Des Moines, Iowa – A replica of the Iowa State Fair’s iconic butter cow is part of an exhibit that’s opened Friday at the Smithsonian American Art Museum in Washington, D.C. Iowa State Fair CEO Jeremy Parsons will travel to DC in mid-September to attend a celebration of the exhibit — which has 240 works of art from State Fairs around the country.
Sarah Pratt has been the lead sculptor of the Iowa State Fair butter cow since 2006. The Smithsonian staff reached out to her two years ago as they were planning the exhibit.
Iowa State Fair entries from 73-year-old Rod Zeitler of Coralville are featured in the exhibit, too. The Smithsonian calls him a “canning superstar.” Over 700 glass jars of the preserved fruits and vegetables he’s won State Fair blue ribbons for in canning competitions are stacked in a pyramid in the museum.
