Iowa State Fair Trivia You Never Knew
♫ “Don’t Miss It – Don’t Even Be Late” ♫
The only state fair to be immortalized in a novel, two feature films, and a Rodgers and Hammerstein stage production, the Iowa State Fair runs from August 7 through August 17 this year.
Where else can you find traditions like outhouse races, mutton busting, and – many an Iowan’s personal favorite – a cow chip throwing contest?
In 2024, state fair attendance was a record-breaking 1,182,682. Perhaps you already knew that. Here’s some state fair trivia you may not know:
Collision Course
In the late 1800s, the Iowa State Fair was in deep financial distress. Organizers needed an event that would draw crowds willing to pay the fair admission price.
Along came theatrical manager and carnival barker Joe Connolly -- later known as "Head-On Joe” -- and his idea to stage a head-on collision of two locomotives. The resulting fireball was sure to attract spectators. (This was long before the days of demolition derbies and monster truck rallies.)
State Fair Safety Tips
Consuming corn dogs and riding roller coasters is a lot of fun, but be sure to take precautions when visiting the state fair:
- Stay hydrated – with water, not soft drinks.
- Wear closed-toe shoes to protect your feet from injury and animal waste.
- Wash hands frequently, especially after petting animals and before eating.
- Avoid overindulgence in fair food.
- Watch kids carefully and have a separation plan.
- Follow the ride rules, including height restrictions, and review them with your children.
Source: Johnson Memorial Health
Fair organizers quickly jumped on board. Connolly purchased a couple of obsolete trains, laid down some tracks in front of the grandstand, and set the engines on their destructive course.
"I believed that somewhere in the makeup of every normal person, there lurks the suppressed desire to smash things up.”
– Joe Connolly
The scheme worked. The first explosion in 1896 was so successful that it was repeated in 1922 and 1932. Each time, the state fair drew between 40,000 and 70,000 paying visitors -- huge crowds for that era. Organizers netted more than $10,000 (about $250,000 in today’s currency) in direct gate receipts.
Connolly staged the 1932 crash as a presidential year showdown, pitting a Roosevelt train against one named for Iowan Herbert Hoover:
Soapbox Derby?
Several sitting presidents have visited the Iowa State Fair over the years. Dwight D. Eisenhower was the first in 1954, accompanied by former President Herbert Hoover. The others were: Gerald Ford in 1975, George W. Bush in 2002, and Barack Obama in 2012.
Since the fair precedes the Iowa caucuses (the first major contest in the presidential and congressional nomination process), it’s a political magnet for candidates.
For decades, the Des Moines Register has sponsored a "Political Soapbox,” providing candidates of all persuasions with 20 minutes to speak to the crowd and answer questions. Noteworthy presidential candidates who’ve taken advantage of this opportunity include Jimmy Carter, Donald Trump and Joe Biden.
Ronald Reagan also visited the fair – but not as a president or candidate. In the 1930s, young Reagan broadcasted from the fair as sports director for Des Moines-based WHO radio.
Our State Fair Is a Great State Fair
Between 1904 and 1954, Iowa's population increased by only 17%, while state fair attendance increased by a whopping 400%.
After being canceled during the war years of 1942-1945, the fair came back in full force in 1946. That year's attendance was partly boosted by the 1945 release of the Rodgers and Hammerstein musical film "State Fair." It was the team’s only musical written directly for the screen.
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The movie was a remake of a 1933 film based on a novel of the same name, all set in Iowa. (A third feature film, remade in 1962, was set in Texas.)
The 1945 R&H version was a huge success, winning an Oscar for Best Song (“It Might As Well Be Spring”) and boosting attendance at state fairs nationwide. Iowa State Fair turnout continues to grow (see infographic above), increasing by more than 25% from 1998 to 2024, even though state population declined slightly during that time.
And that’s more than you ever knew about the Iowa State Fair. Enjoy!
Sources:
Featured Image: Adobe, License Granted
Iowa State Fair Image:
Wikimedia Commons,
Phil Roeder
Des Moines Register
The Marcus News
Guinness World Record
Iowa State Fair.org
University of Iowa
Turner Classic Movies
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