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Where to find the best arts festivals in Des Moines area

It's me with the Valley Arts Festival poster from Sept. 23, 1973.

Hi! I am Val Van Horne, an Iowa artist who promotes and supports Iowa Creatives through social media with something called River City Art and Music, and I live in an elementary school built in 1939. I will be your guide for the week. This week I spoke with Felica Coe, Larry Kaster, Steve Frevert, Susan Ode Watts, and Annie Williams about the Valley Junction Arts Festival.

Welcome to Off Hours, your free weekly newsletter from the Des Moines Register that highlights all things fun you can do in central Iowa. If you sign up for our newsletter, you get to see this early Thursday morning in your in box.

It's me!

The Deal

Here’s the deal: I love history, festivals, art, and being of service to Iowa’s art community and I am going to incorporate all my loves into this newsletter just for you.

Do you like history? I do, it is a part of my DNA. I uncovered fascinating stories about my roots, some tied to Des Moines and an uncle who worked for the Register and Tribune, and some to Valley Junction, where I live today. Fascinating!