The 2026 Iowa State Fair season came to an end Sunday in Des Moines after being in full swing for 11 days. From good food to politics, there certainly wasn’t a lack of things going on.
After experiencing the Iowa State Fair for the first time this year, here are five takeaways I had.
Plan multiple days
If you’ve never been to the fair before, going more than one day is a necessity. Trying to cram everything in the span of one day will just leave you exhausted and overwhelmed.
I went to the fair for at least five days and I found something new every time I went, but each time I went, I targeted a different area.
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Fairgoers look at the butter cow at the 2026 Iowa State
Fair.
HAILEY PECK, QUAD-CITY TIMES
The first day was an absolute blur and was more overwhelming than enjoyable because I was determined to try to see as much as possible.
The next time I came back was to just stroll around. I was pushing around my friend in a wheelchair the whole time, which while exhausting, looking back I am grateful for because it made us slow down and take our time.
We walked around and just went into places as we found them with no set plan. We wandered into the exhibition hall just to see what was inside and ended up staying for two hours watching the horse shows.
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Horses and their riders participate in a costume contest at the
Iowa State Fair. This horse shows a Tangled theme on Saturday, Aug.
15, 2026.
HAILEY PECK, QUAD-CITY TIMES
If I had known all that was in there was the horse ring, we probably wouldn’t have gone in. Instead, with no set plan we discovered something we really enjoyed.
This was also how I learned there is such a thing as a costume horse show, which was one of my favorite moments from the fair.
Food, food and, well, more food
There is no way to try every food at the fair and that’s just something that needs to be accepted. I had such trouble deciding what I wanted to try that I spent too much time just thinking about it rather than actually trying it.
I think the best way to go about it is just deciding as you’re walking along. If there's something you want to try, try it. I found the more I thought about it, the more I questioned whether I should get it or wait for something else and inevitably didn’t end up getting anything.
I also found that some of the best foods I had were the ones that weren’t planned. And take advantage of handouts from various booths.
Over the course of the fair one of my favorite foods was not one I purchased but rather the eggs on a stick.
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A photo of the porky parm gnocchi at the 2026 Iowa State
Fair.
HAILEY PECK, QUAD-CITY TIMES
I can’t explain why but I developed an obsession for the hard-boiled eggs on a stick that are handed out in the agriculture building. I don’t know if they are that much better because they are on a stick and free or what, but they are arguably the best eggs I’ve ever had.
I also feel that it’s worth pointing out that the Porky Parm Gnocchi won best fair food and it was one of the foods I did try. I’m not mad about the pick because it was delicious, but I still think it is way too heavy to be a fair food.
Plan extra time for parking
Parking is actually a nightmare. I was fortunate enough to have a parking pass for the week and that was difficult enough to navigate. I can’t imagine what it would’ve been without.
Homeowners along the route are all standing in their yards trying to usher you in to park. I think it’s almost a guarantee to go off-roading a little bit in the search for parking.
I didn’t use the shuttle service from parking in downtown areas but honestly, that seems like a better move than trying to find a spot near the gates. If you plan to park near the fairgrounds, you should plan at a minimum a 10-15 extra minute walk to the gates.
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Fairgoers peruse food options at the Iowa State Fair on
Thursday, Aug. 13, 2026.
HAILEY PECK, QUAD-CITY TIMES
It was actually amazing to me to see how every house was opening their yards to park cars, especially after the first day was so muddy.
I did find that the sweet spot for parking fell in the mid-day to evening hours. Most of your fairgoers who were there at the opening have left and have opened up spots. Whenever I would go early, I ended up in the overflow without fail. However, going around 3 p.m. or later, I could usually find a close spot.
Way more politics are involved than expected
Outside of the Des Moines Register Political Soapbox, I didn’t expect politics to be as prevalent throughout the fair as it was.
I knew politicians and candidates visited the fair whether for pleasure or to make an appearance but I was not prepared for the amount of protesters and supporters.
There were rallies in support of candidates, groups in matching t-shirts and protestors of candidates and politicians, both at and outside of the soapbox.
I guess I expected the fair to be the sort of political appearance where people walking by were thinking they may stop by and hear someone out or swing by to see someone flipping a pork chop. I did not expect it to be used as such a significant platform.
In my mind, I was expected the fair with politics in the background, not politics with a fair also going on.
Spend time with the animals
One thing that I think can get overlooked at the fair is the animals. A lot of people think about the food, rides, games and entertainment, but the animal shows are just as important.
I think it’s important to go and visit the animal barns and watch a couple showings. The 4-H kids and people who raise the animals put a lot of time and effort into taking care of the animals.
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4-H'ers show sheep at the Iowa State Fair on Tuesday, Aug.
18, 2026.
HAILEY PECK, QUAD-CITY TIMES
My personal favorite are the sheep, mainly because I think they’re cute. I think everyone that goes to the fair should try to catch at least one showing, if only to show acknowledgement of the work put in.
I certainly don’t know everything about what judges are looking for when they judge the animals, but despite that, it’s obvious to even an untrained eye how much the people showing the animals love what they do and how important it is for them.
I think it’s also very evident how much those animals are cared for, which personally I just love to see.
Plus, you never know, maybe you’ll discover something you really enjoy watching.
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Fairgoers look at the biggest bull at the 2026 Iowa State
Fair.
HAILEY PECK, QUAD-CITY TIMES
