Dew Tour returning to Des Moines

State of play: This year's Dew Tour is a finals-only competition featuring men's and women's individual street and park skate, as well as adaptive competitions.

• Expect to see some of the country's top skaters competing in the event, as well as Olympians.
• The free event is over two days, July 29-30.

What's new: There is no attendance limit this year, meaning anyone can go and watch.

• The event will also have more amenities, like food trucks, athlete meet-and-greets and public skate spots.

The intrigue: The Lauridsen Skatepark is a big draw for the Dew Tour, especially since there isn't any build-up or tear-down needed, said Courtney Gresik of the Dew Tour.

👀 But the real intrigue: Iowa is a "key market" for the Mountain Dew brand, Gresik said.

• When the company visited Iowa to discuss operations last year, they saw that some people were drinking Mountain Dew rather than coffee. (There's a reason we're one of the only places with Hard Mountain Dew.)
• "I don't think I've seen so many Mountain Dew cans in hands," Gresik said.

The bottom line: Beyond the Dew Tour, the last year has been a busy one for the Lauridsen Skatepark as the metro's skating scene grows.

• Stop by on a weekend afternoon and that place is packed. (Watch your toes.)