What's happening
The day-by-day rundown of everything worth leaving the house for.
This Week in Waukee
Off work and not sure what to do? We keep the whole week in one place so you're not digging through five Facebook pages. Here's what's on, plus the stuff you can count on every week.
This week: Oct 19 to Oct 25
Sources this week: the City of Waukee calendar, city news flashes and the Oct 19 Council agenda, the Waukee Public Library calendar, the Waukee CSD 2026-27 calendar, the Dallas County Auditor's election page, the Waukee Chamber calendar, Vibrant Music Hall's own listings, each haunt's own site or the Des Moines Haunted Houses 2026 list, and Bound (gobound.com) schedules and venues for both high schools. Home and away were checked against the posted venue, not a vs label.
Every week, count on these
Coming up
Bigger metro weekends and day trips are down in Worth the Drive.
More to plan with: the standing weekly rhythm above · the City of Waukee calendar · WaukeeDowntown events · Halloween in Waukee: trick-or-treat hours, trunk-or-treats & haunts · our Nov 3 voter guide.
This Week's Spotlight
Five hand-picked local things this week - a spot to support, something to do, a hidden gem, a new opening, and a local doing good.
The Palms Theatres & IMAX
When the fall weather turns, this is where Waukee goes. The Palms is Waukee's own movie house, with an IMAX screen, and Tuesday is the night to go: Fridley's own promotions page lists Bargain Tuesday at $6 for 2D and $11 for IMAX 2D, plus a free 46 oz. popcorn with any drink. Premieres, opening days, holidays and special engagements are excluded. Pair it with Pizza Ranch's Tuesday kids-eat-free night and a family night out stays cheap.
Halloween at the Park, Friday
Centennial Park, 1255 Warrior Lane. From 5pm to 6pm the Waukee Fire Department brings the trucks and hands out free goodie bags, no sign-up. Paint-a-Pumpkin registration closed Oct 11, so skip that part unless you signed up. At 6:30pm (dusk) there is a free outdoor showing of Hotel Transylvania (PG). Bring chairs, blankets and snacks. Veridian Credit Union is the sponsor on the city's flyer.
The library after dark
The Waukee Public Library is not just a storytime spot. This week it runs Haunted Highway, an adult program on spooky local history (Tuesday, 6pm), and Adult Laser Tag: After Hours (Friday, 6:30pm to 8:30pm). Both need registration on the library calendar. 950 Warrior Ln.
Iowa Elite Cheer, coming to NW Shiloh Circle
Monday's City Council agenda includes a site plan for Iowa Elite Cheer at 295 NW Shiloh Circle. A site plan is an early step, not an opening date, so we will keep an eye on it.
WayPoint Resources
You may know it by its old name, Waukee Area Christian Services; it became WayPoint Resources at the start of 2025. It runs a food pantry, a clothing closet and a free walk-in medical clinic, now at 1155 SE Boone Drive. A site plan for its new building at 100 4th St is on Monday's Council agenda. Food and clothing donations are welcome during open hours (Mondays noon to 6pm, Tuesday to Thursday 9am to 3pm, Saturdays 9am to 11am). 515-987-5523, waypoint.care.
Nominate any Waukee business, nonprofit, or hidden gem for next week - recommend it here → (or reply to any issue).
Our Town, Our Leaders
Waukee is the fastest-growing large (20,000+) city in Iowa, sitting in Dallas County - one of the fastest-growing counties in the country. Its economy leans finance/insurance, healthcare, education, retail & professional services, with Hy-Vee a major area employer. Newest addition: Iowa Ortho is building a 15,843 sq ft orthopedic care facility to serve the growing west metro.
Safe streets
What's being built
Permits and where the growth is - straight from the City of Waukee's monthly building report.
- City issued 196 permits worth $41.1M in its most recent monthly report (April 2026)
- 30 new single-family homes and 10 new townhomes
- 1 multi-family permit, 2 commercial permits, and 153 permits in the "Other" category (additions, remodels, accessory structures)
Kettlestone Central is the story of the year - developers are pitching the 164-acre mixed-use district as Waukee's future "Main Street," part of the broader $325M Kettlestone Lakes investment reshaping the city's south side. On the flip side: Waukee voters rejected a $35M outdoor aquatic center bond in November 2024 - 54.9% in favor, short of the 60% supermajority Iowa requires for bond referendums - so the city still has no municipal outdoor pool. It's unclear if or when it comes back to the ballot; we're watching.
Getting around while it's built:
- Warrior Lane (Ford Ln/Park Rd to University Ave) - multi-year corridor closure continuing into 2027
- I-35/80 & Hickman Rd interchange - ongoing reconstruction; current lane configuration holds through fall
- Alice's Rd north of Horizon Dr - extension work resuming this season
- Live conditions: 511ia.org →
Your tax dollars
- FY2027 city property-tax levy: $12.80 per $1,000 of taxable valuation, held flat after last year's cut from $12.95
- Total city budget: $148.3M, including $29.8M general fund, $28.6M business/proprietary, $16.7M debt service and $49.7M capital improvements
- 57% of general-fund revenue comes from property tax. The full breakdown: the city's FY27 budget page →
- (the city's just one slice of your bill - Dallas County, DMACC & schools levy the rest)
At City Hall - what the Council is working on
- City Council meets the 1st & 3rd Monday of the month, 5:30pm - City Hall (230 W. Hickman Rd) & by Zoom
- Open to the public, with time for public comment
- Agendas & minutes: Agenda Center →
Here's what actually lands on the agenda most weeks:
Who represents you
Here's who holds each office right now (mid-2026):
2026 is a big year locally: Dallas County's Board of Supervisors expands from three seats to five on the November ballot, with the new, larger board seated in January 2027; at the federal level, Sen. Ernst is not seeking reelection. Look up your exact districts at legis.iowa.gov.
School board
- Waukee CSD Board of Education: 7 members, 4-year terms
- Board President: Armel R. Traore dit Nignan
- Dr. Andy Crozier became superintendent July 1, succeeding Brad Buck, who retired after a 34-year career (Buck is now executive director of School Administrators of Iowa)
- Schedule & agendas: School Board page →
Election center (it's a voting year)
The general election is Tuesday, Nov 3. (The June 2 primary set most of the matchups.)
- On the 2026 ballot: Governor, U.S. Senate & House, other statewide offices, the Iowa Legislature, and county races
Bring a valid photo ID (Iowa voter-ID law). Early voting started Oct 14 at the Dallas County Auditor in Adel and runs through Nov 2. The Oct 19 deadline to request a mailed ballot or pre-register has passed, but same-day registration is allowed on Election Day with ID & proof of residence.
Our election guides: the Waukee voter guide · what's on your Nov 3 ballot · how to vote: early, absentee & ID
Worship in Waukee
Yours not listed? Add it →
For the Kids
Waukee is one of the fastest-growing family towns in the Midwest - here's where to take them, rain or shine, any time of year.
Make a splash
- Fox Creek Park (522 NE Westgate Dr) - 18-acre park with a free splash pad, tennis court, 4 pickleball courts & play areas
- Honest note: Waukee voters rejected a $35M outdoor aquatic center bond in November 2024 (54.9%, just short of the 60% required), so there's no city outdoor pool yet
- The Waukee CSD Natatorium (an award-winning school pool) offers lap swim & lessons through the district; a handful of metro outdoor aquatic centers are a short drive away
Rainy-day rescue (indoor)
Youth sports & leagues
- Triumph Park (66 acres) - 12 fields plus a Miracle League field adapted for players with disabilities
- Waukee Parks & Recreation runs youth leagues; sign-ups largely run through the district's Community Education portal
- Feeds into Waukee Warriors (original HS) and Waukee Northwest Wolves athletics
Movie night
The Palms Theatres & IMAX - right in Waukee (200 NE Westgate Dr), with a true IMAX screen.
Free at the library
The Waukee Public Library (950 S Warrior Ln, 515-978-7944) holds 40,000+ items and runs storytimes plus children's, teen & adult programming. Hours: Mon-Tue 9-8, Wed-Thu 9-6, Fri 9-5:30, Sat 9-4, Sun 12-4.
Know a family gem we're missing? Recommend it →
Family guides: things to do with kids · parks & playgrounds · the movie theater · Halloween & trick-or-treat
Warriors & Wolves
Waukee High (Warriors) & Waukee Northwest (Wolves) - the town's own crosstown rivalry, now that Waukee runs two comprehensive high schools.
The Wolves took the crosstown game, 44-0
Friday night belonged to Northwest. The Wolves won 44-0 at Waukee Stadium and are 5-3; the Warriors are 4-4 after a second straight loss. Friday is the last week of the 5A regular season, and the playoffs start Oct 30 with the top 16 teams by RPI getting in. Northwest also won the Class 2A girls tennis state team title on its home courts, 15-0 on the year. Football scores below list the Waukee school first.
Two schools, one town
The crosstown rivalry shows up across every sport, from a 31-28 football finish in the fall of 2025 to this year's 44-0 Northwest win, plus head-to-head volleyball, swimming, basketball & more. It's the town's own built-in derby now that Waukee has split into two attendance zones.
Follow schedules & scores at Waukee CSD & Northwest Wolves Activities. Full schedules, the rivalry & recent results: our Waukee high school sports guide.
Trails & Triumph Park
Where to hike, bike, and play, minutes from town.
Get Outside
Waukee is a trailhead town - the Raccoon River Valley Trail's 89-mile network starts and ends here, and the newest big park opened in 2022.
Triumph Park
- Triumph Park - 66 acres, 3 miles of connected trails with underpasses for safe crossing, 12 athletic fields plus the adaptive Miracle League field
- Fall favorite: Trick or Trout, when Iowa DNR stocks a Triumph Park pond so kids can catch dinner
Raccoon River Valley Trail
- The RRVT's 89-mile trail network both starts and loops back to Waukee - a 71-mile loop runs through Adel, Redfield, Linden, Panora, Yale, Herndon, Jamaica, Dawson, Perry, Minburn & Dallas Center
- Waukee trailhead, parking & restrooms at the junction of Highway 6 & Route 22
- A 5-mile leg parallels Hwy 6/Hickman Rd to connect Waukee to Clive's Greenbelt Trail; a 12-mile northern extension runs Herndon-Cooper-Jefferson
Centennial Park & Kettlestone trails
Centennial Park is Waukee's community-event park - host to the Easter Egg Hunt, Movies in the Park, and the Waukee Arts Festival. Enter from Ashworth Drive, or park in the gravel lot off University Ave near the covered bridge.
The Kettlestone Greenway is being built out in phases - Phase 2 connects the Kettlestone Commons/Holmes Murphy area through a Grand Prairie Parkway underpass to Kettleview, and through a Westown Parkway underpass to the Grant Park neighborhoods.
Golf
Sugar Creek Municipal Golf Course - Waukee's own public course, 9 holes, par 34.
Fox Creek Park
18 acres with a free splash pad, tennis court, 4 pickleball courts & playgrounds - 522 NE Westgate Dr.
Outdoor concert season
Outdoors guides: trails & bike paths · Raccoon River Valley Trail · Triumph Park · parks · golf
Rainy Days & Nights Out
When the weather won't cooperate, or the kids are finally in bed.
Make a night of it
Exile Brewing's second-ever location is opening inside Kettlestone Social - the taproom scene here is only getting bigger.
Get active indoors
Kettlestone Social's pickleball courts and duckpin bowling will be the go-to once it opens in 2027. For now, The Palms Theatres & IMAX covers movie nights right in town.
Clubs & leagues
- Waukee Public Library - adult & teen book clubs, programs
- Waukee Parks & Rec adult programs - pickleball, leagues & facility rentals
Run a club we should list? Tell us →
Indoors & night-out guides: the movie theater · a night out · Kettlestone
The Housing Market
A quick honesty note: Waukee sits in Dallas County, not Polk - Dallas County's assessor doesn't publish a per-sale "existing home just closed" feed the way Polk County's does for Ankeny & Johnston. So the market stats below are Redfin/Zillow aggregates, while the lot-sales figures are real, self-pulled county records (see note below).
Lot & new-construction land sales (self-pulled, real records)
Straight from the Dallas County Assessor's public "Urban Residential Lots" sales file - this tracks new subdivision lot sales (land, mostly pre-construction), not resale of existing homes, but it's real and it shows exactly where the growth is platting.
- 72 Waukee lot-sale transactions year-to-date 2026 (through the Sep 25 recording date), totaling $17.80M, median $135,000 per transaction. 32 of the 72 are multi-lot bulk sales to builders, so per-transaction ≠ per-lot.
- Most recent on the file: 2 lots at 1164 NW Sproul Dr for $154,000 ($77,000/lot) on Sep 25; a single lot at 1445 NW Bull Run Ct for $92,900 on Sep 14; 3 lots at 547 NW Creekside Dr for $840,000 ($280,000/lot) on Aug 20; 2 lots at 650 NW Atlas Lane for $206,000 ($103,000/lot) on Aug 20
- Where it's platting fastest right now: NW Creekside Dr (9 transactions), then NW Sproul Dr (6), then Fieldstone Dr, NW Georgetown Dr, NW Alderleaf Dr and NW Atlas Lane (4 each)
Just closed & building
April 2026's building-permit report: 30 new single-family homes and 10 new townhomes among 196 total permits worth $41.1M - see Town Hall for the full breakdown.
Housing & moving guides: moving to Waukee · neighborhoods · cost of living · Kettlestone
Beyond Waukee - Pile in the Car
Some of the best nights out aren't at a Waukee address. You've got a car - here's the metro and the easy day trips, with rough drive times from town.
Big days out
Worth planning a whole day or evening around:
Outdoors around the metro
Beyond the lakes north of town (see Outdoors), these are the metro's signature green spaces:
Free in Des Moines
No ticket needed - great when you just want to wander:
Eat & drink worth the drive
When you want more than Waukee's own (excellent) lineup:
Worth a Saturday - day trips
A little farther, but easy round-trips and a true change of scenery:
Make a weekend of it - 2 to 4 hours away
Pack a bag. Within a half-day's drive: a world-class zoo, Mississippi river towns, Iowa's lake country, and a baseball field in a cornfield.
The full rundown - with what to do and who each trip is best for - is in our day trips & weekend getaways guide →
Drive times are rough door-to-door estimates from central Waukee - add a little for downtown parking or game-day traffic. Got a favorite spot we're missing? Recommend it →
Nearby guides: things to do in Waukee · trails & bike paths · Triumph Park
Where Waukee Eats
Where we'd send you first: a starting lineup of local favorites in town (mid-2026).
By cuisine - a starting lineup
Pizza & Italian - Taste of New York Pizza, Scorno's Pizza & Pasta
Steak & date night - Rube's Steakhouse, plus Firebirds Wood Fired Grill just over the line in West Des Moines
Breakfast & brunch - Littleleaf Luncheonette, The Breakfast Club (Kettlestone Central)
Burgers - Central Standard Craft Burgers & Beer, Wayback Burgers (first Iowa location)
Mexican - Panchero's Mexican Grill
Raw bar & seafood - Guesthouse Tavern + Oyster
Taprooms & pub grub - Gastro Grub & Pub, The Kee Bar & Grill, 85 Bar West, plus Barn Town Brewing just over the line in West Des Moines
The full rundown: best restaurants in Waukee →
The caffeine index
- The Coffeesmith (4.7★) - the independent local favorite, off Alice's Rd at 770 SE Alice's Rd
- The Breakfast Club - breakfast, brunch & coffee daily at Kettlestone Central (2285 Grand Prairie Pkwy #180)
The full local coffee scene, ranked drive-thru to sit-down: the best coffee in Waukee →
New spot opening? Tell us → - we run a "new this month" feature.
New & coming soon
Deals around town
Always worth a look - current standing deals (we refresh these weekly):
Kids eat free, Tuesday nights - Pizza Ranch Waukee, 448 SE University Ave, lists Kids Eat Free on Tuesdays, 4pm to 9pm: one child 12 and under per full-priced paying adult, per the location's own page. 515-978-6603. Re-verified at pizzaranch.com Oct 18.
Happy hour in Waukee - Gastro Grub & Pub, 1378 E Hickman Rd, runs happy hour Tuesday through Friday, 4-6pm, per its own site. The kitchen is closed Sunday and Monday. 515-300-2460. Re-verified Oct 18.
Cheap movie night - The Palms Theatres & IMAX, 200 NE Westgate Dr, runs Bargain Tuesday: Fridley's own promotions page lists $6 for 2D, $8 for 3D, $11 for IMAX 2D and $13 for IMAX 3D, plus a free 46 oz. popcorn with any drink. Not valid for premieres, opening days, holidays and special engagements. Re-verified Oct 18.
Burger Monday just over the line - Barn Town Brewing, 9500 University Ave in West Des Moines, runs Cheeseburger Monday: a '55 Burger, fries and a pint of any core beer for $13.99, all day, dine-in only, per its own menu page. Re-verified Oct 18.
Happy hour a short drive east - Firebirds Wood Fired Grill in West Des Moines (440 S 68th St) runs its FIREBAR happy hour Monday through Friday, 2-6pm, per Firebirds' own site. There is no Waukee Firebirds. Re-verified Oct 18.
We only list deals we can confirm at the source. This week we also checked Rube's Steakhouse and Home Sweet Cone: neither posts a kids-eat-free night, happy hour or weekly special on its own site right now, so none is claimed here. If you know one is running, tell us and we'll check it.
Got a deal or happy hour we should list? Add it here → We list the ones we can confirm at the source.
Food guides: what should we eat tonight? · best restaurants · pizza · breakfast & brunch · coffee
Schools & Learning
Waukee is a school town - one of the fastest-growing districts in Iowa, and a big reason families move here.
Five days, with an early out. School is in session Monday through Friday, Oct 19 to 23, with early dismissal Wednesday, Oct 21 (elementary 1:40pm, middle school 12:40pm, 9th grade 1pm, high school 12:50pm). Grades 6 to 9 parent-teacher conferences are Oct 21 and 22, and Term 1 ends Friday, Oct 23. Coming up: no school Monday, Oct 26 (teacher work day), Term 2 starts Oct 27, and the next early dismissal is Wednesday, Nov 4. Lunch is $3.00 for TK to 5, $3.10 for grades 6 to 8 and $3.20 for grades 9 to 12.
Weekly lunch menus on SchoolCafe → and the full 2026-27 calendar (early dismissals, no-school days, picture days): waukeeschools.org → · boundaries & buildings: our schools guide · first-week checklist: back to school.
The district keeps opening buildings to keep pace - two comprehensive high schools plus separate ninth-grade schools - with more planned across Kettlestone and the west-side subdivisions.
- School year: apply for free and reduced-price meals online through SchoolCafe (details on the district's Nutrition Services page, 515-987-2719)
- Summer: watch Nutrition Services in late spring for summer meal sites and times, or use the federal Summer Meals Site Finder
- Anytime: call 211 (or 1-866-3-HUNGRY) for food help near you
Beyond K-12
- DMACC and other Des Moines-area colleges are a short drive across the metro for two-year, transfer & career-training programs
- Waukee Public Library (950 S Warrior Ln) runs year-round programming - book clubs, teen & children's programs, and adult classes
Support for every learner
Waukee schools back students from preschool through 12th grade with a full Student Services team:
- Special education - individualized IEPs & specially designed instruction
- 504 plans, talented-and-gifted, at-risk support, ESOL for multilingual families
- Special Education Service Delivery Plan written in the open, public comment taken each year
- Questions: the district's Student Services office, via waukeeschools.org
Out in the community, the free Miracle League (see Families) gives kids with special needs their own accessible ball field at Triumph Park - everyone plays, every game.
Warriors vs. Wolves
Waukee's crosstown rivalry: Waukee High (Warriors), the original school with a Spartan-style mascot adopted in 2016, and Waukee Northwest (Wolves), which opened in 2021 in a $103M building. Both are large schools in the CIML (Central Iowa Metro League), Iowa's deepest conference, and regular state contenders across the major sports.
The Warriors are a longtime boys-golf and boys-swimming power; the young Wolves have piled up state titles fast in softball, girls' and boys' soccer, volleyball and girls' track. The head-to-head games - a 31-28 football finish in the fall of 2025, plus head-to-head softball, basketball & more - are the tickets to have now that the town runs two comprehensive high schools.
For the weekly game scoreboard - scores, playoff runs and standings - see the Sports section → Schedules & results live at Waukee CSD, Northwest Wolves Activities and on Bound.
School guides: schools & boundaries · high school sports · the library
New in Waukee
The newest businesses registered in Waukee with the State of Iowa, freshest first. A filing means someone registered a business, not that a storefront is open yet.
- Bradowski, LLC · Aug 27
- Bump Business Solutions LLC · Professional Services · Aug 26
- Advanced Family Health LLC · Health & Wellness · Aug 26
- Advanced Collective LLC · Aug 26
- Velora Commerce LLC · Aug 24
- Ellis Home and Landscape LLC · Personal & Home Services · Aug 24
- Cynthia Mo DDS, PLLC · Health & Wellness · Aug 24
- XPS Xpress Des Moines LLC · Aug 21
141 filings since June 1, through August 27, 2026. See every one, by category →
We love featuring businesses started by Waukee grads and lifelong locals. Own one - or know one? Tell us your story → and we'll spotlight it here.
Now hiring
A weekly snapshot of real openings in and around Waukee, pulled fresh from public job listings with the national trucking-board spam filtered out. The town's biggest steady employers are the Waukee Community School District, the City of Waukee, UnityPoint Health at the Waukee Med Park, Fleet Farm and the Kettlestone retail corridor; the full picture is in our jobs & largest employers guide. Tap any role to see the full posting and apply.
Delivery Driver - Pomp's Tire ServiceApply → On-Call Hospice Registered Nurse - Heartland HospiceApply → Retail Paint Store Customer Service Associate - Sherwin WilliamsApply → Restaurant Shift Supervisor - Freddy's of IowaApply → Accounting Manager - RJ Lawn & LandscapeApply → Maintenance and Housekeeping Manager - Independence VillageApply → Installation/Emergency Vehicle Upfit Technician - Stivers Ford LincolnApply → Store Customer Service Specialist - Sherwin-WilliamsApply → Private Duty Nurse (LPN/LVN) - Aveanna HealthcareApply → Part-time Content Coordinator/Writer - Best Version MediaApply → Service Manager - M&K Truck CentersApply → Caregiver/Medication Manager - StoryPointApply → Warehouse Operations Supervisor - GXO LogisticsApply → Hazardous Waste Chemist - Environmental Services - Clean HarborsApply →Business guides: jobs & largest employers · cost of living
Sales, Stands & Markets
Bargain-hunting, fresh sweet corn, taco trucks, and the weekend treasure hunt.
This weekend's garage sales
Pulled fresh from the public sale maps - we refresh this list weekly in season:
No sales posted for Waukee on gsalr.com or GarageSaleFinder as of Sunday, Oct 18. The only nearby listings are a Des Moines online auction and a Marshalltown estate sale in November, neither in Waukee. Weekend listings often go up late in the week, so check the links below closer to Saturday.
See the full live map (and post your own) at gsalr.com or GarageSaleFinder - and check the local Waukee buy/sell/swap groups on Facebook, where a lot of sales and finds post first.
Farmers market & farm stands
The Waukee Farmers Market is the summer anchor: Wednesdays 4 to 7 p.m., June through September in the downtown Triangle, with local produce, prepared foods, crafts and live music. The 2026 season wrapped September 30, and 2027 dates aren't announced yet, so watch WaukeeDowntown.com in spring.
For roadside sweet corn, melons and produce around Dallas County in season, the state keeps a licensed farm-stand directory.
Food trucks
Waukee doesn't run a single standing truck night, so the trucks travel to the crowds: the Waukee Farmers Market (Wednesdays, downtown Triangle) draws prepared-food and dessert vendors, and the Waukee Arts Festival each July at Centennial Park brings a big lineup of food and beer trucks alongside the artists and live music.
Track who's parked where around the metro on StreetFoodFinder. Running a truck? Tell us → and we'll feature it.
Market guide: the Waukee Farmers Market
Recommend a spot
This whole thing is better with you in it. Know a great restaurant, a hidden gem, a deal, a can't-miss event or garage sale - or run a local business yourself? Send it our way. The best picks land in the Brief.
Recommend a spot →Prefer email? Just send it to [email protected].