Sitting atop a gondola on the iconic Iowa State Fair Sky Glider, gazing around the 445 acres of fairground land, it is obvious—people absolutely love the Iowa State Fair.
This year’s 11-day fair in Des Moines is estimated to see over a million people celebrating Iowa’s agricultural tradition, enjoying entertainment, and, most importantly, trying a sampling of fried foods.
Think of any food, and a vendor at the fair has probably fried it. Deep-fried Oreos, a deep-fried bacon brisket mac-n-cheese grilled cheese, or deep-fried deviled eggs—there’s something fried for everyone. A deep-fried Uncrustable PB&J by The Bird’s Nest debuted this year as a semi-finalist in the Best New Food contest.
Visitors also see all types of livestock. A crowd gathered around to take pictures with Finnegan, the biggest boar the Iowa State Fair had ever seen.
The State Fair Butter Cow received a lot of attention, too. Since 1911, 600 pounds of butter has been sculpted into a dairy cow each year alongside a companion sculpture. This year, nighttime talk show celebrities Johnny Carson, Jimmy Fallon, and Steve Higgins, and the sky glider seat—which celebrates its 50th anniversary this year—shared the 40-degree cooler.
My last stop at the fair was the Agriculture Building, to check out the entries for the floral, horticulture, fruits, and vegetables exhibits. From a wall full of corn stalks to plates full of grapes to owls crafted from pine cones, this space is a testament to all that I love about Iowa—our hard work, passion, and genuine love for what we do.
No matter what adventure you choose at the Iowa State Fair, one thing is for certain: this is a space for everyone, from all walks of life, to come together over food, drink, and fun to celebrate Iowa life.