Ankeny, Iowa events calendar: the festivals, markets, and traditions worth marking.
Ankeny has a full calendar for a growing town: a summer of markets and free music, a hometown festival with a parade, and the seasonal traditions everyone plans around. Here's the year at a glance, the recurring events you can count on, organized by season. For the exact dates this specific week, we keep a running list on the homepage.
Saturday mornings 8 a.m. to noon at the Ankeny Market & Pavilion (715 W 1st St), running through late September. 100+ vendors.
Spring
Youth sports & rec leagues start
Ankeny Parks & Recreation and the Miracle League fill the sports complexes as the weather turns.
Late May
Memorial Day & pool season
The Prairie Ridge and Cascade Falls aquatic centers open for the summer.
Summer
June through August
Select Thursdays
Beats & Eats
Free live music and food trucks at the Ankeny Market & Pavilion, the signature summer weeknight out.
Early July
Fourth of July fireworks
Ankeny's Independence Day celebration and fireworks. See our fireworks guide for the rules on setting off your own.
Mid-July
Ankeny SummerFest
The big one. Several days at The District at Prairie Trail: a carnival, live music Friday through Sunday, 20+ food vendors, and a large grand parade on Saturday capped by fireworks.
All summer
Kirkendall Library summer program
Reading challenges, kids' events, and a finale pool party at the library in The District.
Fall
September through November
Late September
Farmers market closes out
The last Saturday markets of the season, usually late September, as the harvest peaks.
Fall
Hawks vs. Jaguars football
The crosstown high-school rivalry between Ankeny High and Ankeny Centennial runs Friday nights through the fall.
Oct. 31
Trick-or-treat (Halloween)
Starting in 2025 Ankeny and the metro ended the old night-before Beggars' Night and moved trick-or-treat to Halloween itself (6 to 8 p.m. in 2025). Kids still tell a joke for candy. See our trick-or-treat & holiday lights guide; confirm the current-year time with the city.
Winter
December through February
December
Holiday lights & the season
Uptown Wonderlights, Gingerbread Lane, and Jolly Holiday Lights at the fairgrounds. See the full holiday lights guide.
Winter
Sledding, skating & indoor fun
When the snow flies, the park hills and cold-weather options in our winter guide take over.
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A nationally ranked art festival downtown, about 20 minutes away.
Mid-July
RAGBRAI
The world's biggest bike ride crosses Iowa each July, often with overnight towns an easy drive from Ankeny.
Late July / early Aug
National Balloon Classic
Nine nights of hot-air balloons at dusk in Indianola, about 30 minutes south.
August
Hinterland Music Festival & the Iowa State Fair
Iowa's biggest multi-day music fest in St. Charles, and the legendary State Fair in Des Moines.
Quick answers
Ankeny events: FAQ
What events happen in Ankeny, Iowa?
The annual highlights are Ankeny SummerFest in mid-July, the Saturday Uptown Farmers Market from late May through September, the free Beats & Eats music nights in summer, Fourth of July fireworks, Beggars' Night at Halloween, and holiday events in December.
When is Ankeny SummerFest?
SummerFest is held in mid-July at The District at Prairie Trail, running several days with a carnival, live music, a grand parade on Saturday, and fireworks. Confirm the exact current-year dates with the Ankeny Area Chamber of Commerce.
When is the Ankeny farmers market?
The Uptown Ankeny Farmers Market runs Saturday mornings, about 8 a.m. to noon, from late May through late September at the Ankeny Market & Pavilion (715 W 1st St).
What is there to do in Ankeny this weekend?
For this weekend specifically, check the This Week list on our homepage or use the Things To Do Finder. In summer the reliable anchors are the Saturday farmers market and select-Thursday Beats & Eats.
When is trick-or-treat in Ankeny?
Starting in 2025, Ankeny and the Des Moines metro ended the old night-before Beggars' Night and moved trick-or-treating to Halloween itself, October 31 (6 to 8 p.m. in 2025). The city sets the hours each year, so confirm the current time. See our trick-or-treat & holiday lights guide for the full story.
Sources: Ankeny Area Chamber of Commerce (SummerFest); Uptown Ankeny Farmers Market & the Ankeny Market & Pavilion; City of Ankeny (Beggars' Night, holiday events, Parks & Recreation); Kirkendall Public Library; Ankeny Community School District athletics; Des Moines Arts Festival, RAGBRAI, National Balloon Classic, Hinterland, and the Iowa State Fair. Recurring events are listed by their usual season; dates change each year, so confirm the current-year schedule before you go. Last reviewed mid-2026.