The musical State Fair says it best: "Our state fair is a great state fair!" The Iowa State Fair is the single largest event in Iowa, and it draws well over a million visitors over its 11-day course. While not the largest state fair in the US, it is rated as one of the best, and certainly one of the must-visit events and festivals in Iowa. While it's impossible to highlight all the great attractions of this veritable smorgasbord, there are some that definitely stick out. This year's event is slated for August 8th to 18th at the Des Moines Fairgrounds, which means it's time to get excited. What will the fair have in store for us this year? What new and unexpected food items will they figure out how to fry or put on a stick? We can't wait to find out.
Let’s start with the food: there are 200 food stands and over 80 delicious items available on a stick. The top sellers are things you might expect, like the corn dog and a pork chop on a stick. But there’s other food you probably never would have thought to put on a stick, like apple pie on a stick, cookie dough in a waffle on a stick, deep fried Twinkies on a stick, Caprese salad on a stick, and even the footlong hot dog with corn chips, chili, and cheese sauce on a stick.
Another key aspect of the fair is the animals. The baby animals at the animal learning center are the cutest things here. You may even get to witness the magic of an animal giving birth. The ducklings are sure to please everyone. The cattle, horse, sheep, and pig barn show livestock with agricultural education displays.
Next up is the cow. Yes, that cow: the 600-pound, life-sized cow that is made out of butter and is found in the Agricultural Building. The cow is made with enough butter to spread on 19,200 slices of toast. A fixture since 1911, the butter cow gets remade every year. But surprisingly, only 5 artists have been entrusted to craft the cow over the 100 years of its appearance.
So what do they do with all that butter after the fair? They recycle most of it for the next year.
Not all the exhibits are related to agriculture. The Varied Industries Building has 110,000 square feet of exhibit space showcasing Iowa’s commercial and industrial markets. There will be lots of free goodies and interesting displays in this building, which is also a good place to cool off if it's getting too hot outdoors.
Of course the Iowa State Fair isn’t lacking when it comes to the rides, either. There are three different areas with differing thrill levels.
Thrill Ville near the grandstand and Ye Old Mill are the middle ground for fair rides that are family friendly but still spectacular. Thrill Town, which is east of Gate 10, is great for the younger fairgoers because it features slightly tamer rides. Thrill Zone doesn’t hold back AT ALL; it features full throttle, hair-raising kind of rides. For those who can take it, the thrill zone is just north of Gate 11 on the fairgrounds.
The grandstand hosts the big concerts and has free entertainment throughout much of the day. The Elwell Family Park is where you want to be if Monster Trucks, Tractor Pulls, and Demolition Derbys float your boat.
There is so much going on and so many people here that it's impossible to cover it all, so why not take a trip to Des Moines from August 8 to 18th, 2024, and check it out for yourself? There is a discount if you buy tickets ahead of time, and if not, a regular adult ticket is $14 and children 6-11 can purchase tickets for $10, while children 5 and under are free. Tickets are good for one day and do not cover some of the bigger entertainment events such as the monster trucks, tractor pulls, big-name concerts, and some rides. Learn more at the Iowa State Fair website, and make sure to follow the Iowa State Fair Facebook page for up-to-the-minute announcements on this year's festivities. How about it, what part of the Iowa State Fair are you going to visit first?
Looking to find a place to stay near the fairgrounds? The Econo Lodge feet away from the fair is usually booked up months in advance, so we recommend a room at the Surety Hotel - it's only a ten-minute drive from the gates.
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