Though the bitter cold of winter is setting in, entertainment and events are still in full swing across the state. Listed here are a smattering of noteworthy Iowa events scheduled from now to the start of spring. Tickets for all shows are available via ticketsmarter.com.
More:From 'Hamilton' to Hinterland, here are 17 of the biggest Des Moines area events of 2022
Tedeschi Trucks Band
Date: Jan. 19
The 12-piece soul and blues band Tedeschi Trucks Band that's been performingfor more than a decade brings songs such as "Everybody's Talkin' " and "They Don't Shine" to the Des Moines Civic Center,221 Walnut St.
The show is scheduled forJan. 19 at7:30 p.m. with tickets starting at $29.50.
More:Guitar icon Derek Trucks talks self-producing new album
Maddie Poppe
Date: Jan. 21
Maddie Poppe became an Iowa sweetheart when she won season 16 of "American Idol" with her performances that include singing and playing the guitar, piano and ukulele.
Since her victory on "American Idol," Poppe released her album "Whirlwind" in 2019, the same yearshe played the Iowa State Fair. A year later she released her holiday EP "Christmas from Home."
Poppe also performed in Johnston Town Centerfor the opening of The Yardlast year, appearing at several central Iowa venues since then.
The Clarksville-nativefolk singer performs atBridge View Center Theater, 102 Church St., in Ottumwa on Jan. 21 at7:30 p.m. during the50th annual Cornbelt Cow-Calf Conferenceaccording to the release announcing her appearance. Tickets for this upcoming eventstart at $16.50.
Winter Jam
Date: Jan. 22
Winter Jam brings an annualtour ofChristian musicians withperformers such as Skillet, Tauren Wells, KB, Colton Dixon and others on Jan. 22 to Des Moines' Wells Fargo Arena,233 Center St.
Doors open for the show at 5 p.m. that day with tickets running $10 at the door.
'American Pie' 51st anniversary
Date: Feb. 3
It's been nearly 63 years Buddy Holly, J.P. "The Big Bopper" Richardson and Ritchie Valens died in a plane crash a few minutes after takeoff from Mason City—a moment alluded to as "the day the music died," a reference to Holly's death, in Don McLean's"American Pie" — andjust over a half-century since McLean'slandmark songwas released. With that latteranniversary in mind, McLean gets back on the road, and his Iowa show at the Surfside Ballroom in Clear Lake already sold out.
A news release notes thathis latesttour celebrates 51 years since "American Pie"snagged a No. 1 spot on the Billboard chart and, clocking in at more than eight minutes,was the song with the longest run time to hold that spot up until "All Too Well (Taylor's Version)" last year.
“After spending the past 18 months at home, I am thrilled to be getting back on the road with my band,” McLean said in the release. "...We will be performing all the songs from the 'American Pie' album plus many of the other hits that fans will be expecting to hear.”
McLean'sshow at the Surf Ballroom, 460 N. Shore Drive, takes place on Feb. 3 at 7 p.m., part of the Winter Dance Party, which takes its name from the tour Holly, Valens and Richardson played in 1959 and is now an annual tribute to the legacies of the three performers. Killer Vees and Friends play the Winter Dance Party on Feb. 4 followed by Los Lobos on Feb. 5.
More:From the archives: 'American Pie' isn't a song about Buddy Holly, Don McLean says: 'It's about America'
Step Afrika!
Date: Feb. 5
Step Afrika! featuresa group of performers based out of Washington, D.C., who showcasea form ofstep dance, a percussive dance derived from traditional African dance, modernizedby African-American college students in the early 1900s.
The troupe appears at theDes Moines Civic Center,221 Walnut St.,at 11 a.m. on Feb. 5 with tickets starting at $12.
More:Hancher Auditorium hosts Step Afrika online while preparing for way forward
'Tootsie'
Date: Feb. 8-13
A 2018 musical based on the 1982 comedy film of the same name, "Tootsie" follows Michael Dorsey, a struggling actor who is only able to successfully land a role when he adopts the femalepersona of Dorothy Michaels.
The show took home a pair of TonyAwards in 2019, including Best Book of a Musical.
Tickets for "Tootsie," which arrives at the Des Moines Civic Center —221 Walnut St. — on Feb. 8,start at $40.
Lewis Black
Date:Feb. 10
Comedian Lewis Black brings his "Off The Rails" tour to Des Moines' HoytSherman Place, 1501 Woodland Ave., at 8 p.m. on Feb. 10.Black started his career as a stand-upcomedian inthe 1980s, becoming famous for his comedic rants, andwent onto win two Grammy Awardsfor his material. His career also includesfilm and television appearances onComedy Central's "The Daily Show" and inPixar's "Inside Out."
Tickets for the show are on sale nowwith prices rangingfrom$49.50-$69.50.
More:Lewis Black 'Off The Rails' coming to Hoyt Sherman Place in 2022
The Mavericks
Date:Feb. 18
The country band The Mavericks tours with its first Spanish-language album,"En Español," which debuted at No. 1 on Billboard's Latin Pop chart in September 2020. The tour makes a Feb. 18 stop at Hoyt Sherman Place,1501 Woodland Ave., at 7:30 p.m.Tickets for the show range from $50 to $70.
More:The Mavericks come to Hoyt Sherman Place on tour behind first Spanish-language album
Blue Ribbon Bacon Festival
Date:Feb. 26
The event that brands itself as world's top bacon festival returns whenBlue Ribbon's annual baconfestival returns toHorizon Events Center, 2100 NW 100th St., in Clive on Feb. 26.
The theme will be "Bacon Gras: A Ragin' Cajun Bacon Celebration" and the event features bacon-infused iterations of Cajun-style dishes, local music acts, a silent disco and a bacon-eating contest.
Only 5,000 tickets are available for the 2022 event, starting at $50.
More:BaconFest co-founder to replace Iowa State Fair's Diamond Jacks with new 'pork-centric' concession and bar
'The Magic Flute'
Date: March 5-6
The Des Moines Metro Opera performs "The Magic Flute," anadaptation of Mozart's two-act opera of the same name, with performances set against an animated backdrop.
"You're not watching a movie," Michael Egel, thegeneral and artistic director of Des Moines Metro Opera,told the Des Moines Register in September. "This is a fully animated, technological marvel. It’s very forward-looking to me because it blends animation and technology with live performance.”
The show takes place at the Des Moines Civic Center,221 Walnut St., on March 5 at 7:30 p.m. and March 6 at 2 p.m.Tickets for the show start at $25.
More:Des Moines Metro Opera announces $15 million fundraising campaign, lineup for 50th anniversary season
'Spinosaurus: Lost Giant of the Cretaceous'
Date:March 10
As part of Des Moines Performing Arts' National Geographic Live series, Dr. NizarIbrahim willdiscuss his Spinosaurus discoveries during "Spinosaurus: Lost Giant of the Cretaceous" at 7:30 p.m. on March 10 over the course of this 90-minute event.
Tickets for "Spinosaurus: Lost Giant of the Cretaceous" at the Civic Center,221 Walnut St., start at $15.
Little Feat: 'Waiting For Columbus' Tour
Date:March 8
The classic rock band Little Feat started in 1969 in Los Angeles and developed a repertoire that ranged from the countryfied trucker anthem "Willin'" to the New Orleans-inspired "Dixie Chicken," the heavy funk of "Spanish Moon" and the straight-ahead rock of "OhAtlanta"— all part of the extensive "Waiting for Columbus" album tracklist.
Little Feat comes toDes Moines' Hoyt Sherman Place,1501 Woodland Ave., on March 8 as part of a tour marking 45 years since the shows captured on "Waiting for Columbus." In this latest tour, the band will performthe entire albumjust as it wasrecorded—live.
Tickets are on sale for$45-$95.
More:Little Feat bringing 'Waiting for Columbus' tour to Des Moines' Hoyt Sherman Place
'Rent: 25th Anniversary Farewell Tour'
Date: March 11-12
After 25 years of performances,Jonathan Larson's Tony Award- and Pulitzer Prize-winning musical "Rent" is doing one finalreprise before the show steps out of the spotlight.
For those who have long loved the show or those who havebeen waiting 525,600 minutes or more to see a live performance, "Rent" will be at the Des Moines Civic Center,221 Walnut St.,for two days and three showson March 11 and 12.
Late last year, "Hamilton" creator Lin-ManuelMirandamade his directorial debut with the film adaptation of Larson's other musical"Tick, Tick... Boom!" on Netflix.
Tickets for "Rent" start at $40.
Jurassic Quest
Date:March 11-13
Jurassic Questwill bring itsMesozoicmenagerie —with more than 100 to-scale animatronic dinosaurs fromApatosaurusto Tyrannosaurus rex to a 50-foot-longMegalodon— toHy-Vee Hall in the Iowa Events Center, 730 Third St., for three days March 11-13.
The programhas a text line, 844-DINO-411,for those who want more fossil facts or want to ask more questions about dinosaurs. Tickets for the event start at $19.
More:Discover 4 of the fossils found in Iowa when Jurassic Quest journeys to Des Moines
Toto: 'Dogz of Oz' Tour
Date: March 17
Toto returnsto Des Moines on March 17 withclassic rock renditions of"Africa" and "Rosana."Its Dogz of Oz tour comes to Des Moines' Hoyt Sherman Place,1501 Woodland Ave.
This announcement comes as Toto's "Africa" has recently crossed the threshold of one billion streams viSpotify. Over the course of its existence, the group has won three Grammys.
Toto previously played Des Moines, appearing during the Iowa State Fair with Yes, a progressive English rock band from roughly thesame era of music as Toto,in 2015 when the two groups did a collaborative tour.
Tickets for the event go on sale on Jan. 14 at 10 a.m. starting at $59.
Isaac Hamletcovers arts, entertainment and culture at the Des Moines Register. Reach him at ihamlet@gannett.comor 319-600-2124, follow him on Twitter @IsaacHamlet.
