Every Iowa resident looks forward to the best 2 weeks of the summer: The IOWA STATE FAIR! Unfortunately, it is only May and we still have 100 days left to go until the start of fair. But to help get through the post-winter/early spring state fair withdrawal, here are 100 things I am excited for during August 13-23! Hopefully this gets you excited for fair too and will help you get through the state fair blues! (Yes 90% of these are food but let's be honest 90% of the fair is food)
100. Corn Dogs
99. Turkey Legs
98. Baby animal displays in the Animal Learning Center
97. Justin Moore with Easton Corbin
96. Cowgirl Queen Contest
95. Saratoga Chips
94. Taking my niece through Little Hands on the Farm
93. REBA
92. State Fair Parades
91. Nacho Grande's from Jalapeno Pete's
90. Free Stuff in the Varied Industries Building
89. Big Bull
88. Pork Chop on a stick
87. Dairy Barn Ice Cream
86. Fair Squares
85. Cookies in a Cup
84. Iowa Cattleman's Quarters
83. Draft Horse Shows
82. Apple Slushies
81. Snappy Popcorn Samples in the Varied Industries Building
80. Getting another State Fair Charm for the collector's bracelet
79. Taking my niece down the Big Slide
78. State Fair Queen Contest
77. Watermelon in a cup
76. Watching the hypnotist
75. Shopping under the Grandstand
74. Caramel Apples
73. Cotton Candy
72. Big Boar
71. Not going to Carrie Underwood because she loves PETA but I'm sure some people are excited to see her.
70. Dairy Barn Milk Shakes
69. Stockman's Inn after pig shows
68. Beef Sundae
67. Iowa State Fair Coverage on IPTV
66. Taking my niece to see Clifford
65. Jr. Donuts
64. Crescent Sandwiches
63. Big Cinnamon Rolls
62. Breaded Pork Tenderloins
61. Chicken on a Stick
60. Strawberry Smoothies
59. Taking my niece to the Midway
58. Romantic SkyGlyder rides with my boyfriend....lol jk no
57. Romantic Ye Old Mill rides with my boyfriend.....ha still no
56. Breakfasts in the Campground
55. Alabama!
54. Butter Cow
53. Ice Sculptures in Ag Building
52. Visiting the State Fair Museum
51. Looking at trailers and campers with my dad
50. Late nights in the pig barn
49. Walking to the pig barn so early in the morning there is no one on the fairgrounds yet...very peaceful kind of feeling
48. Ribeye Steak Sandwiches
47. Prime Rib Dinner
46. Riding the tram back to the campgrounds
45. Naps in the pig barn
44. Naps in the camper
43. Not having to work for 11 days
42. Not having school for 11 days
41. Warmer weather than it is now
40. Lemonade that is shaken, not stirred
39. Pizza from the stand outside of the pig barn
38. Iowa Pork Tent
37. Hearing the tractor pulls all the way from the campground
36. Deep Fried Cheese Curds
35. Rib on a Stick (Spoiler alert: It's just pork loin wrapped in bacon)
34. Turkey Legs
33. Dip n Dots
32. Funnel Cakes
31. Deep Fried Oreos
30. Apple Slices and Caramel
29. Bucket of Cookies
28. Biscuits and Gravy
27. Kettle Corn
26. Collector's cups with $1 refills
25. Caramel Corn
24. Taco Salad at Cattleman's Quarters
23. Root Beer from the Small Root Beer Stands
22. Walking Tacos
21. Celebrating my 21st birthday!
20. Bandaloni
19. Feeling a little bit cultured as I walk through the art building
18. Walking through the 4-H building and doing working exhibits with my niece
17. Sleeping in a camper for 11 days
16. Walking through the Food Building and seeing how my mom's canning placed
15. 4-H Livestock Shows
14. Seeing all the restored tractors
13. Free Stage Concerts
12. Actually being on a "family vacation"
11. An 11 day break from reality
10. Spending time with my family
9. Seeing all my cousins at the same time (yup in the pig barn)
8. Seeing all my friends who I haven't seen all summer
7. Late nights chatting with the camping neighbors you only see 11 days out of the year
6. Sitting on a bench and people watch
5. Long days in the pig barn just sitting with your friends and playing cards
4. Watching the fireworks show from the campground every night
3. FFA Livestock Shows
2. Making even more memories than I did the year before
1. Ending the summer the only way Iowans know how to.
100. Corn Dogs
99. Turkey Legs
98. Baby animal displays in the Animal Learning Center
97. Justin Moore with Easton Corbin
96. Cowgirl Queen Contest
95. Saratoga Chips
94. Taking my niece through Little Hands on the Farm
93. REBA
92. State Fair Parades
91. Nacho Grande's from Jalapeno Pete's
90. Free Stuff in the Varied Industries Building
89. Big Bull
88. Pork Chop on a stick
87. Dairy Barn Ice Cream
86. Fair Squares
85. Cookies in a Cup
84. Iowa Cattleman's Quarters
83. Draft Horse Shows
82. Apple Slushies
81. Snappy Popcorn Samples in the Varied Industries Building
80. Getting another State Fair Charm for the collector's bracelet
79. Taking my niece down the Big Slide
78. State Fair Queen Contest
77. Watermelon in a cup
76. Watching the hypnotist
75. Shopping under the Grandstand
74. Caramel Apples
73. Cotton Candy
72. Big Boar
71. Not going to Carrie Underwood because she loves PETA but I'm sure some people are excited to see her.
70. Dairy Barn Milk Shakes
69. Stockman's Inn after pig shows
68. Beef Sundae
67. Iowa State Fair Coverage on IPTV
66. Taking my niece to see Clifford
65. Jr. Donuts
64. Crescent Sandwiches
63. Big Cinnamon Rolls
62. Breaded Pork Tenderloins
61. Chicken on a Stick
60. Strawberry Smoothies
59. Taking my niece to the Midway
58. Romantic SkyGlyder rides with my boyfriend....lol jk no
57. Romantic Ye Old Mill rides with my boyfriend.....ha still no
56. Breakfasts in the Campground
55. Alabama!
54. Butter Cow
53. Ice Sculptures in Ag Building
52. Visiting the State Fair Museum
51. Looking at trailers and campers with my dad
50. Late nights in the pig barn
49. Walking to the pig barn so early in the morning there is no one on the fairgrounds yet...very peaceful kind of feeling
48. Ribeye Steak Sandwiches
47. Prime Rib Dinner
46. Riding the tram back to the campgrounds
45. Naps in the pig barn
44. Naps in the camper
43. Not having to work for 11 days
42. Not having school for 11 days
41. Warmer weather than it is now
40. Lemonade that is shaken, not stirred
39. Pizza from the stand outside of the pig barn
38. Iowa Pork Tent
37. Hearing the tractor pulls all the way from the campground
36. Deep Fried Cheese Curds
35. Rib on a Stick (Spoiler alert: It's just pork loin wrapped in bacon)
34. Turkey Legs
33. Dip n Dots
32. Funnel Cakes
31. Deep Fried Oreos
30. Apple Slices and Caramel
29. Bucket of Cookies
28. Biscuits and Gravy
27. Kettle Corn
26. Collector's cups with $1 refills
25. Caramel Corn
24. Taco Salad at Cattleman's Quarters
23. Root Beer from the Small Root Beer Stands
22. Walking Tacos
21. Celebrating my 21st birthday!
20. Bandaloni
19. Feeling a little bit cultured as I walk through the art building
18. Walking through the 4-H building and doing working exhibits with my niece
17. Sleeping in a camper for 11 days
16. Walking through the Food Building and seeing how my mom's canning placed
15. 4-H Livestock Shows
14. Seeing all the restored tractors
13. Free Stage Concerts
12. Actually being on a "family vacation"
11. An 11 day break from reality
10. Spending time with my family
9. Seeing all my cousins at the same time (yup in the pig barn)
8. Seeing all my friends who I haven't seen all summer
7. Late nights chatting with the camping neighbors you only see 11 days out of the year
6. Sitting on a bench and people watch
5. Long days in the pig barn just sitting with your friends and playing cards
4. Watching the fireworks show from the campground every night
3. FFA Livestock Shows
2. Making even more memories than I did the year before
1. Ending the summer the only way Iowans know how to.