(KIWA Staff Photo)Des Moines, Iowa (RI) — Iowa State Fair officials say over 1.2 million people attended the fair during its 11-day run — a new all-time record.
This year’s fair also set several single-day and Grandstand records. Nearly 131,000 people visited the fairgrounds on Saturday, the largest one-day crowd in State Fair history. The Lainey Wilson concert on August 16th drew more than 17,000 fans, the most ever for a State Fair Grandstand show.
Governor Kim Reynolds, who spent time on the fairgrounds each of the past 11 days, credited fair officials for blending long-time traditions with new attractions.
Fair officials point to recent facility upgrades as part of that effort. The horse barn recently underwent a $13 million renovation, and the swine barn is next, with a projected cost of more than $19.5 million. The 4-H building is among the facilities updated — and air conditioned — within the past decade.
Food remains one of the fair’s biggest draws. George Atsidakos and his sister brought their Minneapolis Pie Stand to Des Moines for the first time this year.
The stand sold an average of 2,000 pieces of its deep-fried “Ultimate Minneapple Pie” — topped with two scoops of ice cream — each day. The booth, which began in 2009, was awarded “Best of Show” at this year’s Iowa State Fair.
