War 1. At one time, Camp Dodge housed and trained 50,000 men preparing for battle. If you enjoy history you will love this tour. Tour times are from 10:45-11:45 a.m.

Afternoon Tour – 1-4:45 p.m.; $20 per person
Terrace Hill: One of the finest examples of Second Empire architecture in the Midwest, was built in 1869 by Iowa’s first millionaire, Benjamin Franklin Allen. When B. F. Allen fell on hard financial times, he was forced to sell Terrace Hill. Local businessman, Frederick M. Hubbell, purchased the house in 1884. The Hubbell family lived in Terrace Hill until they donated the house to the State of Iowa in 1971. In 1976, Governor Ray moved in to Terrace Hill and it has survived as both a National Historic Landmark and the official Governor’s residence to this day. Highlights of the tour include a grand staircase and majestic stained glass window, eight marble fireplaces and ornate stenciling. Tour times are from 1:15-2:15 p.m.

Salisbury House: Described by the National Trust for Historic Preservation as “a nationally significant architectural resource,” the Salisbury Households antique and book collections unique to the Midwest. Explore this 42-room mansion via a guided tour to learn about the Weeks family, their amazing collections, American life in the Jazz Age and their creation of the Armand Company. Highlights of the tour include the home’s Great Hall, Library and works of art and antiques dating from the 1600s to the 1930s. Tour times are from 2:30-3:30 p.m.

Suzette Candies: Suzette Candies has been a Des Moines tradition for over 60 years. They make everything kettle fresh in our small candy factory for our store and other retail stores around the Midwest. They have all kinds of specialty items that are seasonal and unique. Their proven recipes have not changed since the beginning, but we have added items throughout the years, but still have items that people have come for since the beginning. You will have the opportunity to visit one of Des Moines oldest and sweetest traditions. You won't leave disappointed or hungry. This is an exclusive tour and not open to the general public. Tour times are from 3:45-4:30 p.m.

Friday, July 2
Morning Tour – 8:45 a.m. - 12:15 p.m.; $10 per person
National Maintenance Training Center (NMTC): Brings in logistics units and train them on virtually everything they will need to know to effectively meet their wartime mission. Our main stays include maintenance, staff planning, supply, distribution, battlefield survivability training, etc. The tour will include the Field Maintenance Shop, Supply Support Activity, Surface Maintenance Shop and Tactical Training Team. All these areas combined, help support the logistical needs of the Army. Units can come to NMTC and conduct technical maintenance training and warehousing in addition to training on battlefield survivability. Tour times are from 9:30-10:30 a.m. This tour is not open to the public and has been arranged just for the GWRRA attendees.

The National Maintenance Training Center has been in operation since June 1992. It is the only facility of its kind designed to train direct support and general support maintenance companies throughout the Army (Army National Guard, United States Army Reserve and Active Army). The mission of the 103,000 square feet facility is to provide a training environment for direct support and general support maintenance units to train collectively on force modernization (FORCEMOD) equipment. This collective training is based on the unit’s wartime mission. The National Maintenance Training Center also has the ability to provide command and control training for maintenance battalion, headquarters staff elements.

There are 32 full-time Iowa Army National Guard and 24 Active Duty Army soldiers and officers assigned to the Center to facilitate the Center’s training activities. The Center has the capacity to train 26 units each year which will bring up to 4,000 soldiers and 60,000 man days of training to Camp Dodge. This tour is not open to the public and has been arranged just for the GWRRA attendees.

Iowa Gold Star Museum: Iowa’s premier veterans museum, interprets the Iowa veterans from the Lewis and Clark Corps of Discovery to present day. Exhibits include a WW II era P-40B Flying Tiger airplane replica; a Cobra attack helicopter, a Vietnam era Huey helicopter, and over 200 military small arms. The museum also has a reference library on Iowa and US military history. Camp Dodge has been the site of several cultural surveys that have led to greater awareness about the area's history. Camp Dodge was the 13th cantonment (of 16 total) during World War 1. At one time, Camp Dodge housed and trained 50,000 men preparing for battle. If you enjoy history you will love this tour. Tour times are from 10:45 a.m.-11:45 a.m.

Afternoon Tour – 1-4:45 p.m.; $20 per person
Terrace Hill: One of the finest examples of Second Empire architecture in the Midwest, was built in 1869 by Iowa’s first millionaire, Benjamin Franklin Allen. When B. F. Allen fell on hard financial times, he was forced to sell Terrace Hill. Local businessman, Frederick M. Hubbell, purchased the house in 1884. The Hubbell family lived in Terrace Hill until they donated the house to the State of Iowa in 1971. In 1976, Governor Ray moved in to Terrace Hill and it has survived as both a National Historic Landmark and the official Governor’s residence to this day. Highlights of the tour include a grand staircase and majestic stained glass window, eight marble fireplaces and ornate stenciling. Tour times are from 1:15 p.m.-2:15 p.m.

Salisbury House: Described by the National Trust for Historic Preservation as “a nationally significant architectural resource,” the Salisbury Households antique and book collections unique to the Midwest. Explore this 42-room mansion via a guided tour to learn about the Weeks family, their amazing collections, American life in the Jazz Age and their creation of the Armand Company. Highlights of the tour include the home’s Great Hall, Library and works of art and antiques dating from the 1600s to the 1930s. Tour times are from 2:30 p.m.-3:30 p.m.

Suzette Candies: Suzette Candies has been a Des Moines tradition for over 60 years. They make everything kettle fresh in our small candy factory for our store and other retail stores around the Midwest. They have all kinds of specialty items that are seasonal and unique. Their proven recipes have not changed since the beginning, but we have added items throughout the years, but still have items that people have come for since the beginning. You will have the opportunity to visit one of Des Moines oldest and sweetest traditions. You won't leave disappointed or hungry. This is an exclusive tour and not open to the general public. Tour times are from 3:45-4:30 p.m.