Perfect Weather Drives All-Time Fair Attendance Record in 2024

Whether it was food, livestock, competitions, concerts or entertainment, the Iowa State Fair found a record-breaking cure for FAIR FEVER, August 8-18, 2024.

The largest Fair in its 170-year-old history, Fair Fever attendance totaled a whopping 1,182,682 Fairgoers. The previous record was set in 2019 with 1,170,375 Fairgoers. More detailed information on Fair attendance can be found at iowastatefair.org.

Some highlights of the 2024 Fair included:

Agriculture is the foundation of the Iowa State Fair and was highlighted by eight new records in the 4-H and FFA Sale of Champions, including the all-time record for all species. The Grand Champion 4-H Market Steer exhibited by Mason Shalla of Riverside was sold for $175,000. Proceeds from the Sale of Champions benefit the Iowa Foundation for Agricultural Advancement scholarship fund. Other livestock highlights include 5,500 4-H livestock entries with 1,443 hogs featured in the 4-H swine show. Free nightly horse shows drew capacity crowds and concluded the Fair with 17 stunning Supreme Six-Horse-Hitch draft horse teams. Finnegan, a crossbred boar shown by Bryan and Tricia Britt of Monticello, set a new State Fair record in the Big Boar competition, tipping the scales at 1,420 pounds. Finnegan also picked up a following around the world on social media with more than 7 million views.

Fairgoers were hungry and concessionaires delivered. More than 200 food booths kept lines moving and provided Iowa Nice service. The Cheeseburger Eggroll from Winn & Sara's Kitchen won the People's Choice Best New Food Award. A total of 9,204 people voted in the Best New Food Competition while thousands more enjoyed trying the more than 80 new foods offered at the Fair this year. Fairgoers could also try new drinks and collect badges on the official Iowa State Fair App. The list of new drinks contained a mix of alcohol and alcohol-free drinks. The numbers were tallied up, and the winner of the Best New Drink (with alcohol) went to JR's SouthPork Ranch for the Cowgirl Cooler, and the Bubbly Bar & Bistro received Best New Drink (without alcohol) for the Abracadabra Butterfly Lemonade.

In a quest to earn a coveted Iowa State Fair blue ribbon, exhibitors entered 203 pies, and 321 cakes were entered in food competitions at the Fair. In the Fabric and Threads department, an impressive 466 quilts were entered. In the Cultural Center, more than 10,440 votes were placed for the People's Choice 2024 Doll House winner. One super-sized pumpkin weighed in at 1,294 pounds and the world-record eggplant was on display in the Elwell Family Food Center. More than 800 Fairgoers also participated in the Fair's zany contests including mom calling, whistling, timber sports, youth spelling bee, and many others. 250 performers competed in the 64th annual Bill Riley Talent Search. Lily Schloss of North Liberty was named the Bill Riley Talent Search champion, winning a $10,000 prize.

The 2024 Grandstand line-up saw a diverse group of entertainers, ranging from Christian to country, to rock and R&B, to kids' music on the last night of the Fair. Young Fairgoers had a multitude of activities to participate in during the Fair, including a Cowboy Boot Camp, Kids Can Cook kitchen demonstrations, and Blue Ribbon Kids' Club, as well as celebrating the twentieth anniversary of Little Hands on the Farm. Activities for the whole family included High Dive and iFlip aerial acrobatics shows, and Fairgoers could enjoy more Fair comforts such as increased benches and picnic tables, shade areas and water bottle filling stations.

The Woodcarver's Auction on the last day auctioned off the work of three talented chainsaw artists during the Fair. Proceeds from the auction benefit the Blue Ribbon Foundation Endowment and raised $78,146 for improvements to the Iowa State Fairgrounds.

The dust hasn't settled yet, so the numbers from the 2024 Iowa State Fair are still coming in. Watch for the 2025 Iowa State Fair theme as the Fair prepares to welcome Fairgoers back August 7-17, 2025.

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Frequently ranked as one of the top events in the country, the Iowa State Fair is the single largest event in the state of Iowa and one of the oldest and largest agricultural and industrial expositions in the country. Annually attracting more than a million people from all over the world, the Iowa State Fair located at East 30th and East University, just 10 minutes from downtown Des Moines, is Iowa's greatest celebration with a salute to the best in agriculture, industry, entertainment and achievement. For more information, visit www.iowastatefair.org.