🎤 I know it's Friday, when I see you smile: John Waite is playing the fair's grandstand tonight for free after Rod Stewart's show was canceled.

🌧️ Today's weather: Chance of showers and thunderstorms, with a high of 84 and a low of 72.

🎂 Happy birthday to our members Mallory Utebay, Stacey Nay and Anne Owen!

• And happy early birthday to Jan Abendroth, Bryant Plowman and Deborah Guthrie!

Today's newsletter is 965 words — a 3.5-minute read.

A Dutch Bros coffee shop proposed for a downtown Des Moines site would face similar zoning hurdles that city leaders waived this month for Hyper Energy Bar.

Why it matters: The proposal will test whether Des Moines’ exceptions for Hyper were a one-off — or a precedent for more downtown drive-thrus.

Driving the news: A property-holding LLC linked to Des Moines developer Tim Rypma has submitted site plan documents for a proposed Dutch Bros to be built on a surface parking lot at 175 SW 9th St.

• That’s part of a cluster of several properties, including the recently redeveloped Carpenter Paper Warehouse and the Lortex building, both of which Rypma is connected to and plans to redevelop.

Context: The site is also near a proposed $42 million commercial and apartment complex on a parking lot previously owned by Wells Fargo Properties.

State of play: The Dutch Bros site would need exceptions for a drive-thru, surface parking, setbacks, frontage and a one-story building in an area where multiple stories are typically required.

• The plans will begin staff review soon, Des Moines’ Development Services team said in an unattributed statement to Axios.

Catch up quick: The City Council voted 6-1 on Aug. 3 to approve Hyper’s downtown project after Plan and Zoning had denied it.

• Council Member Rob Barron opposed the project, citing concerns about setting a precedent for other downtown drive-thrus.

Yes, but: Other council members stressed Hyper’s unusually constrained site and said future proposals would be reviewed separately.

Zoom in: Hyper is the first drive-thru approved west of the Des Moines River under the current downtown zoning standards.

• The requested exceptions for a Dutch Bros will be evaluated independently based on the property’s characteristics, DSM’s development team said in its statement to Axios.

The big picture: Some cities are moving in the opposite direction, the New York Times reports.

• Culver City, California, is considering a permanent ban to achieve goals for safer, more walkable and bikeable streets.

Meanwhile, Dutch Bros’ first DSM store, at 4800 SE 14th St., opens today.

• It has a drive-thru, like other restaurants in that part of the city.

What we’re watching: Whether more businesses seek exceptions to downtown’s zoning rules for drive-thrus.

The Iowa State Fair is making it easier to arrive by bicycle this year, moving free bike parking to a more prominent spot at the grounds.

Driving the news: Over 200 bicycles can fit in the new parking area at Gate 13, near East 30th Street and Maple Avenue, fair spokesperson Mindy Williamson tells Axios.

Flashback: Racks were previously at Gate 11, near East 30th Street and East Grand Avenue.

• Their new location is inside the fair’s perimeter but before the admission gates, making parking easier and aimed at increasing the number of bicyclists, Williamson says.

Behind the scenes: Ride On Des Moines founder Carol Maher pitched the “Bike2Fair Park4Free” campaign to fair officials.

• Maher has also helped fund nearly 150 bike racks at Des Moines parks.

If you go: Don’t forget to bring a lock.

1 fun thing: Gate 13 was the answer to yesterday's "Where's Jason?"

• Axios DSM reader Jeremy Caron won two tickets to "Come From Away," courtesy of the DSM Playhouse

Friday

🎶 Party in the Park | Kick off the weekend in Urbandale with live music from Burnin' Sensations, food trucks, a beer garden and family activities. | 5–9pm | Walker Johnston Park | Free!

🚀 Free Flicks: "Elio" | Bring blankets, lawn chairs and movie snacks for an outdoor screening of Pixar's Elio on a giant LED screen, weather permitting. | 6:30–8pm | Reichardt Community Center | Free!

Saturday

🧘 Yoga at Middlebrook Farm | Start your Saturday with a gentle, all-levels outdoor yoga class. Bring a yoga mat or towel. | 8:15–9am | Middlebrook Farm, Cumming | $10

✏️ Plein Air Drawing | Bring your drawing supplies and spend the morning creating alongside other local artists. | 9am | Des Moines Art Center | Free!

💕 Romance Club at Clive Public Library | Chat about everything from sweet to scandalous books, movies, apps, favorite authors and other romance recommendations. Ages 19+. | 10–11am | Clive Library, Walnut Room | Free!

Sunday

🍔 The Dealt Hand Barbecue at Tower Park | Bring something for the grill and a side to share for a laid-back community cookout with giant yard games and good company. | 12–3pm | Tower Park | Free!

Jason here: The Butter-Dipped Ice Cream cone is exactly the kind of gloriously unhinged Iowa State Fair snack that makes you wonder: Why haven't we always had this?

What it is: An ice cream cone dipped in salty butter that hardens instantly from the cold.

My thought bubble: Think butterscotch-dipped cone, but saltier, richer and unmistakably buttery.

• The crisp shell gives way to creamy ice cream, making this weird idea work surprisingly well.

Pro tip: Grab napkins. Lots of them. This thing gets messy fast.

If you go: Find it at Coney Corner, outside the northeast corner of the Horse Barn, for $6.

🧈 Butter ranking: One stick = meh. Five = don't miss it.

• Aesthetics: 🧈🧈🧈
• Creativity: 🧈🧈🧈
• Overall taste: 🧈🧈🧈🧈

🧈 Butter ice cream: If you can't make it to the fair, Home Sweet Cone is also offering butter and salt as an ice cream topping.

This newsletter was edited by Tyler Buchanan and Larry Graham.