Iowa’s Latino Heritage Festival, the Quad Cities Marathon, AsianFest, Oktoberfest and several free family events fill the final weekend of September.
IOWA — The final weekend of September brings major festivals, races, free concerts and family events across Iowa and the Quad Cities, with options in Des Moines, Moline, Davenport, Cedar Rapids, Waterloo, Keokuk and West Des Moines.
Iowa’s Latino Heritage Festival returns to downtown Des Moines for two days, while thousands of runners and spectators will gather in Moline for the Quad Cities Marathon. Other options include a free Asian cultural festival in Cedar Rapids, Iowa Oktoberfest in Waterloo and a free Sunday concert in West Des Moines.
Events below are scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 26, and Sunday, Sept. 27. Hours, ticket prices and parking details are current as of Sept. 24.
Family events include Festival Latino, the Quad Cities Marathon and Geode Family Fest
Iowa’s Latino Heritage Festival — Des Moines
When: Saturday, Sept. 26, 10 a.m.–11 p.m.; Sunday, Sept. 27, 10 a.m.–6 p.m.
Where: Western Gateway Park, 1205 Locust St., Des Moines
Cost: $5 for adults; children 12 and younger enter free
Parking: Free parking at the Nationwide ramp, 1100 Walnut St.
Iowa’s Latino Heritage Festival will bring live music, food, dance, cultural exhibits, artists and children’s activities to Western Gateway Park. Saturday offers the longest schedule, with programming continuing until 11 p.m.
Hola America News has a complete guide with admission, parking and festival logistics.
Related: Iowa Latino Heritage Festival: $5 Entry and Free Parking
Festival updates and the current program are available through the Iowa Latino Heritage Festival.
Quad Cities Marathon — Moline and the Quad Cities
When: Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 26–27
Sunday races: Marathon, half marathon and relay at 7 a.m.; 5K and 10K at 7:15 a.m.
Start/finish area: Downtown Moline near John Deere Commons and Vibrant Arena
Cost: Free for spectators; race participation requires registration
Parking: Race-day parking is available at Vibrant Arena at The Mark, 1201 River Drive, Moline.
Saturday includes the race expo and packet pickup from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., a one-mile run/walk at 10 a.m. and the Happy Joe’s Kids Micro-Marathon at noon. Sunday’s races travel through Moline, Bettendorf, Davenport, Rock Island Arsenal and back into Illinois.
Spectators can also use a free MetroLink shuttle to a designated cheer zone on Arsenal Island. The I-74 and Centennial bridges are expected to remain open to vehicle traffic during the race.
Related: Quad Cities Marathon 2026: Race times, packet pickup, parking and road closures
Race maps, spectator locations and the weekend schedule are available from the Quad Cities Marathon.
Geode Family Fest — Keokuk
When: Saturday, Sept. 26, beginning at 6:30 a.m.; Sunday, Sept. 27, beginning at 6:30 a.m.
Where: First Christian Church, 3476 Main St., Keokuk
Cost: $25 for adults 16 and older; $5 for ages 6–15; children 5 and younger are free
Check-in: Festival headquarters is in the First Christian Church parking lot.
The 22nd annual Geode Family Fest includes guided geode hunts, rock and mineral vendors, geode cracking, identification activities and family programming. Online registration has closed, but walk-up wristbands remain available at the registration tent.
Saturday includes morning and afternoon hunt sessions, while Sunday’s final guided hunts begin in the morning and the festival closes at 1 p.m.
Current schedules are available from Keokuk Area Convention & Tourism Bureau.
Free events are scheduled in Cedar Rapids, West Des Moines and Davenport
AsianFest 2026 — Cedar Rapids
When: Saturday, Sept. 26, noon–9 p.m.
Where: NewBo City Market, 1100 3rd St. SE, Cedar Rapids
Cost: Free admission
Parking: The organizer has not posted a dedicated festival parking lot.
AsianFest 2026: The Story of US will feature food, cultural exhibits, live performances, a market bazaar, fashion, lion dancing, martial arts, inflatables and more than 50 vendors at NewBo City Market.
The festival is hosted by Iowa Asian Alliance and is open to all ages. Event information is available through the Iowa Asian Alliance.
Free coats and shoes for children — Davenport
When: Sunday, Sept. 27, 2–5 p.m.
Where: Lincoln Center, 318 E. 7th St., Davenport
Cost: Free
Requirement: A parent or guardian must be present with a child receiving shoes or a coat.
Soles for Children will distribute new shoes, coats, hats, gloves and socks during its Davenport event. Free food, children’s haircuts, hairstyling, music and other activities are also planned.
Related: Free coats and shoes for kids Sept. 27 in Davenport
Families can contact Soles for Children at 309-292-3210 or visit the organization’s website.
The Lamplighters at Autumn at the Amphitheater — West Des Moines
When: Sunday, Sept. 27, 5–7 p.m.
Where: Jamie Hurd Amphitheater, 4100 Mills Civic Parkway, West Des Moines
Cost: Free
Parking: Free parking is available at West Des Moines City Hall, the West Des Moines Library and the WDMCS Learning Resource Center.
The Lamplighters will perform as part of West Des Moines’ Autumn at the Amphitheater series. Food trucks will operate from 4 to 7 p.m., and visitors can bring lawn chairs or blankets for seating.
The city posts schedule and weather-related changes through West Des Moines Parks and Recreation.
Iowa Oktoberfest keeps downtown Waterloo active into Saturday night
Iowa Oktoberfest — Waterloo
When: Friday and Saturday, Sept. 25–26
Where: Anton’s Garden, 518 Sycamore St., Waterloo
Cost: Free admission
Saturday events: Harvest Market at 10 a.m.; Barktoberfest registration at 10:30 a.m. and dog parade at 11 a.m.
Iowa Oktoberfest brings German food, beer, live music and games to downtown Waterloo. Saturday also includes a Harvest Market with pumpkins and mums and the Barktoberfest dog costume contest and parade.
Admission is free, while food, drinks and market purchases are sold separately. The festival schedule is available through Iowa Oktoberfest.
Saturday offers the latest events for evening plans
Several daytime events continue well into the evening. Iowa’s Latino Heritage Festival runs until 11 p.m. Saturday in Des Moines, AsianFest continues until 9 p.m. in Cedar Rapids and Iowa Oktoberfest continues Saturday in downtown Waterloo.
The weekend calendar will be updated if organizers report weather changes, cancellations or schedule adjustments before Saturday.
Related: Hispanic Heritage Month: More Events Still Ahead
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