Iowa PBS celebrates the Fair in August

While there won’t be corndogs, queen contestants or a sale of champions this year, Iowans may still look forward to five nights of Iowa State Fair highlights from the past five decades on Iowa PBS. Viewers longing for the views from the Grand Concourse can tune in to Celebrating the Fair airing August 10-14 at 9 p.m. on Iowa PBS’s primary channel, Facebook and YouTube.

Since 1971, Iowa PBS has brought the sights and sounds of the Iowa State Fair to viewers across the state. Gathering with friends and family to watch has become an annual tradition for many people. This year, Iowans can still watch, but instead of loading up and heading down to the fairgrounds, the Iowa PBS production team is digging through 49 years of footage and putting together a collection of memorable contests, fair foods, championship animals and more from years past.

And while there won’t be a life-size butter cow, viewers will also have an opportunity to show off their butter sculpting skills in the Fair Fun at Home segments. In the weeks leading up to the broadcast, Iowa PBS will ask viewers to submit photos and videos of them participating in various Fair-related contests such as joke telling, ugly cake decorating and, of course, butter sculpting. Some of the submissions will be featured each night so State Fair fans can still be a part of Iowa PBS’s Fair programming.

More information about the programs, their featured highlights and the Fair Fun at Home segments is coming soon. Stay tuned to Iowa PBS, iowapbs.org/fair, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram in the coming weeks as details are shared!