DES MOINES, Iowa — The final part of the Downtown DSM Adventure Stories series—which is similar to a scavenger hunt—was released Wednesday.
"It's really designed to give visitors and residents an opportunity to explore downtown," said Tiffany Tauscheck, the Chief Operating Officer of the Greater Des Moines Partnership.
Tauscheck said the goal is to increase foot traffic and support local shops.
To start the series, look for green posts throughout the downtown area that have signs with QR codes. When you scan the code, a link will pop up with a paragraph mirrored after a story along with activities and challenges.
"There are five different stories," Tauscheck said. "And with these five different stories there are more than 20 different locations that are featured. And at each of these locations there's another chapter to the story and a new experience."
Tauscheck said the series is a different way for people to experience downtown. It starts with storytelling and leads to new discoveries, like art pieces commissioned by local artists.
Tauscheck said she's heard positive reviews from owners of stores in the downtown area who have seen more people coming out and hunting for clues.
Danielle West, the director of marketing and public relations at LifeServe Blood Center said seeing people participate has been a joy.
"It's been pretty quiet in the last year and we've seen a lot more traffic in the East Village being a part of the adventure series and it's just something fun," West said. "LifeServe is excited to be a part of it."
Tauscheck said even though there's not a prize to take home for completing the series, participants win the satisfaction of finding new spots, new experiences and potentially supporting small businesses.
The Adventures Stories Series is expected to be up for the next few weeks. You can find the full series here.
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