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- Indianola is home to the National Balloon Classic, a nine-day hot air balloon festival held annually in the summer, the Des Moines Metro Opera, a world renowned major American Summer Opera Festival, and Simpson College.
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The National Balloon Classic spans nine incredible days. More than 150 hot air balloons take to the skies in a burst of brilliant color as pilots from around the world test their skills in pursuit of points, prizes, and the championship titles.
The National Balloon Classic is an annual event in Indianola that features hot air balloons, balloon rides, competitions, and family entertainment. Visit the National Balloon Classic website for more information.
- National Balloon Classic
- National Balloon Museum & Hall of Fame
- Lake Ahquabi State Park
- Indianola Downtown Square
- Blank Performing Arts Center
- Warren County Historical Society
- Buxton Park Arboretum
- Summerset Trail
- Summerset Winery
- Paramount 7 Theatre
For nine days at the height of summer more than 100 hot air balloons from across the world take to the skies over Indianola. At the National Balloon Classic the most skilled balloon pilots vie for points and prizes, wowing the crowds below in the process. To go with this unforgettable spectacle there’s live music, great food and drink, a vintage ba...
In honor of that prestigious event, Indianola is home to one of only two ballooning museums in the United States. The National Balloon Museum was founded in 1975, five years after the first championships were held in the city, and the attraction found a permanent home in 1988. In a building designed to resemble two inverted balloons, the museum’s a...
This spectacular park, on the shores of a 115-acre reservoir, is just moments south of downtown Indianola. Lake Ahquabi State Park opened in 1936 and was a Civilian Conservations Corps (CCC) project, with several Rustic-style structures preserved on the National Register of Historic Places. Come summer the park is a hive of activity, whether you wa...
In many ways Indianola is the epitome of a Midwestern small town, but if you assume the downtown area is sleepy, you may be in for a shock. Squeezed into a few blocks around the Warren County Justice Center is a rare diversity of stores, services, restaurants and bars, including a craft brewery (West Hill Brewing Co.). You’ve got a deli, an antique...
Seating 467, this modern auditorium is on the Simpson College Campus in Indianola. The Blank Performing Arts Center takes the limelight in summer, becoming a cultural destination for the Midwest, when it hosts the Des Moines Metro Opera’s annual festival in June and July. In a rolling repertory there are three mainstage operas during the festival. ...
At the County Fairgrounds, the Warren County Historical Society maintains a museum, genealogical library and an outdoor Historical Village that is open in the summer. The main museum building has two floors of exhibits, a couple of standouts being rare collections of Winchester tools and a McCoy pottery. There’s also a model train exhibit that is s...
Indianola’s oldest park was donated to the city in 1906 and lies on the north side of the Simpson College Campus. Ideal for an easy stroll, Buxton Park Arboretum has serene formal gardens, an ornamental fountain, butterfly garden, a gazebo and plentiful public art. One fantastic recent arrival is the children’s garden, both multisensory and interac...
Indianola is the southern terminus for an 11-mile multi-use trail through the rural idyll southwest of Des Moines. On the course of an abandoned railroad, the Summerset Trail runs all the way to the town of Carlisle, crossing the Middle River on the way. The portion closest to Indianola is definitely the most scenic. Here on the south bank of the M...
Minutes out of town, one of Iowa’s largest-producing wineries sits by the south bank of the Middle River. Summerset Winery hosts tours and all kinds of private and corporate events, while the tasting room is open to the public Tuesday to Sunday all year round. There’s a 12-acre vineyard on the property, first planted in 1989 and now growing nine di...
Something else to love about downtown Indianola is that there’s a seven-screen multiplex just down from the Justice Center. Part of the Iowa-wide Fridley Theatres chain, the Paramount 7 opened in 1990 and is still an affordable place to watch the latest Hollywood releases. As ever, Tuesday is the cheapest day, but there are also daily discounts for...
Jul 28, 2023 · Attendees can schedule their own rides in a hot air balloon during the classic. It isn’t cheap — prices start at $250 per person — but it does provide a remarkable view and the sense of having defied gravity.
Hot air balloons do not fly during the day’s heat; therefore, after the morning competition, the balloon field gates remain locked until 4:00 p.m. This is the perfect time to explore our vibrant community.
Jul 10, 2021 · This year’s event will commemorate 50 years of ballooning in Indianola with a vintage balloon inflation to kick off the event July 30 at the Memorial Balloon Field, located at 15335 Jewell St. in...
Jul 10, 2023 · For nine days every summer, the central Iowa skies fill with colorful hot air balloons as part of Indianola’s National Balloon Classic. This annual festival is one of my favorites and draws thousands of balloonists and spectators alike to this small town.
