World Food & Music Festival

04/22/2026

Say hello to Ashlynn! 👋

She’s joining our World Food and Music Festival team as our Festival intern. Ashlynn is a junior at Drake University studying Marketing and Public Relations and a captain of the Drake Dance Team!

Festival season is right around the corner, and she’s jumping in to help make it one to remember 🌍

03/11/2026

We’re feeling the love, Des Moines. ❤️🌎🎶

The World Food & Music Festival has been named a Top 10 Cultural Festival in the U.S. in the USA TODAY 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards, coming in at No. 8 nationwide.

Each year, thousands of attendees come together in Western Gateway Park to experience food, music and cultures from around the world — and this recognition belongs to the entire community that makes the festival so special.
Full List Here: https://10best.usatoday.com/awards/best-cultural-festival/

Don't forget to mark your calendars! 📅 We can’t wait to celebrate with you again Aug. 28–30, 2026.

03/09/2026

Each year, our Festival welcomes 90,000+ attendees to Downtown DSM for a weekend celebrating global flavors, culture and music. For small businesses, it’s an incredible opportunity to gain exposure and connect with thousands of festivalgoers. If you're a small business wanting to gain new tools and exposure, Spark DSM is the program for you!

Learn more below at the Greater Des Moines Partnership.

⏰ Applications for the Spark DSM Business Incubator presented by Principal Financial Group close TODAY.

This program helps new and early-stage small businesses grow through education, mentorship and real-world experience, with opportunities to be a vendor at signature Partnership events like the Downtown Farmers’ Market, World Food & Music Festival and Out to Lunch.

Don’t miss your chance to take the next step with your business. Program requirements and curriculum are available on our website.

Learn more: https://ow.ly/X0V650Yrspc

03/04/2026

A little cloudy today… but we’re already dreaming of festival weather.

The World Food & Music Festival returns Aug. 28–30 with global cuisine, live music and the electric atmosphere that fills Downtown DSM every year.

Who’s ready to start the countdown? 🌍🎶

02/11/2026

Your favorite global celebration is up for Best Cultural Festival in the USA TODAY 10BEST Readers’ Choice Awards — and yes, you can vote every single day.

If you’ve ever danced in the streets, tried something new from a local food vendor or found your new favorite artist at The Festival… this is your moment. 🌮🎶✨

Voting is open daily through March 2. Set your reminder. Come back tomorrow. Let’s do this together.

🗳️ Vote here: https://ow.ly/L5MX50YcTqH

02/09/2026

Friendly reminder that you can vote every day for the World Food & Music Festival! 🌍✨ We’d love your vote for Best Cultural Festival in the USA TODAY 10BEST Readers’ Choice Awards.

Voting is open daily through Monday, March 2! Come back tomorrow and vote again!

USA TODAY 10Best 🗳️ Vote here: https://ow.ly/Vi6r50YarCk

02/02/2026

We’re honored to share that the World Food & Music Festival has been nominated for Best Cultural Festival in the USA TODAY 10BEST Readers’ Choice Awards 🎉

If you love global flavors, live music and celebrating cultures from around the world, this one’s for you. Voting officially opened today and runs through Monday, March 2. Cast your vote and help show the world what makes this Festival so special.

Thank you for supporting World Food & Music Festival and the community that brings it to life. You can vote once per day, every day throughout the voting window.

Vote here: https://ow.ly/AnW250Y7P2p

01/30/2026

Calling food vendors, food trucks, merchants and nonprofits 👋

Vendor applications for the World Food & Music Festival, presented by Veridian Credit Union, are closing soon.

This three-day celebration brings cultures, flavors and music from around the world to Downtown Des Moines — and gives vendors the chance to connect with hundreds of thousands of attendees.

⏰ Applications close Friday, Feb. 13 at 5 p.m.! Learn more: https://ow.ly/SW8A50Y6Cmk

01/16/2026

Mark your calendars and bring your appetite 🎶🌍

The World Food & Music Festival, presented by Veridian Credit Union, is coming back in 2026. Join us Aug. 28–30 for a weekend filled with global flavors, live music and cultural experiences from around the world!

Interested in being part of the fun? Applications are now open for food vendors, food trucks, merchants and nonprofit organizations to take part in one of the region’s most diverse cultural celebrations.

Find vendor application information and qualifications here: https://www.dsmpartnership.com/downtowndsmusa/events/vendor-applications

Save the dates and start planning! We’ll see you at the Festival!

01/12/2026

Do you want to be part of the 2026 World Food & Music Festival?

Vendor applications are now open for the 2026 World Food & Music Festival presented by Veridian Credit Union 🌍🎶🍴

We’re inviting food vendors, food trucks, merchants and nonprofit organizations to apply to be part of one of the region’s most diverse cultural celebrations.

📅 Aug. 28 – 30, 2026
📍 Downtown Des Moines

Applications close Friday, Feb. 13 at 5 p.m.
Learn more and apply: https://www.dsmpartnership.com/worldfoodandmusicfestival/news/