2026 515 Day
515 Day in Downtown Ames is BACK for year 6!! Join us on May 15 for a fun filled night of Live Music, a Food Truck Showdown, and family friendly activities. 5th Street from Burnett Avenue to Douglas Avenue, Douglas Avenue from Main Street to 5th Street, and Kellogg Avenue from the Alley to 5th Street and Burnet Avenue from the Alley to 5th Street will be closed to host the event.
During this event you can sit back and relax with a beverage from Thirsty Pigs while listening to music, experience some family fun activities and check out some of the Food Trucks that our community has to offer while voting for your favorite to be crowned the Food Truck Showdown Champion! The winner receives a trophy and bragging rights.
Schedule of Events
4:00pm – Live Music from Foxpin at the corner of 5th St and Douglas Avenue
7:00pm – Voting for favorite food truck to end
7:30pm – Announcement of Food Truck Showdown winner, last call at beer tent
8:00pm – Event to conclude
Food Truck Showdown
Food Truck registration is CLOSED! Please email Sarah to be added to the wait list.
Current entries:
Bean Caffeinated
- Coffee
- Lemonade
- Matcha
- Redbull
Bellbottom Mobile Cafe
- Espresso based beverages: Latte, Cappuccinos, Americanos
- Other: Chai, Cold Brew, Drip Coffee, Hot Chocolate
Best Spudz
- Loaded Baked Potatoes
- Irish Nachos
- Fries
Borrachos
- TBA
Carlos Quesadillas
- TBA
Cle’s Food Truck
- Italian beef sandwiches
Comfort Food
- Pulled pork sandwich
- Philly cheese steak sandwich
- Walking tacos
- BBQ nachos
- Asian chicken wrap
- Cuban wrap
- Teriyaki bowl
The Eggroll Ladies
- Pork Eggrolls
- Crab Rangoons
- Potstickers
- Asian Lemonade
- Bowls
Happi Lao
- Laotian Eggrolls
- Crab Rangoons
- Philly Steak Eggrolls
- Bacon Rangoon
- Chicken Salad with Sticky Rice
- Meatballs on the Sticks
- Chicken Wings
- Chicken Tenders
- Season Fries or Onion Rings
- Fresh Tropical Smoothies
- Bottled Water
- Soda
Hungry Boys Taqueria
- Quesadillas
- Burritos
- Nachos
- Tacos
- Jarritos
Ice Lab
- Authentic Italian ice
Karam’s Grill
- Lamb Gyro
- Spicy Yum Yum Gyro
- Chicken Pita
- Gyro Bowl
- Chicken Shawarma Bowl
- Vegetarian Falafel Bowl
- French Fries
- Homemade Baklava
Kona Ice of Central Iowa
- Tropical shaved ice and blended!
Off the Griddle
- Hand cut fresh Philly steak
- Mamas famous grinders
- Pulled pork loaded fries- don’t forget to Mama size it !
- Mozzarella sticks
- Fries
- Gourmet burgers
- Pulled pork grilled cheese
- Impossible burger
- Cole slaw
- Potato salad
The Outside Scoop
- Ice Cream
- Ice Cream Sandwiches
- Edible Cookie Dough bites
Piece and Freedom Bakery
- Cheese boats
- Pyrizhky
- Rollini
- Quiche
- Heart-shaped cookies
- Stollen cookies
- Blueberry hand pies
- Apple chocolate chip cakes
The Soda + Stitch Co
- Non-alcoholic dirty sodas
- Dirty popcorn
Superdog
- Superdogs
- Gyros
The Toasted Cone
- Indian Fusion Ice creams
- Soft Cloud Cake slices
- Chocolate Mousse
- Mango Mousse
- Apricot Pudding
- Tre leches Dessert
- Tiramasu Dessert
- Mango Lassi
- Super Premium Ice cream
Taqueria y antojitos la chatita
- Tacos
- Tamales
- Flautas
- Gorditas
- Strawberry with cream
- Walking tacos
- Mangonada
- Fruit in a cup
- Corn in a cup
- Dorielotes
Whip Delight
- Dole Soft Serve – Pineapple and the Flavor of the Day – Dairy-free, lactose-free, gluten-free, dye-free and vegan.
- Vanilla – Lactose-free, gluten-free, 99% dairy-free
- Whip Shakes
- Whip Pops
Grab & Go Food Options
Looking for another food option? Don’t forget about our Downtown eateries! Visit the list of Downtown food and beverage options here!
Family Zone
This will be located off of Douglas between Main and 5th. Activities include:
Three fun inflatable activities! An obstacle course, a mega slide and Skee-Ball!
Wandering Greens Miniature Golf
Joyful Colorz face painting
Becca the Balloon Lady
Downtown Ames will also have businesses participating in their own activities – walk the district and check them out!
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Family Activities & Business Specials
Tanique | 108 Main Street | 15% off products/retail, $10 off coupons, and free spray tan giveaway!
Oak Lane Candle Co. | 121 Main Street | 15% off candles & we will be doing a family pour bar!
Avec Design + Build | 131 Main Street | $5 for 15min with a Design Expert and coloring sheets for kids
Little Woods Herbal | 136 Main Street | Ice Tea Sampling
Dog-Eared Books | 203 Main Street | Receive an enamel 515 pin when you spend $35 and we will have a coloring station available for kids!
Heroic Hair | 203 Main Street | Open 10am-7pm!
Emerhoff’s Footwear | 215 Main Street | 5 + 15 = 20% off store wide!
Treats on a Leash | 216 Main Street | Buy 5 items and get 15% off (excludes pet food)
The Funky Zebras Boutique | 221 Main Street | 15% off storewide and make a 515 hat in store!
Worldly Goods | 223 Main Street | buy 5 and get 15% off & craft/coloring sheets
Moorman Clothiers | 226 Main Street | 15% Off
Duck Worth Wearing | 232 Main Street | Open 9am-8pm!
The Loft | 233 Main Street | Open 10am-8pm!
RAYGUN | 301 Main Street #106 | $5 kids sale shirts, $15 Mystery Bags, & coloring pages of our character mascots
Piece and Freedom Bakery | 301 Main Street #107 | Open 12pm-8pm!
b.e. good | 301 Main Street #108 | Open 10am-8pm!
Life Distilled | 301 Main Street #109 | Mention 515 Days at check out to receive 5.15% off. Shop our table of goodies that are only $5.15. Test your nose and take our smell quiz. Can you identify our top 10 essential oils?
Homegrown | 301 Main Street #111 | Mention 515 Days at check out to receive 5.15% off plus samples of our favorite local popcorn, toffee, tea, & coffee. Decorate your own Iowa themed postcard to send to a loved one.
Brown’s Shoe Fit Co. | 306 Main Street | 15% off Storewide
Valor and Violet | 310 Main Street | Buy 2 products and get 5% Off, Buy 5 products and get 15% off. Tinsel Station: 1 tinsel strand $5 / 5 tinsel strands $15.50 / 10 tinsel strands $25
The Salon | 323 Main Street | $15 fairy hair extensions
CrawDaddy Outdoors | 327 Main Street | Open 10am-8pm!
Prairie Rose Needleworks | 500 Main Street #103 | Spend $51.50 and get a free gift. Free “Ames” & “515” stick & stitch embroidery patterns
American Country Home Store | 210 5th Street | Open 10am-5pm!
Ames History Museum | 416 Douglas Avenue | $5 General Admission and 15% in the Museum Store all week (May 12-16). Open 10am-7pm!
Octagon Center for the Arts | 427 Douglas Avenue | Art from the Attic Sale – original, donated pieces of art that we are selling for incredibly low prices. The perfect way to decorate your home on any budget.
Ames Public Library | 515 Douglas Avenue | Get great deals on gently-used books and more in Ames Public Library’s Literary Grounds Bookstore! Enjoy $1 off everything in the bookstore (except book bundles and items marked $1). Stop by Ames Public Library’s children’s area on May 15 for a family scavenger hunt and craft that celebrate how we live, work, and play in Ames!
ONE MORE by Wings of Refuge | 503 Duff Avenue | Car Diffusers Special for $5.15!
Interested in volunteering during 515 Day? We would love to have you! Please sign up here!
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