Hotels in the Greater Des Moines area have been full in August, thanks to an abundance of events, Catch Des Moines said in a news release.

On Saturday, Aug. 2, the metro reached an 96% occupancy (CoStarGroup Companies/STR), based on 14,681 guestrooms metro-wide, according to the release. During the first nine days of August, occupancy averaged 85.76%, a jump from 78.5% during the same period in 2024.

“This incredible stretch shows the strength and variety of events we’re hosting, and how they translate directly into hotel stays,” Trina Flack, president and CEO of Catch Des Moines, said in a news release. “When our hotels are full, it creates a ripple effect. Visitors are dining in our restaurants, exploring our attractions, shopping with our local retailers, and experiencing the very best of Greater Des Moines. This not only drives immediate impact, but inspires return visits. It’s a win for our entire community.”

Key August events included:

• National Senior Games: 15,000 athletes plus staff and spectators  
• NASCAR Cup Series: Nearly 30,000 spectators a day, plus drivers, teams, and vendors, including a sellout crowd for Sunday’s Cup Series race.
• Iowa State Fair: First week crowds tracked closely with last year’s record setting attendance.   
• Hinterland Music Festival: Record weekend with nearly 25,000 fans per day
• Tech Hub LIVE: 750 attendees
• National AMBUCS Conference: 300 attendees  
• Perennial Plant Association, national symposium: 450 attendees
• Youth and traveling sports: Baseball, soccer, swimming, and track and field events at venues like Grimesplex and the MidAmerican Energy Company RecPlex

Catch Des Moines expects the momentum to continue with the Iowa State Fair (averaging more than 100,000 attendees per day) and the Central States Shriners later in August.