Laugh with Craig Ferguson, hear The Avett Brothers and more this weekend in Des Moines

If you want to stay on top of all the fun things to do in Des Moines, sign up for Off Hours, your free weekly newsletter from the Des Moines Register that showcases all things fun you can do in central Iowa. Recently, we've written about pizza farms, karaoke bars, where to go thrifting, Black-owned businesses, vegan restaurants, gluten-free options, the Amana Colonies and where to buy plants. If you sign up for our newsletter, you get a whole list of fun places to go, things to do, what to eat, and more early Thursday morning in your inbox.

Des Moines has a full fun agenda for the weekend, so no one has an excuse to be bored. On the comedy front, Leanne Morgan, the Savannah Bananas and Craig Ferguson all visit the city, and Marlon Wayans heads to the burbs with sold-out shows. The Avett Brothers light up the stage, while three free festivals, including the World Food & Music Festival in downtown Des Moines, give you something to do with the kids. If anything, grab a sundae that reminds you of Reed's Ice Cream and call it a weekend. Explore your weekend options in the Des Moines metro and get out to have some fun.

Laugh with Leanne Morgan

Thursday night: Comedienne Leanne Morgan brings the laughs to Hoyt Sherman Place, 1501 Woodland Ave. in Des Moines, for a 7 p.m. show. Morgan tackles relatable topics such as Jell-O recipes and her new grandchild. Tickets for the show range from $35.75 to $59.74. Also Friday night.

See a supergroup of female artists

Thursday night: Head to xBk Live, 1159 24th St., Des Moines, to check out An Evening with The Righteous Babes: Gracie and Rachel, Holly Miranda, and Jocelyn Mackenzie, a supergroup of powerhouse female artists, who describe themselves as a mix of “boy genius meets Bonny Light Horseman with an air of Lilith Fair.” The combination of Gracie and Rachel brings a chamber-pop piano-violin duo. Holly Miranda plays a sultry folk-rock guitar. Jocelyn Mackenzie is a percussionist, electric ukulele player, and former member of Pearl and the Beard. Tickets are $20 in advance and $25 at the door for the 8 p.m. show.

Eat international foods and hear worldly music

Friday afternoon: Take a break from an ordinary lunch and head to the World Food & Music Festival at Western Gateway Park, 1205 Locust St., Des Moines. Grab a dish from one of the 55 food vendors, including 18 newcomers, from 25 nations or listen to some afrobeat music over the course of the three-day festival. Flor de Toloache, a Latin-Grammy Award nominated all-women mariachi group, performs Friday evening. Head here Friday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Saturday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.; and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

More: What to eat, drink and hear at the World Food & Music Festival in Des Moines this weekend

Go bananas for some zany baseball

Friday night: A night of baseball shenanigans with the Savannah Bananas takes over Principal Park, 1 Line Drive, Des Moines. The 7 p.m. games on Friday and Saturday nights are sold out, and include zany Banana Ball rules, such as stealing first base, fans catching fly balls for outs, and two-hour time limits. Fans should look for crazy choreographed dances, wild walk-ups to the plate and over-the-top celebrations when they score. Who cares about the final score?

More: What kind of things can fans expect from the Savannah Bananas in Des Moines this weekend?

See the Avett Brothers in concerts

Friday night: See the three-time Grammy Award nominees The Avett Brothers when they play Wells Fargo Arena at Iowa Events Center, 730 Third St., Des Moines. The voices behind “Head Full of Doubt / Road Full of Promise,” “If It’s the Beaches” and “Murder in the City” take the stage for the 7 p.m. show. The Avett Brothers last played central Iowa at Hinterland in 2021. Tickets range from $49 to $99.

More: Seth Avett says Iowa is 'interwoven' with songster Greg Brown, reflects on 'Swept Away' musical

Run a 5K, drink a beer

Saturday morning: Run a 5K and then drink a beer. The Iowa Brewery Running Series starts at 515 Brewing Co., 7700 University Ave., Suite C, Clive, at 10 a.m. Participants receive a craft beverage at the finish line from 515 Brewing Co., a collector’s pint glass or seasonal swag item from the Brewery Running Series, and a chance to win door prizes. Tickets are $48.

Party at a festival in Pleasant Hill

Saturday afternoon: A parade, food trucks, fireworks and bounce houses are all part of the End of Summer Fest bash at Copper Creek Lake Park, 4390 E. University Ave., Pleasant Hill. The free event runs from 1 to 9:30 p.m.

Party on Ingersoll Avenue

Saturday afternoon: Ingersoll Avenue in Des Moines turns into a giant block party from 3 to 10 p.m. Ingersoll Live includes live music from Ducharme Jones and Dirty Rotten Scoundrels on two different stages, pop-up performances by the Des Moines Breakerz and Heartland Swing, food and drink from Karam’s Grill and Sabores de Mexico, kids’ activities such as face painting and mini golf, and so much more.

Cheer on the quadball championship

Saturday afternoon: Love Harry Potter? Then check out the quadball championship that combines elements of rugby, basketball and dodgeball. The MLQ Championship is the league’s signature event and features three competitions in one weekend: the Benepe Cup, the Next Gen Showcase and Take Back the Pitch. All of it goes down at the RecPlex, 6500 Grand Ave, West Des Moines, Saturday from 8:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m., Sunday from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m., and Monday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sixteen teams from across the U.S. and Canada will be competing. Tickets start at $35 for a weekend pass.

Celebrate a year of a puppy park

Saturday evening: Paws & Pints, the chichi dog park at 6218 Willowmere Drive, Des Moines, celebrates its first year with a birthday bash that starts at 10 a.m. with live music, a dunk tank, photo booth and everything for man’s best friend. Tickets start at $20.

Laugh along with Craig Ferguson

Saturday night: Former host of the “Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson” takes the stage at Hoyt Sherman Place, 1501 Woodland Ave. in Des Moines, for an 8 p.m. show. The creator of five stand-up comedy specials earned Grammy Award nominations for his funny work. Tickets range from $39.50 to $69.50 with a limited number of VIP packages also available.

Buy a Reed's Ice Cream sundae

Sunday afternoon: Get a taste of the past when the Des Moines Heritage Center, 120 E. Fifth St., Des Moines, celebrates Reed’s Ice Cream stores. The center will serve $5 sundaes made with Nutty Fudge Sauce in the style of Reed’s Ice Cream using ice cream from Pints By Beth, which plans to open a brick-and-mortar location at the corner of Sixth and Euclid avenues in Highland Park. Stop by from 1 to 3 p.m.

Susan Stapleton is the entertainment editor and dining reporter at The Des Moines Register. Follow her on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram, or drop her a line at sstapleton@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Craig Ferguson, The Avett Brothers, more in Des Moines this weekend