Uniting Music & Advocacy in the Heartland

Heartland Spectrum Music Festival is uniting music and advocacy in the Heartland. The Heartland Music Festival is the first of its kind — A music festival created from a desire to celebrate the unifying power of music and create a space where communities can come together in a shared experience. This event celebrates talent and creativity while raising awareness for autism spectrum disorder.

 

Heartland Spectrum's goals are simple; Unite people from all backgrounds through a musical experience, encourage autistic musical discovery by introducing new and unique sounds to our communities and support autism advocacy, autistic individuals and their families, all while fostering community support and creating memorable experiences that will playback in our memories like a melody for years to come.

Attend the Heartland Spectrum Music Festival

Join us at this FREE (RSVP Required) event! Heartland Spectrum Music Festival will be held at Lauridsen Amphitheater in Downtown Des Moines (DSM) on Saturday, April 26, 2025. Bring your family, friends and neighbors to enjoy food and drinks while having fun dancing and listening to spectacular live music. Music lovers will also have access to the Kids & Family Station, Community Zone, Silent Disco and so much more. The festival is family-, sensory- and autism-friendly, featuring two sensory stations and sensory bag rentals, giving everyone the opportunity to enjoy the festival in their own way!

Check out our headliner, Tayler Holder, and the rest of our lineup, including longtime local favorites, The Nadas. This event will be one you won’t want to miss! Entry is free. Donations are encouraged and appreciated.

Learn more about the festival at fiandfriends.org.

There are so many fun events specific to Downtown DSM. Attend annual events like the Downtown Des Moines Farmers’ Market, World Food & Music Festival and Holiday Promenade or find live music happening each week through the "Live Music This Week in DSM” blog series.