Encore scheduled Dec. 6 for Celebrate Iowa gala

Plans for the second annual Celebrate Iowa gala, which attracted 600 guests last year, were announced Monday by Gov. Terry Branstad.

The event will be held from 7 to 11 p.m. Dec. 6 at the State Historical Building in Des Moines’ East Village.

Tickets are $100 per person, $75 per young professional, or $500 for the gala and VIP reception with Branstad, first lady Chris Branstad and musicians in the Belin Quartet.

“I am excited and pleased the first lady and I are serving once again as honorary chairs for the gala, and I encourage other Iowans to join us on Dec. 6 in supporting Iowa history,” Branstad said. He added that the Historical Building, which opened in 1987, has been a boon to Des Moines and has particularly served as a catalyst to the development of the East Village.

Lt. Gov. Kim Reynolds said, “The beauty of this event is it celebrates culture, art and history from across Iowa.”

Last year’s gala raised close to $143,000. State Cultural Affairs Director Mary Cownie said the first event was such a huge success that she asked Branstad if it could be done annually. This year’s event could be even bigger, she said.

Organizers said guests will enjoy the best Iowa has to offer, including Iowa cuisine, specialty beverages, and entertainment by Iowa performers, including the Turner Center Jazz Orchestra, Flying Pig Fiddle and Banjo, Ballet Des Moines and the Pork Tornadoes.

Guests will be able to interact with Iowa artists, including Dana Haugaard of Iowa City, Bruce Walters of Davenport and Bubba Sorenson of Greenfield.

They will also be able to tour exhibitions that include “Iowa and the Civil War” and “Riding Through History.”

In addition, the museum will showcase the contents of a 1913 time capsule and unveil The Des Moines Register’s 6-foot-tall Rand McNally globe, which stood in the lobby of the now-vacant Register building in downtown Des Moines until this fall.

Valet service will be provided by Keck Parking, and Doll Distributing is providing complimentary one-way cab rides home within a 15-mile radius.