Will the Iowa State Fair happen this year?

[VeloClone]

We've lived in MSP for 5 years now and have been a few times. The first time we went, we took our then 2 yr old daughter. We went on a Saturday and made the mistake of staying too long. We were trying to leave as people were flooding in for that night's grand stand concert. It was insane. People jam packed in every direction and we're trying to get out with a stroller. Hard lesson learned.

Also, here's my other experience. I was told I had to try the roasted corn on the cob. You give your money to this guy in a booth about 50 ft from the corn stand. He gives you a ticket. You fight your way through a mob to get to the front. You literally stick your hand out of the crowd with ticket-in-hand. Someone from the stand grabs your ticket and shoves a searing hot cob of corn back into your hand. You fight your way back out of the crowd. I cannot imagine that in the post-COVID environment.

I will skip it rather than go on a weekend day. That is just too many people. Weekdays are bad enough.

 

[cygrads]

With the Minnesota state fair cancelled what are the odds of the gophers having fans in the stands?

 

[Urbandale2013]

Puts a lot of pressure on the ISF board to pull the plug for this year. It may be a difficult decision but it's not like you can wait till the day before to make the decision. When August rolls around and if deaths and cases are down to next to nothing there will be those that throw a fit about the fair not happening. People need to remember the circumstances and info available at the time when the decision had to be made.

They've already said they don't have to make the decision until mid June.

 

[BCClone]

If they don’t have the state fair, what will the guy with the boxes of snakes do?

 

[cygrads]

They've already said they don't have to make the decision until mid June.

Yeah I know - the site says 60-70 days prior to start of the fair they have to make a decision. I'm just saying as other state fairs cancel it makes going against what is becoming the standard that much more difficult and you can only rely on the info you have at that point in time.

 

[Cy$]

If they don’t have the state fair, what will the guy with the boxes of snakes do?

 

[madguy30]

I'd imagine at some point there's Elvis impersonators at the ISF?

 

[CycloneErik]

Yeah I know - the site says 60-70 days prior to start of the fair they have to make a decision. I'm just saying as other state fairs cancel it makes going against what is becoming the standard that much more difficult and you can only rely on the info you have at that point in time.

Which states are canceling and which are holding off on that?
That's probably more indicative of what will happen.

 

[1UNI2ISU]

I'd imagine at some point there's Elvis impersonators at the ISF?

Who forgot to gimmick the guitar? This is amateru hour...

 

[cygrads]

Which states are canceling and which are holding off on that?
That's probably more indicative of what will happen.

I think someone in this thread said Ohio has canceled and now Minnesota. I assume more will come in the coming weeks since, like Iowa, there is a certain amount of lead time required.

 

[knowlesjam]

With the Minnesota state fair cancelled what are the odds of the gophers having fans in the stands?

100%

 

[CycloneErik]

Sweet! Can't wait to see you smack dab in the middle of the fair with no mask or social distancing every day! Post pics!

You won't see me. I'll be standing still, and that makes me invisible.

 

[baller21]

You won't see me. I'll be standing still, and that makes me invisible.

Just remember not to eat the zargnuts.

 

[ISUCyclones2015]

Which states are canceling and which are holding off on that?
That's probably more indicative of what will happen.

Texas said they have until August 1st to decide. That’s when they start building it out and my guess is that it goes on.

Also for reference, the Texas state fair is the largest by attendance but runs twice as long as the Minnesota fair so the crowds are “only 80k” a day on average. It also starts the last Friday of September and goes through most of October.

I’ve always heard the 3 biggest fairs are Texas (most attendance), Minnesota (most attendance per day), and Iowa (largest fairgrounds acreage).

I’ve been to about 8-9 state fairs now and those 3 are by far the best and it’s not even close. I saw the attendance numbers for Ohio and thats nuts because that fair truly sucks. Minnesota would be way better if they added another week. It’s too crowded. Iowa is a good all around one with the best food. Texas has the most variety of things to do IMO.

 

[MartyFine]

 

[MartyFine]

Warren County (IA) county fair postponed until 2021...

 

[ClonesTwenty1]

Warren County (IA) county fair postponed until 2021...

Is there a county fair that has said That they still plan on running?

 

[3TrueFans]

I think I'd be surprised if she cancels the fair at this point.

 

[cowgirl836]

Who owns the Fairgrounds?

World Dairy Expo was cancelled yesterday which is a pretty big deal.

 

[Cy$]

Who owns the Fairgrounds?

World Dairy Expo was cancelled yesterday which is a pretty big deal.

Kim reynolds