Hardgate
-
Here’s a recap of the biggest headlines Iowa celebs made In 2023
For these 7 famous Iowans, 2023 was a year of controversy, career highlights, and full-circle moments.
-
12 Iowa winter bucket list items to try before the snow melts
You could cozy up and wait out the next few months indoors… or you could make some fun memories.
-
Christmas tree farms and holiday light displays to visit in Iowa
Make merry memories at these 17 holiday light shows and Christmas tree farms across Iowa.
-
Find the perfect Christmas tree at these 24 Iowa farms
Iowa farmers only plant corn and beans, you say? Tell that to the 100+ Christmas tree farms dotted across Iowa’s snowy landscape this time of year, where you can pick out the perfect Scotch pine, white pine, Canaan fir, Douglas fir, Frasier fir, Colorado blue spruce, or other varieties of evergreens to have your living…
-
13 of Iowa’s Scariest Haunted Houses and Creepy Attractions of 2023
By Katie Mills Giorgio, Starting Line contributor Spooky season is officially here, and if you’re the type of Iowan who likes a good scare, we’ve got you covered. This list of 13 haunted houses around the state of Iowa is sure to freak you out. Located throughout the state, these awfully frightful attractions will leave…
-
Celebrate Indigenous Peoples’ Day With These Must-Read Books
We asked our colleagues across Courier Newsroom, Iowa Starting Line’s parent company, to share recommendations for books by Indigenous authors. Here’s what they said. Monday, October 9, is Indigenous Peoples’ Day—a holiday to honor, celebrate, and recognize the accomplishments of the Native American, First Nation, and Indigenous peoples. It’s also a day for visibility for…
-
It’s Banned Books Week. Iowans told us their forbidden faves
In honor of National Banned Books Week, which takes on even more importance this year in Iowa, we asked you for your favorite banned books. Starting Line readers put 48+ books on this list. But a few rose to the top of the pile.
-
How to celebrate Banned Books Week in Des Moines, Iowa City
Banned Books Week seems especially relevant in Iowa this year. Here are a couple events to help you celebrate this week, both free and open to all:
-
Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month with These Must-Read Books, According to Our Staff
One of the things I love about my job is that I often get to cover the topics I’m most interested in.
-
25 of the best indie bookstores in Iowa, according to Iowans
The nights are getting longer, and the days chillier, and there’s never a better time to get lost in a new book (except maybe the dead of winter).






















