In The News

For Immediate Release:

Indianola, IA – October 28, 2023

On November 2nd, Indianola will host the Central Iowa Travel Region’s Travel Iowa Marketplace event at Simpson College.



In addition to the Marketplace, the Indianola Chamber of Commerce will be hosting 15- 20 tour planners on a familiarization tour on Wednesday November 1st, sponsored by the Chamber, Hotel Pommier, and the National Balloon Classic. This tour includes the opportunity to experience Indianola’s hidden gems, promoting it as a must-visit destination.

The theme for the tour is Fly Through Indianola, where attendees will get to experience "flight” experiences throughout the day. Participants will kick off the day inside a cold-inflated hot air balloon for registration, accompanied by delicious beignets and bellini flights.

Participants will start the tour at the balloon museum at 10AM where they will get a sample of the tours that are regularly enjoyed by its guests. The museum exhibits over one hundred balloons, the first one ballooning in 1783 while more recent ones highlight modern-day hot air balloons.

The tour will then continue to Edge of the Woods Raspberry Farm. Attendees will get a tour of the farm and learn about the operations, as well as have the opportunity to sample jams berries and shop for some of the specialty products.

Des Moines Metro Opera (DMMO) is the next stop on the tour. While this is the lunch venue, participants will also be able to travel the halls and learn about the history of the opera that is decorated on the walls. To top the luncheon off, they will also receive a private opera arias performance.

Participants will then head to the Indianola Square where they will have the choice of an at-leisure walking tour of Indianola’s downtown, or a guided historical tour led by Indianola’s resident historian, Elodie Opstad. Highlights for the historical tour may include the story of George Washington Carver, the background on balloons and how they made their way to Indianola, how our downtown came to be and more. To enhance the planners experience even more, they will be provided with a Warren County Gift Certificate to spend, sponsored by Feed & Foster, Adorn, Corner Sundry, Savor the Rise, and Warren County Economic Development.

The tour will then regroup and head to Mish Mash for a honey tasting. The honey experience is provided and sponsored by Milk and Honey Orchard and Apiary founder Katie Flinn. Flinn trained in Bologna, Italy last November and December in Honey Sensory Analysis, and has a gained apprenticeship status with the Heroes and Hives program from Michigan State University in beekeeping.

The final stop will be at West Hill Brewing. Attendees will receive a flight of signature beers, carefully selected for their unique flavors to be paired with charcuterie offerings provided by Platters with Purpose. The crew at West Hill will guide participants through each pairing, providing insights as to why each texture and flavor combination makes the pairing special.

Following the Familiarization Tour, the planners will meet up with the Marketplace exhibitors at a reception at Hotel Pommier and participate in the Central Iowa Travel Marketplace event at Simpson College’s Kent Center the following day.

Event Contact:

Amanda Zwanziger

Indianola Chamber of Commerce

515-371-6718