All my favorite words start with F.
FAMILY. FUN. FESTIVAL. FREE.
Good news for me and any other families in the metro area, those things are fairly easy to come by.
You can scope out any weekend guide and find several fun, family-friendly options. But the selling point for me comes with the price of admission…FREE.
As a mom of three, if I’m able to save on admission costs, it frees up my budget to splurge on treats, souvenirs, and the occasional beer for the grown up that isn’t getting behind the wheel.
Enter the Raccoon River Rally, which checks all the boxes:
FAMILY.
FUN.
FESTIVAL.
FREE.
5 Reasons to Go to Raccoon River Rally
With no shortage of weekend events, here are the top five reasons you should put the Raccoon River Rally at the top of your list.
1. Cardboard boat races
Get a team together and put your creativity and ingenuity to the test during the cardboard boat races. With awards for fastest boat, most creative, best corporate boat, West Des Moines spirit award, team spirit award, and Titanic award… your maiden voyage could just land you some serious bragging rights. Click here for more information on the boat races and to get registered.
2. Bike ride
Kick-off the rally with a bike ride at 11 a.m. From a short trip of 3.2 miles around Blue Heron Lake to a 15-mile ride to Valley View Aquatic Center via the Jordan Creek Trail, this is a family-friendly way to explore the beauty of West Des Moines and get yourself warmed up for all that live music dancing you’re about to do. View the route maps and register for the ride here.
3. Live music
Head to the Aureon Main Stage for an afternoon of all-ages music. Stranger Than Fiction will get the party started and The Nadas will keep things rocking throughout the afternoon. In my personal parenting experience, there is no better way for kids to burn off energy than an all-out afternoon dance party at a free live music show!
4. Great food
Did you work up an appetite between the bikes, boats, and bands? Good news… food trucks will be onsite to help take you from hangry to happy. Refuel with Culinary Nomad, Hot Off the Presses, Karam’s Grill, or Totally Rolled Ice Cream… just to name a few.
5. Family fun zone
Enjoy fun for the whole family with a variety of family friendly activities and vendors. More details to come, so be sure to RSVP on Facebook to stay up to date on the event.
As if those five reasons aren’t enough, you can also scope out some of the coolest companies and organizations at the Business Expo, grab a craft beer from Kinship Brewing at the beverage tent, mix and mingle with friends (both old and new), and support local businesses. A portion of the proceeds will benefit the Athene Pedestrian Bridge project, so you can add supporting an iconic addition to the community to that list as well.
Raccoon River Rally October 8, 2022
11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Raccoon River Park
Interested in volunteering for the Raccoon River Rally? Click here for more information.
