Creativity Festival

Have some fun at the Creativity Festival! There is a wide variety of interactive booths, Arm and Hammer activities, NASA, entertainment, OMER’s pin collection, creative challenges and more! Don’t forget to stop by the Odyssey Angels booth and meet the 2024 Odyssey Angels!

Location:

Lied Recreation Center

Teams interested in purchasing team portraits may do so during the Creativity Festival! Details and order form are available here.

Hours:

• Wednesday, May 22 – 12:00 pm – 5:00 pm
• Thursday, May 23 – 9:00 am – 5:00 pm
• Friday, May 24 – 9:00 am – 12:00 pm

International Festival

Teams from several other countries are represented at World Finals. Come support those teams and their participants by purchasing items that they brought from their homeland. The International Festival will be held at the Creativity Festival during the following hours:

Thursday, May 23 – 11:00 am – 5:00 pm

Friday, May 24 – 9:00 am – 2:00 pm

Please note: This is a CASH ONLY event

Guidelines

Load-in:

Floats can be delivered to Hilton East Loading dock on Wednesday, May 22 during prop storage hours.

Floats will not be allowed into Hilton prior to Wednesday morning; the space is needed for Opening Ceremony line-up on Tuesday evening.

Float Assembly:

Assembly of floats can occur on Wednesday, May 22 during prop storage hours.

Size:

Can not exceed 12′ tall or 12′ wide for each section (in order to get onto floor through bleachers from back tunnel)

Line-up/Parade:

Wednesday, May 22 | 6:45 pm – 9:00 pm

Line-up: 6:45 pm (with assembled floats) in Hilton East tunnel

Parade: 7:30 pm – 9:00 pm

Iowa State University Recreation Facilities

State Gym – Gymnasium – volleyball, basketball, rock climbing wall

Cost: Free; included with package

•   Wednesday – 11:30 am to 5:30 pm; 9:00 pm – 10:30 pm (Division 3 & 4 only)
•   Thursday – 11:30 am to 5:30 pm; 9:00 pm – 10:30 pm (Division 3 & 4 only)  Friday – 11:00 am to 4:00 pm

State Gym – Pool – swimming

Cost: Free; included with package

• Wednesday – Noon- to 5:30 pm; 9:00 pm – 10:30 pm (Division 3 & 4 only)  
• Thursday – Noon- to 5:30 pm; 9:00 pm – 10:30 pm (Division 3 & 4 only)
•  Friday – 11:00 am to 4:00 pm

Team members during OM registration should have provided to OM the medical release form during registration. Towels, racquets, basketballs, etc. may be checked out at the recreation centers.

Cy-Bowl

Bowling & billiards Cost: Free; included with package. These are first come, first served and reservations are not available during these hours.

•  Thursday – 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm
•  Friday – 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm

Come visit the ISU Creamery for a sweet treat. Location: Food Science Building, Room 2955

Cost: Not included; additional $ required | https://www.creamery.iastate.edu

Spring is in the air at Reiman Gardens, a 17-acre public botanical garden with a tropical plant conservatory, Butterfly Wing, annual displays, seasonal events, and the world’s largest concrete gnome. May is a beautiful time to visit the gardens! But any time of year, you will be amazed by the fluttering of up to 800 live butterflies in the Butterfly Wing, representing as many as 80 different species, including the huge Madagascar Moon Moth and the stunning Blue Morpho. While you’re there, you may even see butterflies and moths emerging from their chrysalises.

Cost: Not included; additional $ required | reimangardens.com

Located in the heart of the Midwest, Ames, Iowa is a thriving city of 66,000 people. Named one of the best college towns in America by 24/7 Wall Street, Ames is the perfect location for Iowa State University. The innovative culture of the ISU campus is matched by the vibrancy and small-town charm of Ames. Don’t miss Downtown Ames, Reiman Gardens, our exceptional restaurants, Ada Hayden Heritage Park, and many other attractions and outdoor spaces.

There’s so much to explore in Ames! After you’ve arrived and all your pins are traded, what should you do? Check out these ideas:

Go Downtown

Downtown is the beating heart in the center of Ames. Discover downtown’s unique, independent shops and restaurants, festivals and special events, live music, and so much more! Don’t miss the farmers’ market when you’re in town for the World Finals, and be sure to check out downtown’s many shops and restaurants, including Dog-eared Books, Marmalade Moon, and RAYGUN.

Explore Campustown

Location, location, location! Just across Lincoln Way from the ISU campus, you’ll find restaurants, coffee shops, essential shopping, a thriving nightlife, student housing, outdoor events … and a very cool vibe. Don’t miss out on these Campustown favorites: Dogtown University and Barefoot Campus Outfitter (for Cyclone gear), and Blaze Pizza, Café Beaudelaire, Bar La Tosca/Stomping Grounds, and Pizza Pit Extreme (for sustenance). You’re sure to get the full collegiate experience, no matter where you go.

Get outside

Ames is known for its recreational opportunities. With four golf courses, a park-like ISU campus, bike paths for miles, the lake at Ada Hayden Heritage Park, an outdoor aquatic center, and impressive system of city parks, it’s time to get outdoors! Drive a few miles west of Ames and you’ll find Ledges, one of Iowa’s most popular state parks, as well as year-round activities at Seven Oaks.

Experience art and history

Iowa State is home to one of the largest campus art programs in the United States. Much of that art can be seen as you wander the grounds or explore campus buildings. But be sure to check out the art museums – Brunnier Art Museum, Christian Petersen Art Museum, and Farm House Museum – and the Anderson Sculpture Garden. In downtown Ames, you can visit the Ames History Museum and the Octagon Center for the Arts.

Enjoy sweets and treats

Sometimes you just need something sweet! Ames satisfies your cravings in a big way. Try the candy-bar-inspired sundaes at Hickory Park, European-style chocolates (and the BEST gelato) at Chocolaterie Stam, Iowa-State-themed ice cream on campus at the ISU Creamery, peanut butter pie at Aunt Maude’s, monster cookies at Cookies, etc., and ridiculously delicious pastries and desserts at The Café and Provisions Lot F.

Discover all that Ames has to offer at DiscoverAmes.com