Don't miss it: 'SHIFT: The RAGBRAI Documentary' playing through Memorial Day at Varsity

Des Moines Register
Updated ·3 min read

You haven't seen "SHIFT: The RAGBRAI Documentary" yet? Or it's been sold out when you've tried to get tickets?

Don't give up: The Varsity Cinema has added yet another week of showings ― with multiple screenings over Memorial Day weekend.

So grab a bike and head to the movies!

Times and dates

The hourlong film has been extended through Thursday, June 1. Showings are as follows:

  • Friday, May 26: 6:30 and 8 p.m.

  • Saturday, May 27: 1:15, 5:15 and 9:45 p.m.

  • Sunday, May 28: 1:15 and 3 p.m.

  • Monday, May 29: 4 and 5:45 p.m.

  • Tuesday, May 30: 4 p.m.

  • Wednesday, May 31: 4 and 5:45 p.m.

  • Thursday, June 1: 4:15 p.m.

  • Click here for tickets.

Where

Co-director Kelsey Kremer talks with cast members Ian Zahren and Andrew Boddicker before the premiere of '"SHIFT The RAGBRAI Documentary" to a sold-out crowd at Varsity Cinema May 4.
Co-director Kelsey Kremer talks with cast members Ian Zahren and Andrew Boddicker before the premiere of '"SHIFT The RAGBRAI Documentary" to a sold-out crowd at Varsity Cinema May 4.

The Varsity is at 1207 25th St. in Des Moines, adjacent to the Drake University campus. Street parking is available.

Make a night of it and enjoy one of the nearby restaurants, including eateries specializing in Indian, Ethiopian, Asian-fusion and thick juicy burgers.

Tickets

For tickets, go to varsitydesmoines.com/movies/shift-the-ragbrai-documentary. Tickets are $12, plus a $1 booking fee. You can also buy tickets in the lobby, but from the May 4 premiere onward, showings often have been sold out, so it's wise to purchase in advance.

What it's about

Des Moines' Varsity Cinema hosts the premiere of "SHIFT: The RAGBRAI Documentary" to a sold-out crowd May 4.
Des Moines' Varsity Cinema hosts the premiere of "SHIFT: The RAGBRAI Documentary" to a sold-out crowd May 4.

"SHIFT," produced by Des Moines Register journalists Courtney Crowder and Kelsey Kremer, is the result of a more than yearlong project undertaken in recognition of this summer's 50th anniversary of the Register's Annual Great Bicycle Ride Across Iowa. It follows three riders making the seven-day cross-state journey in 2022, enjoying the camaraderie of the ride and the hospitality of Iowans as they tell their stories along the way. It also shares the anticipation of a couple preparing their small Mississippi River town to host the terminal tire dip.

Above all, it's a glimpse of how an improbable event dreamed up in 1973 by another pair of Register journalists, John Karras and Donald Kaul, has become a cherished institution drawing thousands of participants from around the world to rural Iowa annually.

More showings to come

Screenings also will be hosted along the RAGBRAI route in July and in select Iowa towns. Details will be added to DesMoinesRegister.com/RAGBRAIdocumentary as they become available.

Support the film

“Shift: The RAGBRAI Documentary” was created with the belief that the film’s message of personal achievement through the magic of bicycling would be strong enough to support its production. We are still seeking funds to cover the costs of making this movie.

Please support our work by making a tax-deductible donation to Des Moines Film. Online donations may be made by visiting desmoinesfilm.org/shift-the-ragbrai-documentary. Checks made out to Des Moines Film with "Shift Documentary" in the memo line may be mailed to: Des Moines Film, 1207 25th St., Des Moines, IA 50311.

Want to host a screening?

Email ragbraidoc@gannett.com with a link to your local theater and we'll reach out!

Have questions?

Visit desmoinesregister.com/RAGBRAIdocumentary for more information.

This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: More chances to see 'SHIFT: The RAGBRAI Documentary' at the Varsity