The Des Moines Arts Festival will celebrate its 10^th anniversary with an exciting line-up of entertainment that features a free performance by The Joffrey Ballet.

The renowned Joffrey Ballet, presented by Hancher Auditorium/University of Iowa, will headline special anniversary festivities with a free 1 1/2-hour-long outdoor performance that is open to the public at 8 p.m. on June 29. The performance will take place on 12^th Street between downtown’s Central Library and the John and Mary Pappajohn Higher Education Center.

“We are pleased to welcome The Joffrey Ballet to Des Moines for the largest kick-off to the Festival weekend in our 10-year history,” Stephen King, Executive Director of the Des Moines Arts Festival said. “We are proud to be a partner in this momentous event. This performance will be a memorable event for thousands in our community.”

The Joffrey Ballet’s visit to Des Moines this summer is the first stop on a tour of five Iowa communities, including Council Bluffs, Muscatine, Cedar Rapids, and Iowa City, as the acclaimed dance troupe celebrates 50 years of productions and honors Hancher Auditorium’s 35^th anniversary.

For more information on The Joffrey Ballet visit www.joffrey.com, or to learn more about Hancher Auditorium/University of Iowa visit www.hancher.uiowa.edu.