Halston, the designer who defined disco fashion as much as Donna Summer did its sound, was born, of all places, in Des Moines. Ninety-one years ago in August, Halston won the title of “Healthiest City Boy” at the Iowa State Fair. He was 2 years old, but the dude did grow up to be a […]
Iowa State Fair
Posted inCommunity/News
President Trump’s ‘monumental celebration’ at the Iowa State Fairgrounds is set, but details are scant
America250, the organization coordinating Trump-endorsed activities related to next year’s 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, has released a little more information on President Trump’s planned visit to the Iowa State Fairgrounds. But only a little more. CBS News broke the news of Trump’s plan to come to the fairgrounds early […]
Posted inCommunity/News
Trump is coming to the Iowa State Fair — but not bringing the ‘Great American State Fair’ he promised in 2023
Donald Trump is coming to the opening day at the Iowa State Fair, CBS News reported on Friday, citing sources in the White House “familiar with the plan.” This year’s fair is scheduled to start on Thursday, Aug. 7 and run through Sunday, Aug. 17. “Mr. Trump’s visit, marked on the White House calendar for […]
Posted inCommunity/News
Congressional candidate Sarah Corkery says Harris leading ticket will motivate Democratic voters
Sarah Corkery, the 2nd Congressional District Democratic candidate said Tuesday that women’s health care rights will be a crucial issue in the upcoming election — and that having a woman, Vice President Kamala Harris, at the top of the ticket will help Democrats win. Corkery spoke about her commitment to defending legal abortion access at […]
Posted inCommunity/News
Lanon Baccam shares ‘history of service’ in Iowa State Fair speech
Democrat Lanon Baccam told the crowd at the Iowa State Fair Monday that he would bring his “history of service” and commitment to healthcare access to the U.S. Congress if elected. Speaking at the Des Moines Register’s Political Soapbox Monday, the 3rd District Democratic nominee shared stories of his time serving in the Iowa National […]
Posted inCommunity/News
Christina Bohannan vows to defend abortion in Iowa State Fair speech
Christina Bohannan, Democratic candidate for Iowa’s 1st Congressional District, focused on abortion rights and her opponent’s voting record during a speech Saturday at the Des Moines Register’s Political Soapbox at the Iowa State Fair. This is Bohannan’s second time running against Republican Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks for Iowa’s 1st Congressional District since 2022 when she lost […]
Posted inCentral Iowa
‘It’s just the most Iowan thing’: A day at the Iowa State Fair with fair mega-fans, the Stumps
Since his freshman year of high school in 1969, Gary Stump has not missed an Iowa State Fair. “I had a girlfriend whose father worked at the fair and he got free tickets for everything,” Stump recalls. “And then when I was in college, a friend of mine worked there and he was able to […]
Posted inArts & Entertainment
Contact Buzz: The history of the Iowa State Fair’s old, inclusive art show
Shawn Palek doesn’t enter competitions any longer. Lately, he prefers to sponsor shows and competitions for emerging artists, mentoring many. He continues to paint new works, with many murals to his credit. But in the early 2000s, the contemporary visual artist and arts advocate decided to venture into the Iowa State Fair Fine Arts Competition. […]
Posted inCommunity/News
‘I’m not a scientist’: Gov. Reynolds on face masks; the Iowa State Fair opens as COVID cases keep climbing
The Iowa State Fair opened its 11-day run on Thursday with limited COVID-19 precautions, even though new data from the Iowa Department of Public Health showed new cases of the virus are continuing to increase rapidly and the number of hospitalized COVID-19 patient took a dramatic jump. In its weekly update issued on Wednesday, IDPH […]
Posted inFood & Drink
Bites, fries, fluff and a squealer: Iowa State Fair food previewed
I’m what you might call a “fair-foodie”: an aficionado of the gastrointestinally punishing caloric arms race one can only experience at the Iowa State Fair. With the 2020 Iowa State Fair canceled due to COVID-19, I missed out on my annual survey of the creative dishes it has to offer. So on Monday afternoon, when […]
Posted inCOVID-19
Reynolds lifts most of the few remaining COVID-19 restrictions, Iowa State Fair Board cancels 2020 fair
Gov. Kim Reynolds announced on Wednesday she is eliminating more restrictions imposed to limit the spread of COVID-19. “Effective Friday, June 12, at 8 a.m., the 50 percent capacity limit currently in place for businesses will be lifted,” the governor said. Businesses currently must restrict the number of customers they serve at any one time […]
Posted inCommunity/News
Footnotes on the 2020 Caucus: A first-time voter encounters buddy-buddy candidates and rude reporters at the Iowa State Fair
The annual two-week phenomenon that is the Iowa State Fair is well-known for its amply supply of pigs, people, meals on sticks and, once every four years, its parade of presidential candidates. Livestock gets judged in the various barns at the fairgrounds, and candidates get judged at the Des Moines Register’s Political Soapbox
