Around Des Moines

With global climate change, will “March winds bring April showers bring May flowers” still hold true? The wind has been strong in the past few days but not dramatic for most of the month. Now April showers are starting early and a spring time thunder storm passed over the city this morning. The temperature was a balmy 38 degrees Fahrenheit.

The big event of last weekend was the NCAA first and second round women’s basketball championship games held at Wells Fargo Arena. Iowa State made it to round two on Monday night but lost out to #2 Rutgers. DART, the local transit authority, has transportation to Wells Fargo Arena on its list of desired services but I doubt that such service would have run late enough for me to take the bus home. Once again, that lack of transit service kept me from attending something in the city that I really wanted to see.

There are plenty of things to do in the days ahead. With rain forecast for much of the weekend, you might want to think of indoor plans. If you have not yet seen the Cornelis Ruhtenberg retrospective at Olson-Larsen Galleries in West Des Moines’ Valley Junction, Saturday, March 29th will be your last chance.

Sunday, March 30th, will be your last chance to hear Botanical Blues this year. “Mojo” Jono Smith and Willie James Shay will be the performers. This week’s show runs from 12:30 to 4:30 p.m. Tickets are $4 for adults. The Botanical Center is at 909 Robert D. Ray Drive.

Sarah Plain and Tall opens at the Des Moines Playhouse (831 42nd Street) on Friday, March 28th and runs through April 13th. The play is based on the Newbery Award-winning book by Patricia MacLachlan. The protagonist moves from Maine to become wife to a farmer in Kansas and stepmother to his children in pioneer days. Adult tickets are $15. Show times are: Fridays at 7:00 p.m., Saturdays at 1:00 p.m., and Sundays at 1:00 and 4:00 p.m.

“A Star is Born” is the theme for this week’s free presentation in the Spring astronomical series at the Drake Municipal Observatory. Time is 8:00 p.m. The observatory is located on Waveland Golf Course. Take Polk Boulevard north from I-235 or south from University Avenue to Observatory Road. This is a short street with a “T” intersection and will put you directly into a parking lot.

Planned Parenthood’s Spring book sale begins on Thursday, March 27th. Admission on Thursday is $10 and the event is open from 4:00 to 10:00 p.m. Admission is free the next four days: on Friday and Saturday from 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m and on Sunday and Monday from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. The sale is being held in the 4H building at the state fairgrounds and proceeds are used to fund the organization’s education services.

Lighten Up Iowa will play a Granny Basketball team at 5:30 p.m.on Thursday, the 27th, at the Central Campus gym (1800 Grand).

M.R. Field encourages organizations and performers to send news about their upcoming events to events@AroundDesMoines.com.