Holiday Hullabaloo in Des Moines, Iowa Benefiting Dorothy’s House
Are you looking to ring in the holiday season? Head to Horizon Events Center for the Holiday Hullabaloo benefiting Dorothy’s House through December 31st. This is a family-friendly holiday experience that will delight guests of all ages. Wear your best festive wear, grab your friends, and beat the central Iowa seasonal temperatures for this fun Holiday Hullabaloo all indoors!
Take a look at all the fun you can have at this year’s Holiday Hullaballoo in Des Moines, Iowa.
Kids Activities
When you walk into the Horizon Event Center you feel like you are walking into a magical wonderland. The kids were in awe over all of the immersive colors, lights, and decor. So much thought and preparation went into this event! As you walk around the area you will find a variety of activities including:
- Mini Golf
- Santa’s Workshop where you can make fun crafts and some free cookies, hot cider, or chocolate milk to snack on. I loved how there were several elves (volunteers, learn how you can help!) throughout the whole event available to take pictures or help with the crafts. When you have multiple kids this is a blessing!
- An Indoor Snowball fight arena where you can enjoy snowball fights indoors! Forget the frozen fingers and toes. Everyone will love this.
- Cookie Decorating
- The Command Center is a fun place to learn about Santa traveling on Christmas Eve. You can write a letter to Santa and place a sticker on the map of where you live!
- Hundreds of fun photo opportunities so make sure you wear your fun festive wear to capture many memories. Even the perfect picture for this year’s holiday card.
Shopping
Santa’s Workshop is off to another area where you will find fun crafts and shopping! This area reminds me of the German-inspired Christmas market, Christkindlmarket. Local makers are in small wooden huts where you can purchase local gifts for loved ones such as candies, honey, beeswax candles, and so much more.
Entertainment
Throughout the season you can catch live entertainment on stage including music or even a magic show. We had a ton of fun watching Jonathan May show us some pretty awesome magical tricks.
Do not forget about the big guy! Santa Clause is available for fun pictures and to chat about what is on everyone’s wish list.
We also fully enjoyed the fun characters wandering around including The Grinch, Olaf, and Elves. Everyone was so fun. We had a blast interacting with everyone who has brought the Holiday Hullabaloo to life!
Ice Bar
Looking for a unique date night? The Holiday Hullabaloo becomes an adult holiday entertainment venue for adults 21+ years from 7 to 11 p.m. Adults can enjoy signature cocktails, ice bar entertainment (take a look at the schedule), make new friends, enjoy fun activities, and a festive atmosphere! Save the date for New Year’s Eve and attend the New Year’s Eve Silver Bell Soiree! This will be the last opportunity to enjoy the holiday festivities, hear live music from Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, silver balloon drop, and more. Purchase tickets here.
About Dorothy’s House
This entire experience has been created to benefit Dorothy’s House. Dorothy’s House is a non-profit that supports victims of human trafficking. They create a “safe place for the practice of lives that have been interrupted by human trafficking, exploitation, and prostitution.” When you attend the Holiday Hullabaloo you are supporting an important non-profit within the Des Moines community.
Hours and Cost
Hours vary throughout the season, but they are open Friday – Sunday and on various additional dates throughout the season. Make sure you purchase your tickets ahead of time. This is a cash-free event! There is a snack bar and drink bar available during various hours of the day. There is plenty of free parking offered too.
- Visit 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. to enjoy all the family-friendly daytime experiences.
- Visit from 7 to 11 p.m. for the after-hours fun at the Ice Bar.
General admission begins at $20 per person. Children 2 years and younger are free.
