Greater Des Moines, touted as the Midwest’s “unexpected sports mecca,” sees many exciting games and sporting events in 2023. This year, the Iowa city hosts the first and second rounds of the NCAA men’s basketball tournament, March 16–18. This marks the third time the city has hosted college basketball’s Big Dance.
Running May 20–25, Des Moines sees the National Veterans Golden Age Games, in which 400 competitors aged 55 and up compete in 18 sports. These games include cycling, golfing, swimming and running track and field.
IRONMAN 70.3 hits the city June 11, while USA Swimming returns with Speedo Summer Sectionals July 13–16, at Wellmark YMCA pool. Hy-Vee INDYCAR Race Weekend, July 21–23, returns with a bang with more than 80,000 attendees expected.
The largest youth multi-sports event in the country, AAU Junior Olympics returns to Des Moines for the sixth time, July 26–Aug. 5. Some events of this series move to MidAmerican Energy Company RecPlex, a 300,000-square-foot facility in west Des Moines.
Other events happening in 2023 in the city include RAGBRAI (July 26), Savannah Bananas (Aug. 25 and 26) and Major League Quadball (Aug. 26 and 28).
Des Moines welcomes new sports venues to the region in anticipation of these many events. Grimesplex is a sprawling, 50-acre outdoor complex planning to open fall 2023. Also slated to open this year, Ignite Johnston will soon feature Iowa’s largest indoor track and soccer field. Stage 2 of Prairie Trail Sports Complex opens this October, while DMPS Community Stadium, future home to four Des Moines football teams and Drake soccer games, expects to open this August.
Iowa’s first professional soccer stadium transforms a long-dormant section of downtown Des Moines into an energetic, 65-acre development project.
Read This Next
#TrazeeTravel
Insta FeedDining/Entertainment
Oct 8, 2026Fourth Annual Mexology Fest Coming to Riviera Nayarit
Make plans for the Nov. 2–3 Mexology Fest at Grand Velas Riviera Nayarit. The celebration blends Day of the Dead traditions and Mexican spirits, with resort guests enjoying tasting, workshops and more, for four years and counting.
Sponsored Content
A New Rhythm of Work in Seoul
SEOUL REDEFINES THE FUTURE OF WORKATION by seamlessly integrating business, leisure and culture across the city. From the established MICE hub of Magok to the creative energy and scenic lifestyle along the Han River, it offers a dynamic ecosystem where productivity and relaxation naturally coexist — positioning Seoul as a global destination for a new way of working and living.
Hotel
Oct 7, 2026Hyatt Vivid Cancun Ushers in New Era of Social Travel
Wellness tourism continues to grow, and more and more tropical resorts shy away from traditional amenities like swim-up bars, late-night activities and traditional happy hours, instead opting for more immersive and community-driven experiences. A new kind of resort travel is emerging where connection, movement and shared experiences take center stage.
Cruises
Oct 7, 2026MSC Cruises Continues Coral Restoration Efforts
MSC Foundation — part of MSC Group, parent company of MSC Cruises — continues its coral restoration efforts in the Bahamas. Most recently, the foundation outplanted more than 30 nursery-grown fragments of elkhorn coral. Elkhorn coral is a critically endangered species, with the population declining by as much as 97 percent in the Caribbean since the 1980s.
Sponsored Content
Taiwan: Whatever Your Pleasure
Taiwan’s wealth of offerings ensures travelers find destinations, activities and amenities to suit all interests.
Hotel
Oct 6, 2026Embrace Breast Cancer Awareness Month with Special Programming at This NYC Hotel
October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month and The Algonquin Hotel is going above and beyond to show support through a series of events, performances and special programming benefiting American Cancer Society’s Making Strides Against Breast Cancer.
ShareThis