What's on in Johnston this week: the regular nights, the big dates, and where to find them.
Every town has a rhythm, and Johnston's is easy to learn once someone lays it out for you. A Tuesday market at the Town Center. Free music and movies at The Yard when the weekend hits. Trails open any day, and the whole metro fifteen minutes away. Here is the whole week, day by day, plus what's on right now, so you always have an answer to "what should we do tonight."
Two ways to use this page
The weekly rhythm below is the stuff you can count on most weeks in season. For the one-off events with exact dates (Green Days, festivals, concerts), see This Week on the homepage or the annual events calendar. Days and times for recurring events rotate, so confirm with the venue before you head out.
The weekly rhythm
Johnston, day by day
Monday
The quiet one
Recharge night
Monday is Johnston's slow night out. A good evening for dinner around the Town Center, a movie, or planning the week off the things-to-do guide.
Tuesday
4-7 pm Summer
Johnston Farmers Market
The heart of a Johnston summer Tuesday: produce, makers, food trucks, and live music at the Johnston Town Center, June through September. Full details in our farmers market guide.
Wednesday
Evening
Trivia & game nights
Midweek trivia and bingo run at restaurants and taprooms around the Town Center and Merle Hay Road. Nights rotate, so check the venue's page for the current schedule.
Thursday
Evening Summer
Tunes at Twilight, The Yard
Free live music on the lawn at the Johnston Town Center on select Thursday evenings through the summer. See our Town Center guide.
Friday
Evening Summer
Movies on the Yard
A free family movie outdoors on the green at The Yard on select Friday nights. Grab a blanket. Check the homepage for the current title.
Fall Fridays Fall
Dragons football
In the fall, Friday night is football night. Johnston fields a single 5A program in the CIML. See our Dragons football guide.
Saturday
Evening Summer
Sounds of the Summer
Free evening concerts at The Yard, roughly 7 to 10 p.m., on select Saturday nights at the Town Center.
An easy way to close the weekend: the 45-plus miles of Johnston trails, a coffee run, or brunch around the Town Center. See the outdoors hub.
Get the week ahead, every Monday
The Johnston Brief is a free weekly email with exactly what's on: the new one-off events, the deals, and the traditions, with real dates and times. No spam, unsubscribe anytime.
Johnston's 45-plus miles of trail for running and biking. See the trails guide.
Ignit
Ignit
A large indoor sports and entertainment complex on Merle Hay Road, a reliable rainy-day and off-season option.
Library
Johnston Public Library
Programs, book clubs, and family events midweek at 6700 Merle Hay Rd.
Quick answers
Johnston this week: FAQ
What is there to do in Johnston tonight?
It depends on the night. In summer, Tuesday is the farmers market and The Yard runs a free series (Tunes at Twilight, Movies on the Yard, Sounds of the Summer). Year-round, taprooms and restaurants around the Town Center and Merle Hay Road host trivia and live music on rotating nights, and the trails are open any day. Confirm nights with the venue.
Where is there live music in Johnston?
In summer, the free Sounds of the Summer and Tunes at Twilight series bring live music to The Yard at the Town Center. Year-round, restaurants and bars around the Town Center host acts on rotating nights, and the Des Moines metro is a short drive for bigger shows. Our live music guide has the list.
When is the Johnston farmers market?
Tuesday afternoons, 4 to 7 p.m., roughly June through September at the Johnston Town Center (6221 Merle Hay Rd). In 2026 the season runs June 2 through September 29. Full details in our farmers market guide.
What is there to do at The Yard in Johnston?
The Yard at the Johnston Town Center runs a free summer series: Tunes at Twilight on select Thursdays, Movies on the Yard on select Fridays, and Sounds of the Summer concerts on select Saturday evenings. All three are free and family-friendly. See our Town Center guide.
What is there to do in Johnston this weekend?
In summer, the weekend anchors are Movies on the Yard on select Fridays and Sounds of the Summer concerts on select Saturday evenings at the Town Center, plus the trails at Terra Park and along Beaver Creek. In the fall, add Dragons football on Friday nights. For the exact dates, check the This Week list on the homepage.
The weekly rhythm reflects recurring events that run most weeks in season; exact nights and times rotate and some are seasonal, so confirm the current schedule with each venue before you go. Sources: City of Johnston (farmers market, Parks & Recreation, Terra Park, trails); Johnston Town Center and The Yard (summer series); the venues named above and their pages. Last reviewed August 2026.