Iowa State Fair 2019

Another yr in the books. They haven't posted the final day (Sunday's) attendance yet, but wow....they are going to blow the top off the attendance record this year.

Set 3 single day records:

*TUESDAY, AUGUST 13, 2019 ATTENDANCE OF 102,953 IS A TUESDAY-ATTENDANCE RECORD.
*WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 14, 2019 ATTENDANCE OF 109,323 IS A WEDNESDAY-ATTENDANCE RECORD.
*FRIDAY, AUGUST 16, 2019 ATTENDANCE OF 112,891 IS A FRIDAY-ATTENDANCE RECORD.



https://www.iowastatefair.org/about/fair-dates-attendance/
 
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Went to the ZBB concert last Sunday which was phenomenal. The rest of the fair is always just meh to me. The kids have a good time so that’s why we’ve still been going every year.
 
IPTV I see is doing a fine job online. You can find video for each day at the webpage below:

http://www.iptv.org/fair/story/34475/fair-2019

If you click on the day, and scroll down, you can see and view the segments individually. I remember watching in years past, and after a few years, it seemed just so repetitive. With these clips, it is easier to pick out what you want if you don’t watch the entire show. I always enjoy their oldest footage, as it is mostly from years I attended. Dean Borg has a nice Fair Flashback for 1969, when IPTV first started broadcasting.

Fair Flashback (1969), Monday, August 12
http://www.iptv.org/fair/story/34557/fair-flashback-dean-borg

Some here will find the comments about fair food interesting, as capitalcityguy will about possible relocation. They also talk a bit about longtime fair superintendent Ken Fulk, a cattleman from Clarinda, who played a big role in its development. He was quite genial, as I recall, and I remember seeing him just outside of, and in the food place in the southwest corner of the Cattle Barn. Below is an article on Fulk upon his death in 2003.

https://qconline.com/news/iowa/form...cle_54096593-5d56-5b65-86f6-cbec00458422.html

... “He never lost sight of the fact that agriculture was a mainstay,'' said former Gov. Robert Ray, a friend of Fulk, “but at the same time he brought big entertainment. He broadened the scope of the fair.''

Fulk was involved in the cattle industry since his boyhood in Clarinda. He was secretary and general manager of the State Fair for 14 years and was credited with bringing Elton John, Sonny and Cher, the Jackson Five and other big-name entertainers to the fair.

Fulk graduated from Iowa State University. He was field secretary for the Iowa Beef Producers Association and national secretary for the American Shorthorn Association before leading the fair. ...

From this obituary, it appears that in conjunction with relocation or expansion, Fulk wanted horse racing (and betting) for the fair to remain profitable.
 
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Went yesterday for the Hootie concert. I couldn't believe the attendance for a Sunday evening last day.
 
Another yr in the books. They haven't posted the final day (Sunday's) attendance yet, but wow....they are going to blow the top off the attendance record this year.

Set 3 single day records:

*TUESDAY, AUGUST 13, 2019 ATTENDANCE OF 102,953 IS A TUESDAY-ATTENDANCE RECORD.
*WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 14, 2019 ATTENDANCE OF 109,323 IS A WEDNESDAY-ATTENDANCE RECORD.
*FRIDAY, AUGUST 16, 2019 ATTENDANCE OF 112,891 IS A FRIDAY-ATTENDANCE RECORD.



https://www.iowastatefair.org/about/fair-dates-attendance/


They've posted all the days now.
2018 was the old record for fair attendance at 1,130,260.
2019 is the new record for fair attendance at 1,170,375.
 
It wasn't that many years ago their big goal was to try and surpass a million.
Last year the Minnesota State Fair set a new record attendance eclipsing the two million mark. It is a really good fair, but the number of bodies they can cram into their 12 days of fair is not what makes it a good fair. I won't even go on a weekend because it is just too many people with 200-270K there on a Saturday or Sunday.
 
Last year the Minnesota State Fair set a new record attendance eclipsing the two million mark. It is a really good fair, but the number of bodies they can cram into their 12 days of fair is not what makes it a good fair. I won't even go on a weekend because it is just too many people with 200-270K there on a Saturday or Sunday.

I think it is hard for many Iowans to except that the Minney fair is actually larger...and can be argued offers a bit more too. Texas' is is nothing to sneeze at either.

I think I've seen the rankings where Iowa State Fair fair is ranked a solid 3rd place when comparing the fairs across the country. That isn't bad.
 
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I think it is hard for many Iowans to except that the Minney fair is actually larger...and can be argued offers a bit more too. Texas' is is nothing to sneeze at either.

I think I've seen the rankings where Iowa State Fair fair is ranked a solid 3rd place when comparing the fairs across the country. That isn't bad.
From my understanding Minnesota has more people and is more city focused. Texas has a month long marathon. Iowa kind of hits the sweet spot. I think those three are the clear top fairs. I think you can make arguments for each of them.
 
Do the honey producers at the Mn fair still have the honey sunflower seed ice cream. It is/was so good.
 
MN and Ia state fair a really similiar. They are both good never done the Tx fair. Went to Kentucky's once it was ok.
 

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