Ames, Set, Go!

Tuesday, May 26, 2026

May 26, 2026 • Estimated Reading Time: 2 minutes

Wasting away again in Margaritaville!

This week, Ames Chamber Artists sets up at Alluvial to perform some traditional and contemporary music from Ireland and examine how it’s influenced American folk music.

Also, the margaritas flow downtown, Ames on the Half Shell is Burnin’ in its return, the Parc welcomes summer and the new indoor aquatic center offers residents a preview.


Anthony Capps, Editor
[email protected]

Event Spotlight

Ames Chamber Artists (Photo: Lauren Anderson/Ames Chamber Artists)

Music

Across the Water: Traditional Music from Ireland

3 p.m. Sunday | Alluvial Brewing

An afternoon of beautiful traditional and contemporary Irish music and choir arrangements from Ames Chamber Artists, plus looking at how it has influenced American folk music. Enjoy the tunes in the brewing atmosphere.

 

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Calendar of Events

Wednesday, May 27

🎥 Legally Blonde 25th Anniversary
7:30 p.m. | Movies 12
Fashionable sorority queen Elle Woods (Reese Witherspoon) follows her ex-boyfriend (Matthew Davis) to law school, where she discovers that there is more to her than just looks.
$11.50

Thursday, May 28

☀️ Summer Daze at The Parc
6 p.m. | The Parc, 202 E. Lincoln Way
Bring your friends and family and your appetite to the first of four unforgettable Summer Daze events. You can grab dinner from your favorite local food truck, then enjoy some artsy, family-friendly crafts. All the Color Pop activities are free.

 

🎤 Forrest & Margaret McCurren w/ Chris Patterson
7 p.m. | Alluvial Brewing
Fresh from charming the nation on The Road on CBS, Forrest & Margaret McCurren stop by with their unforgettable songs and stories. Chris Patterson will open the night.
$12 / $15

Friday, May 29

The 2026 season of Ames on the Half Shell kicks off with the central Iowa band Burnin’ Sensations. They play a variety of music, including rock, country, disco, funk and top 40 hits.
$5

Saturday, May 30

🌽 Main Street Farmers Market
8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. | Main Street
This week’s entertainment highlights are the West Homesteads Healing Herd, plus music from Miles Morgan.

 

🏊‍♂️ Fitch Family Indoor Aquatic Center Open House
10 a.m. | Fitch Family Indoor Aquatic Center
Visitors can tour the walking track, multipurpose and party/training rooms and locker areas. People may view the natatorium from the lobby and party rooms, but pool deck access will not be available.
FREE

 

🌻 Gardens Galore
10 a.m. | Northcrest Community
Northcrest residents volunteer their time to design, plant and maintain 21 gardens on the 27-acre campus with an estimated 520 trees. This free tour features 13 gardens as well as live music. The route is wheelchair and walker accessible.
FREE

🍹 Downtown Margarita Pub Crawl
2 p.m. | Downtown Ames
This year, nine downtown locations participate in the Margarita pub crawl where your favorite bartenders flex their muscles and offer you their best Margarita recipes. You can vote on your favorite, too.

Sunday, May 31

Brunnier Art Museum curator Adrienne Gennett will lead visitors on an exploration of Norwood Viviano’s complex glass sculptures, which aim to visualize complex information through striking works of art. The exhibition features a cast glass architecture of Iowa State’s 1860 Farm House and Agronomy Building, embedded with maps exploring agriculture’s past and future.
FREE

Upcoming events on our radar

🎤 June 7: Roosevelt Summer Sundays: Weary Ramblers, Roosevelt Park
🎨 June 11: Art Walk, downtown Ames
🎭 June 11-28: Footloose, Ames Community Theater
✈️ June 13: Ames Fly-In, Ames Municipal Airport

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