DES MOINES — We want to know what makes the Iowa State Fair special to you. Did you meet your spouse at the Iowa State Fair? Do you have an Iowa State Fair family tradition? Are there concerts you must see and food you must eat each year? Each experience at the Iowa State Fair is unique and the Iowa State Fair is looking for “My State Fair” stories like this :
Andrea Reece, a 26 year old from Southern Iowa, has been attending the Iowa State Fair for as long as she can remember. Along with thousands of other Fairgoers, Andrea’s family, including her parents, sisters, aunts, uncles and cousins, spend the duration of the Fair camping in the Iowa State Fair campgrounds, a tradition they’ve treasured for decades.
“I remember my grandma making the trip every year on Older Iowan’s Day to spend the day with her granddaughters,” said Reece. “Some of the highlights of the day were seeing the butter cow, riding the big yellow slide and Ye Old Mill, eating at the pork tent, and buying taffy.” During her grandmother’s visit, Andrea and her family would also visit Grandfather’s Barn to see the baby animals, catch part of the Bill Riley Talent Show and then cool off on a warm August day by playing water balloon wars against her sisters.
Every year Andrea also makes sure to walk through the Varied Industries Building and Shopper’s Mart and eat some of her favorite foods such as cheese curds, a corn dog, chicken on a stick and the Cattlemen’s Beef Headquarters. “The men in the family attend the tractor pulls every year which gives the women the day to do our ‘shopping’. We also like to hit up a couple of free stage events, and Hairball is an annual concert that we attend.”
Like Andrea, we know the Iowa State Fair is special to many people for many different reasons. We want to hear your “My State Fair” story. To share your story, visit our website at iowastatefair.org/shareyourstory. The deadline for submitting stories is July 24, 2015. Your story may be used by the Iowa State Fair for promotional purposes, but not without your written permission. Filming for the 2016 advertising campaign will take place during the 2015 Iowa State Fair, Aug. 13-23.
