The Iowa State Fair set an all-time attendance record. The numbers show 1,218,834 people attended the Fair during its 11-day run. That surpassed the previous overall record set in 2024 by some 36,000. Daily attendance records were set for the first Sunday, Monday, the second Friday and the all-time single-day record for attendance was set on the second Saturday at 130,364. Good weather and special exhibits for the 250th celebration of America were some of the drivers for the record attendance. The Lainey Wilson concert on August 16th had a State Fair Grandstand record of more than 17-thousand fans. Governor Kim Reynolds, who was on the fairgrounds for each of the past 11 days, credits state fair officials for scheduling the right mix of activities to attract a record crowd.
The horse barn just underwent a $13-MILLION renovation, for example, and the swine barn is next — at a projected cost of over $19.5 Million. Many make the trek to the 425-acre fairgrounds, though, to eat. George Atsidakos (at-sih-DAWK-ose) and his sister brought their Minneapple Pie Stand to Des Moines for the first time this year.
The stand sold an average of two-thousand pieces of their deep-fried ‘Ultimate Minneapple Pie’ — with two scoops of ice cream — each day. The stand got its start in 2009 and was awarded “Best of Show” for its booth at this year’s Iowa State Fair.
