Saturday, June 14, 2008, is Flag Day. Sunday, June 15th, is Father’s Day. That’s all I’m willing to say with certainty about this weekend’s activities. Even then the flag pole may be better used as a place to tie up the boat.
As I write this on Wednesday evening, the flow out of Saylorville Lake is expected to crest on Sunday and reach Des Moines several hours later. Some planned events may still happen, but that can change as the flood waters continue to rise.
Many regular destinations, such as the Science Center, have closed temporarily to protect sensitive items against flood waters. Even if they re-open before the water levels on the Des Moines go down, think before you go. Throughout Wednesday public officials kept asking people traveling to the dam at Saylorville and gathering around the downtown bridges to see the water to stay away. I hope the farmers’ market is cancelled. The traffic on a regular Saturday morning is abominable around the market and people habitually park on the bridges and walk along the river. Earlier on Wednesday, Capital City Pride announced the parade on Sunday was cancelled but that other activities would continue. Again, that could change.
Despite the seriousness of the flooding and the many people who are directly impacted by it, much of the metropolitan area’s population is experiencing only minor inconvenience due to road closings or other peripheral consequences. While large disasters bring out people willing to help, there are many people who are won’t be able to step in and do physical work. Some of these have young children to entertain. They are looking for something to do on the weekend. The local forecast for the weekend is for pleasant temperatures and clear skies. It would be a lovely time for attending sports events, bicycling, or even going to one of the state political conventions.
Although the downtown bridges across the Des Moines River are closed to traffic, there are still plenty of routes over the river that do not require much of a detour for automobiles. Pedestrians, bicyclists, and bus passengers will be considerably more inconvenienced but they can still get from one part of the city to another. Friends and family members can still get together for Father’s Day. Music can still be heard at various venues throughout the city. Plays and some festivals should still go on. If you are one of the people spending your weekend working against the floods or waiting for water to recede to assess the damage, my wishes for the best go out to you. If you are one of the people unimpeded by the floods, please respect the tremendous amount of work required to limit the damage. Whatever you choose to do this weekend, check the travel conditions and operational status of your destination before you head out, graciously accept unexpected closures as a priority of greater needs, and stay safe.
M.R. Field encourages organizations and performers to send news about their upcoming events to events@AroundDesMoines.com. 
You must log in to post a comment.