Iowa State Fair returns Thursday, August 10, to Sunday, August 20, at Iowa State Fairgrounds in Des Moines. This summer’s festivities include sensory-friendly activities, adventure parks to explore and over 200 food stands to indulge in (70 of which serve items on a stick!).
Attracting more than a million people annually, Iowa State Fair is the largest celebration in the state, showcasing the best of Iowa’s agriculture, industry, entertainment and culture. The fair will take place at its home site at Iowa State Fairgrounds in Des Moines, from Thursday, August 10, to Sunday, August 20. This year’s event will be the fair’s 169th year.
This season, fair-goers can anticipate its staple food lineups, attractions and concerts, in addition to new unique features, like the Sensory-Friendly Morning, taking place on Wednesday, August 16, from 8 a.m. to noon. This unique experience will provide a relaxed environment designed for children and adults with autism or sensory processing disorders in mind. Special programming is planned with modifications, including reduced noise levels, lights and motion. Trained volunteers will be available in the field for any assistance, in addition to Calming Rooms for those looking for a sensory-friendly, private space to relax as needed. The morning will feature garden walks, baby animal visits, kid-friendly rides, arts and crafts, live performances and more.
Iowa State Fair will feature a star-studded lineup of performances from your favorite bands and artists, including For King + Country (August 11), Florida Georgia Line (August 12), New Kids on the Block with Jesse McCartney (August 12), Eric Church (August 13), The Black Keys (August 14) and Jeff Dunham (August 15), to name a few. In addition to these ticketed performances, there will be plenty of free music experiences to enjoy from Priscilla Block, Nate Smith, Shane Profitt, Ingrid Andress and many more artists.
In addition to live music entertainment, get ready to buckle your seatbelts with an assortment of rides for all ages and adventure levels, from Thrill Town for the littlest fair-goers to Thrill Zone for those seeking heart-thumping action. Thrill Zone offers an assortment of exhilarating, heart-stopping ventures with unforgettable rides while Thrill Town offers vibrant, family-friendly escapades for kiddos.
Foodie-focused visitors are in for a treat at Iowa State Fair, with over 200 food stands brimming with sweets, drinks and all the fried food your heart desires. Staples like Barksdale’s State Fair Cookies will be on-site, awaiting with buckets and cups of its fan-favorite chocolate chip cookies, in addition to 70 vendors with food on sticks, gluten-free destinations, healthy-choice vendors and all of the funnel cake, cotton candy and oversized corn dogs you can eat.
For those wanting to stay at the fair and not miss a single event, the fair offers over 160 acres of land for camping, with incredible views of Iowa wildflowers and decades-old oak and walnut trees. The grounds offer comfortable accommodations to assist in your stay, including showers, electrical and water hook-ups, restrooms and even private office spaces. The camping accommodation is only available to those staying all 11 days.
Daily admission starts at $11 for those ages 12 and up; $7 for those ages 6 to 11.
For more information, visit iowastatefair.org.