Our Great State Fair - children ride on the carousel and drivers race antique cars on a dirt track
Documentary

Our Great State Fair explores the history of Iowa's biggest event - the annual showcase of our state's best in agriculture, industry, entertainment and achievement. The story begins in 1854, as an experimental agricultural exposition in Fairfield, and continues into the 21st century as a statewide celebration in Des Moines.

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Fair Highlights 2023

Watch daily Iowa State Fair highlights at 9 p.m. Aug. 14-19.

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Clips

Crowds line up to ride the carousel and Ferris wheel

The Midway's Sensational Entertainment

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Fair organizers realized it would be advantageous to have more entertainment to attract people to the fair, but their vision of a strictly educational fair was challenged by the desires of fairgoers.
Racers in open-top cars wearing goggles race on a dirt track

Dirt Track Racers at the Iowa State Fair

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The dirt track racers of the early 1900s were big superstars, like today's football players or rock stars.
Red brick and terracotta building with large windows and a rounded facade

The Evolution of the Iowa State Fair's Grandstand

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The need for a large gathering space that could seat thousands made the Grandstand a focal point for the modernization of the fairgrounds.
Crowds walk along Grand Avenue in front of the Grandstand

Traffic Jams on the Iowa State Fair's Grand Concourse

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Goodbye miles-long traffic jams. Hello, Grand Concourse.
Two women lift a large tray of corn dogs

Food on a Stick at the Iowa State Fair

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Easy cleanup, no mess and portability. Food on a stick solved a great number of fair food inconveniences.
Ornate, wood-frame, multi-story building with Exposition painted above an entrance

Iowa State Fair Buildings History

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Exposition Hall was one of the first and largest of the new wood-frame buildings to be erected on the fairgrounds.
A man stands next to a cow while a woman writes on a clipboard

Animal Judging Over the Years at the Iowa State Fair

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Visitors come from around the country to see and purchase various breeds of livestock at the Iowa State Fair.
Red brick and terracotta livestock barn with Swine in limestone over the entrance

Creating the Iowa State Fair Barns and Livestock Pavilion

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The Iowa State Fair takes the livestock barns from temporary to something more permanent.
Three onions on a plate

Inside the Iowa State Fair's Agriculture Building

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Everyone who visits the fair can learn something new about where their food comes from and all the work that goes into producing it.
A group of men stand around to train locomotives

Iowa State Fair's Historic Spectacle Attractions

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Fairgoers took great pleasure in experiencing the danger, mayhem and destruction of many fair spectacles.
Girl in a yellow costume tosses a baton in the air

Bill Riley Talent Search History

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Bill Riley was fascinated by talented people, especially young people, and started the Bill Riley Talent Search, which continues to give young Iowans the chance to shine every year.
Two-story brick structure with a four columns holding up a rounded dome over the entrance

The Architecture of Iowa State Fair's Agriculture Building

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Inside the Agriculture Building, the best of the state's agriculture is displayed alongside the famous Butter Cow.
Newspaper article with the headline "Oldest Fair Building Is Torn Down"

Iowa State Fair Exposition Hall Demolition

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The demolition of Exposition Hall, the fair's oldest building at the time, is a key moment in Iowa State Fair history.
Map of the Iowa State Fairgrounds

Iowa State Fair

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Our Great State Fair

Our Great State Fair explores the history of Iowa's biggest event - the annual showcase of our state's best in agriculture, industry, entertainment and achievement. The story begins in 1854, as an experimental agricultural exposition in Fairfield, and continues into the 21st century as a statewide celebration in Des Moines.