Des Moines’ biggest street party is back on July 8-9 this year. The signature event of the Des Moines Music Coalition, 80/35 Music Festival, draws more than 30,000 people to downtown Des Moines annually since 2008 to celebrate new music from Iowa and beyond. After twelve editions, the festival paused in 2020 and 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. 2022 will be the thirteenth edition of 80/35 and we’re so happy that it’s back. Check out below for our top five reasons why you should attend.
Featured Photography: Eric Hermann
There are FOUR FREE STAGES of Live Music
It’s not just Charli XCX at the festival this year, although we’re really excited for her too. 80/35 Music Festival will feature one ticketed stage, the HyVee main stage, as well as more than 50 bands on four FREE stages. Even if you don’t know a single person on the lineup, you’ll leave with a new favorite. Check out and save the Instagram post below for full lineup details on the stages.
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- The Kum & Go Stage, a free stage located on 10th Street between Walnut and Locust, features a diverse mix of regional, national, and international acts. Headlining the Kum & Go Stage on Friday will be New York party starters !!! (Chk Chk Chk), with acclaimed bass guitarist and Prince collaborator MonoNeon headlining Saturday. “This stage,” said Mickey Davis, 80/35 Festival Director, “is a place to catch bands before they’re huge. Anyone in the crowd for Lizzo’s show-stopping performance in 2016 will know the energy of emerging acts on the Kum & Go Stage.”
- The Bravo Stage, a free stage located on 13th between Walnut and Locust, boasts an all-Iowa lineup across the two days of the festival. Friday will be headlined by American Idol winner and Iowa native Maddie Poppe, and Saturday will be headlined by Des Moines hard rock band Vended.
- The Emerging Artists Stage showcases Des Moines musicians under the age of 21, including performances from DMMC Summer Camps and Girls Rock! Des Moines. Headlining on Friday is The Crust Band; on Saturday, the stage is headlined by Plumero, an all-female indie rock band. This stage is free.
- Last, but certainly not least, the Iowa Public Radio Stage will feature special performances throughout the weekend to be announced. The stage is free and located in the pocket park between Des Moines Public Central Library and the Temple for Performing Arts.
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More Than Just Music: The Emerging Photographers Program
There’s a full stage of emerging artists, but there’s also a full team of young emerging photographers capturing the moments! The Young Emerging Photography Fellowship at 80/35 is designed to provide hands-on instruction and experience to aspiring photographers, including workshops with professional photographers working with some of today’s top musicians. It was created in part to help reduce barriers to entry for concert photography, an industry often plagued with gatekeeping and lack of transparency. We can’t wait to see the magic the inaugural fellows of this program bring to the fest this year.
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Proceeds Invested Back Into The Community
Did you know that the organization running 80/35, The Des Moines Music Coalition, is a nonprofit?
80/35 began as a two-day festival in downtown Des Moines in 2008, featuring headliners The Flaming Lips and The Roots. Its goal? To encourage music discovery and bring new sounds to Des Moines. And so it did. Since then, 80/35 has always encouraged listeners to celebrate and support music in our great city.
The proceeds from the festival are invested back into the community through programs that work to support musicians and music professionals of all ages in Des Moines. This includes music education programs with Des Moines Public Schools, music summer camps, professional development programs for musicians, and local music showcases, including Gross Domestic Product.
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We encourage you to take advantage of all of the free music and activities, but to also purchase a ticket for the HyVee Main Stage to invest back into the community and keep this festival rockin’ for years to come.
GA Tickets
- Friday Only: $55
- Saturday Only: $65
- 2-Day General Admission: $95
More Than Just Music: The Food Trucks, Street Vendors, and Artists
The music is great, but we really love the food trucks and street vendors. That’s why outdoor festivals were truly so missed, no? The 80/35 community village will also host more than 20 nonprofits and local artists, street performers, and the variety of art and culture displayed throughout downtown so you’ll never be bored. It’s a celebration of community, music is just the avenue that brings us all together.
Check out the list of food vendors below!
Essential Part of Des Moines Summer
“Since 2008 the festival has become an essential part of the fabric of summer in Des Moines, and we look forward to celebrating the musicians, music fans, music industry workers, and volunteers who make this festival so special,” says Mickey Davis, Executive Director of the Des Moines Music Coalition. We can’t wait to see you there!
Can’t get enough?
Check out all the details about the 80/35 Music Festival, and it’s history in the community, at the link below.
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