(KIWA Staff Photo)Des Moines, Iowa (RI) — The Iowa State Fair starts Thursday, and while fair food is a major attraction, visitors will again be allowed to bring drinks and snacks in soft-sided coolers.
The policy was also in place last year, and Iowa State Fair CEO Jeremy Parsons says it supports affordability for families.
Parsons says food and beverage vendors did not report a decline in sales last year.
The Common Sense Institute has estimated the more than 1.1 million people who attended the 2025 Iowa State Fair spent $85 million on the fairgrounds — a more than 1% increase from the previous year. Nearly 5,000 people work at the fair during its 11-day run.
