80/35 Music Festival, Des Moines IA

For me the festival being down town was why I went. It’s somewhat unique in the “festival” scene. Next year they move out west a bit and most likely be like all the all rest and loose it’s charm but we’ll see. The whole main stage area and it’s surrounding fence cover in tarps to keep those who didn’t purchase main stage passes from seeing seeing a somewhat dull lineup for 2023. Thing is you can hear MainStage performers echoing through the downtown streets while they play. So if audio is more important than visual who cares about the about the island in the middle as you’ll be able to hear everything as you wander the streets to and from the 3 free stages checking on some bands which of many are good. A couple side notes: (1) bike friendly with a ‘free’ bike parking area. Ample food truck offerings. (2) decent police presence but more friendly and helpful than forceful. (3) a good vibe and feel that often gets corrupted with the dumbness of a few clowns wasn’t apparent. Good luck at your next festival grounds!