Entry No. 81 — the Des Moines file — filed under: ritual-music
Candlelight Concerts at the World Food Prize Hall of Laureates
A string quartet plays Coldplay, Queen, Metallica or Vivaldi by the glow of thousands of flickering LED candles inside a restored 1903 Beaux-Arts library turned museum. The room is crowned by a stained-glass globe and marble detailing, so the music lands in a setting far stranger and grander than a normal concert hall. Each seating is about an hour, with evening shows usually starting between 6:30 and 8:30 p.m. depending on the program.
The story
On paper, the World Food Prize Hall of Laureates is about as solemn as a building gets: a restored 1903 Beaux-Arts landmark built originally as Des Moines' public library, now dedicated to honoring achievements in global agriculture. But when the sun goes down, the museum flips its switch. The grand hall—crowned by a massive stained-glass globe and wrapped in polished marble—is stripped of its daytime corporate gravity and carpeted in thousands of flickering LED candles.
That’s when a string quartet steps into the center of the room to perform symphonic renditions of Metallica riffs, Queen choruses, or Coldplay ballads alongside classic Vivaldi. Hearing heavy metal or stadium pop reduced to wooden bow strings in an echoey, century-old stone chamber produces a strange, almost clandestine dissonance. It feels less like a polished cultural outing and more like you’ve stumbled into a private society meeting in an off-limits government wing.
What it's like
Arrive early at 100 Locust St because seating within each ticket zone is open floor; if you lag behind, you'll end up behind a marble pillar or buried behind taller heads. The performance runs a tight 60 minutes with no intermission, moving straight through the setlist without fluff. While the candles are flameless LEDs to protect the 1903 structure, the dim glow bouncing off the stained glass creates an undeniably eerie, acoustic atmosphere where phone screens stick out like thumb-sore flares—keep yours pocketed and just take in the acoustics.
The move: Pick a tribute night, sit shoulder to shoulder among the candlelight, and let a live string quartet reinterpret a band you both love under the stained-glass globe.
📍 Before you go Ticketed through Fever; specific dates and programs rotate month to month (prices roughly $35-$73). Multiple seatings per evening; arrive early for better sightlines.
- 📍 Downtown Des Moines
- 💸 $
- ⚡ Low-key
- 🌗 Outdoors
Where: 100 Locust St, Des Moines, IA 50309
Hours: Added 2026-06-23 — confirm current hours before you go.
⚠ Seasonal or scheduled — always check before you go.
Pair it with
- Good News, Darling — Follow an hour of dim classical music with a quiet, 26-seat cocktail parlor hidden behind an unmarked door just four blocks down Locust Street.
- The Haunt — Keep the dark, unusual night going by grabbing a drink inside a basement speakeasy built inside a year-round haunted house venue down the block.
- Ken's - a not so secret speakeasy — Head across the river into the East Village to descend into a signless basement lounge named after a 1920s Des Moines bootlegger.
Good to know
How do I buy tickets and what do they cost?
Tickets must be purchased online in advance through Fever. Prices generally range from $35 to $73 depending on how close you sit to the ensemble.
What kind of music is featured?
Programs rotate constantly month to month, covering everything from Vivaldi and classical staples to string tribute concerts for rock and pop bands like Queen, Metallica, Coldplay, and Imagine Dragons.
Are the candles real open flames?
No, for historic preservation and safety inside the 1903 building, the event uses thousands of high-end, flameless LED candles that mimic real fire.
How long is the show and when does it start?
Each session lasts roughly 60 minutes without an intermission. Multiple seatings occur per evening, typically starting between 6:30 p.m. and 8:30 p.m.
Plan a visit & invite your people →
Further reading: feverup.com · catchdesmoines.com · Official site · Atlas Obscura · secretmedianetwork.com
last checked: 2026-06-23