Iowa State Fair, Des Moines, Iowa 

The Iowa State Fair is one of the biggest parties in the Midwest, belying Iowa’s traditional image of tranquil cornfields and laid-back citizenry.

“Describing it just doesn’t do it justice,” said Iowan Wendell Hall, 72. “I’ve been to the Illinois State Fair and the Florida State Fair, and they’re comparable to our county fairs. Ours is just a whale of a good time.”

Approaching the fairground can be overwhelming. From miles away, cars are parked in any spot available. Homeowners close to the fairground often sit outside their houses and offer their driveways to fairgoers for a price.

Entering the fairground is like no other experience; like Vatican City inside of Rome, it forms a complete community within Des Moines. People of all ages and backgrounds crowd into the area. The mouth-watering scent of barbecued turkey leg accosts the senses, music blares from every direction, children scream with joy on the midway rides and animals bellow from barns and stables. In the midst of the noise, scents and sights of the fair, it becomes clear why the Iowa State Fair is famous.

  Even fair employees never tire of the fair’s spirit. Sixteen-year-old Jessica Hook works at the West Des Moines United Methodist Church food stand. The stand has been selling food to fairgoers since 1947. She is at the fairground by 5 a.m. 

“I’m up before the sun comes up,” Hook said. “By the time I get here, I get to see the sun rising, and I know it’s time to get ready for a busy day at the fair.”

Hook returns to the fair even on her days off.

“I’ll come back to the fair on the days when I don’t have to work or be up so early,” Hook said. “It’s too tiring trying to work and attempt to do all that there is to do here in the same day.”

She loves to attend the free evening concerts and purchase her favorite fair food, the corn dog.

“If I could change something about the fair, it would be the weather,” Hook said. “It’s too hot sometimes.”

Iowan Mike Kurovski said he shares the sentiment.

However, the notorious August weather hasn’t stopped him from attending the fair year after year.

“I’ve been coming to the fair 28-plus years,” he said. “The first time I went just because it was the Iowa State Fair. Four of us [siblings] got in the car, found our way around, and all we came for was for the midway rides.”

Since his early days of attending the fair, he said his interests have evolved beyond the midway rides.

“It’s the combination of food and free entertainment,” Kurovski said.

Food and fair appear to go hand-in-hand. The food vendors are wrapped around every corner and down every street to accommodate those who are hungry, and they are cooking up something new every year. People gorge themselves with freshly cooked turkey legs, strawberry smoothies, barbecued pork sandwiches, sweet and sugary funnel cakes, spicy walking tacos, fried Oreos and 20 different foods that can be put on a stick.

“Some of the places that are at the fair are unique in their own recipes,” Kurovski said. “How many times do you get a corn dog from a fast food restaurant? You don’t. These foods are just known for being at the fair and they are called fair food for a reason.”

Despite the delicious menu choices, fairgoers will eventually fill up and then sit back and relax to the entertainment, which is the next thing on the fair to-do list. The fair offers a variety of grandstand entertainment. Concerts from some of today’s well-known artists have included REO Speedwagon, James Taylor, Styx, Brad Paisley, Trace Adkins, The Wallflowers, Smash Mouth and Big ‘n’ Rich. There also are continuous free performances for all ages.

“There’s a performance every night for free, and I haven’t found a night yet that I haven’t enjoyed,” Kurovski said. “Between the four stages there is always entertainment, especially since a lot of the bands from the ’60s and ’70s play for free now.”

Traditional competitions also take place. Some of the most popular are the food and livestock contests. The fair also showcases hog calling, photography, art, outhouse races, rubber chicken throwing, the famous butter cow carving, and Bill Riley’s Talent Search.

The Iowa State Fair is constantly evolving. It started in 1854 in Fairfield, Iowa, and throughout the years many cities have hosted the fair. It settled in Des Moines in 1879 and has grown dramatically in the years since. In 2004 it boasted a record-breaking attendance of more than 1.05 million.

The campgrounds are another main attraction. People can walk out of their tents or campers right into the fairground for breakfast or even walk home to take a nap in the middle of the day. About 30,000 campers fill the 160 acres each summer.

Wendell Hall cannot remember how many years he has been coming to the Iowa State Fair, but he said it is the camping that he really enjoys.

“We camp every year and are always trying to get our name moved up on the waiting list for a camping spot,” Hall said. “Even though I’ve been coming here for years, it seems like I still can’t get my name higher on the list. Everyone just wants to be here for the fair and camp.”

Camping reservations are available only for those who plan to camp for the entire 14-day fair camping period. The list is long, and those who come to camp for nights and weekends are first come, first serve.

“Everyone bellyaches whenever the price goes up for camping,” Hall said. “But then you come anyway. I can’t imagine not camping for the fair.”