Logistics and Lodging
Conference Dates & Location
Lodging
Parking
Meals & Dining
PFI Minivan Parking Shuttle
Kids at the PFI Annual Conference
Conference Dates & Location
Short Courses: Jan. 8, 2026
Annual Conference: Jan. 9-10, 2026
Location: Community Choice Credit Union Convention Center at the Iowa Events Center | 833 5th Avenue | Des Moines, IA
Lodging
Many conference attendees will be staying at two nearby hotels.
Hilton Downtown Des Moines
435 Park St., Des Moines, IA 50309
(connected via Skywalk to Iowa Events Center; 200 ft. walk to conference)
Rate: $148 + tax for single and double occupancy rooms
Triple occupancy is $163 + tax
Quadruple occupancy is $178 + tax
These rates are valid until Dec. 17, 2025, or until the block is full.
For reservations, call (515) 241-1456 or book online.
Parking in the climate-controlled Hilton garage is $25 per night. See the parking section for alternative parking options.
Bar & restaurant adjacent to Iowa Events Center via skywalk
Indoor pool
Fitness center
Airport shuttle
Comfort Inn & Suites
929 3rd St., Des Moines, Iowa 50309
(about 1 block on foot (outdoors) from the Iowa Events Center)
Rate: $136 + tax for single and double occupancy rooms
This rate is valid until Dec. 17, 2025, or until the block is full.
For reservations, call (515) 282-5251 or book online.
Free parking on premises
Complimentary breakfast
Indoor pool
Parking
5th & Keo Garage
Best for: Overnight parking separate from the hotel parking, or for daily parkers who prefer to walk a little farther but remain inside the skywalk. EV charging stations available on the 1st and 3rd levels. Open 24/7.
Distance from Iowa Event Center: 0.3 mile through the skywalk. Enter skywalk on the 2nd level of the garage.
More info: Enter the garage from 5th Avenue
Rate: $10/day (or $7 for up to 12 hours)
Iowa Events Center Surface Lots
Best for: Daily parking; a short, outside walk to the venue. No overnight parking – your car will be towed.
Distance from the Iowa Events Center: Depending on the lot and space, you’ll walk outside anywhere from 400 feet to 0.2 mile.
Rate: $13/day
More info: Entrances to the larger lot (north of Crocker Street) are on 3rd Street and 5th Avenue.
Enter the smaller lot (south of Crocker Street and closer to the venue) from 5th Avenue. Accessible parking is reserved in the smaller lot (south of Crocker Street).
Comfort Inn & Suites Parking Lot
Best for: Only those staying at Comfort Inn & Suites.
Distance from the Iowa Events Center: 0.2 miles (outside)
Rate: Free for hotel guests
Hilton Downtown Des Moines Garage
Best for: Those staying at the Hilton who prefer the closest overnight garage possible, with climate control. EV charging station available outside lobby entrance. Open 24/7.
Distance from the Iowa Events Center: 200 feet in the skywalk
Rate: $25/day for hotel guests
Meals and Dining
Practical Farmers makes every effort to keep our conference affordable for all to attend while adhering to our principles of sourcing food from member farms and local producers. There are several options for nearby dining if you wish to leave the conference for meals and return afterward, but please note that no outside food is allowed in the venue.
New at the 2026 conference, all meals – excluding the Friday PFI Supper – are included with every registration. We strongly recommend purchasing a Friday PFI Supper ticket for $20 with your early registration. A limited number of Friday PFI Supper tickets may be available for purchase on-site, but keep in mind that tickets sell out some years. If you have already registered and need to add a Friday PFI Supper ticket, please call the PFI office at (515) 232-5661.
Children aged seven and younger eat free when registered in the Family Lounge.
Snacks, coffee, tea and water will be available throughout the short courses and conference.
Thursday Lunch (Short Course only)
12:30-1:30 p.m.
Menu: Roasted Turkey Sandwich, BLT Pasta Salad, Chips & Cookie
Friday Lunch
12:15-1:30 p.m.
Menu: Pulled pork sandwich, apple coleslaw, potato chips and cookie; vegetarian option: BBQ jackfruit sandwich
Friday PFI Supper: $20
5:45-9 p.m.
Menu: Carved Beef Meatloaf, Mashed Potatoes with Gravy, Cooked Carrots with Honey, Dinner Roll and Appleberry Cobbler
Following the Storytelling on Friday, stick around for cocktails and dinner in the Ballroom at the Iowa Events Center! No tickets are necessary for the cocktail hour (cash bar), but tickets are required for the dinner.
Saturday Hearty Breakfast
7:30-8:30 a.m.
Menu: Scrambled eggs, breakfast potatoes, sausage links, oatmeal and blueberry muffin
Saturday Lunch
Noon-1:15 p.m.
Menu: Spaghetti & Meatballs, Lettuce Salad, Garlic Bread and Cornbread Trifle
PFI Minivan Parking Shuttle
The PFI minivan make regular trips between the north side of the Crocker Street parking lot and the Iowa Events Center during peak entry times. Flag us down for a ride!
Don’t see us and need a lift? Call the minivan shuttle cell phone. Number coming soon!
Kids at the PFI Annual Conference
Making the PFI conference family-friendly has long been a priority for our members, board and staff. Due to insurance changes at the Iowa Events Center, we are no longer able to offer a staffed childcare option for the 2026 conference. We apologize for this change in our services. Instead, we will provide a Family Lounge. We welcome all families with children enrolled in the Family Lounge to bring one adult family member as a caretaker for FREE. This ticket is intended for persons whose primary role during the conference is to watch the child(ren) as a support to the parents, not to attend sessions. If parents are planning to split time in sessions and in the Family Lounge, we prefer that both parents register as conference attendees.
- Free access to our family lounge for ages 0-7 (pre-registration preferred as space is limited)
- Free, kid-friendly meals and snacks available in the lounge
- Mothers’ room with fridge available
- Babywearing and nursing is allowed in all conference spaces
- Family-friendly registration pricing (up to 9 additional members of a Farm and Household membership can register for just $35 per day per person)
Children older than seven years old are, of course, welcome to attend with their family!
- A supervised, drop-in Youth Room with books and games for kids aged eight and older to gather, play and talk.
This year we are pleased to offer a youth-friendly session titled “Farming for the Future: Engaging the Whole Family and Raising Young Entrepreneurs.” Find more information about this session in the posted schedule. We hope to create more educational youth activities in the future.
For the present, to ensure a positive conference experience for all attendees and to prevent injuries and damages, PFI is implementing the following policies:
- Children and youth at the conference must treat the conference space as a conference space. They are welcome to visit with exhibitors, talk or play games quietly in the Youth Room or less-busy areas, or attend sessions on their own.
- Playing on the escalator or other infrastructure, running, throwing balls or other toys (and other activities that PFI staff deem inappropriate for the conference space) will not be permitted.
- If PFI staff see these activities occurring, the issue will be addressed, and a parent will be notified. If PFI staff must intervene a second time with the same child, a parent will be asked to find an alternative arrangement for their child, which may include a parent needing to leave the conference.
We hope the conference remains a place for children (and adults) to meet new friends, grow as people and explore agriculture. We appreciate your cooperation in ensuring a positive and safe experience for all!