Summer Fun | The State Fair!

we are not just talking about any state fair - it is that time of year for the Iowa State Fair! art, food, the midway, anything you could possibly want on a stick, concerts, food, crafts, food, people watching; so much to do and so little time. people wait all year for this and you only have until sunday to get there so get a move on!

this year the fair is from august 7 through the 17 and the weather has been amazing for it. we went this past tuesday and the weather was perfect! if you know the Iowa State Fair then you know that this rarely happens. i have been there on extremely humid days, days with the heat index being close, if not more, than 100 degrees and even during torrential down pours - since it is Iowa, i would not expect anything less - so i definitely cherished the 79 degree high for that day.

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besides the big boar (1,273 lbs this year) other various animals and attractions, people are lying if they say they don't go for the food. come on! it's the fair - it is that one special day where calories don't exist! f.y.i. do not, i repeat, do not ever look at the nutritional value of fair food, just saying.

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some of the newest fair foods include:

smoked brisket mac and cheese | macaroni topped with chunks of smoked brisket and apple wood smoked bacon and tossed in a creamy three cheese sauce

brownie blitz | cream cheese brownie bits, whipped cream, chocolate syrup and coconut

 red velvet flurry | chunks of red velvet cake mixed with vanilla ice cream and cream cheese frosting

pineapple inside out funnel cake

mexican grilled corn on-the-cob | lime chipotle sauce

i tried the mac and cheese - super delicious and well worth it for the price and portion (not kidding here). my plan was also to try the red velvet flurry but sadly i had no room left so i will attempt to make it at home. i did say attempt. or there is always next year!

 yummm red velvet funnel cake  

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some of my other go-to's: 

red velvet funnel cake

cheese curds

grinder (lets be clear: jennie's not gizmos)

corn dog

honey lemonade

fresh milkshake from the dairy

salt water taffy 

peppermint log (at bauder's)

there are obviously more, but i will stop there otherwise you will be reading about food for quite awhile, which is probably actually okay right?

 

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anyways, there is so much to do, which means there is something for everyone. here are just a few - see the art and photography exhibits at the top of the hill, walk through the different buildings full of vendors, visit the barns, see the butter cow of course!, eat, enjoy a ride on the midway, catch a show or concert whether on the main stage or the free stage, stroll along and people watch, eat and eat again, see one of the many daily attractions like the talent show and most importantly enjoy the fair and Des Moines! 

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 by-the-way something new at the fair this year is a 25 foot statue of the couple from Grant Wood's American Gothic! pretty cool if you ask me (and pretty huge). i do not know how long this statue will be in Des Moines so make sure to see it before it moves on to the next place. hint: see it before it's gone!

 

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and of course i cannot leave you without posting a picture of the symbol of the Iowa State Fair: the butter cow. enjoy!

 

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happy fair going!



with love - P