Iowa State Fair
- Dates
- Aug 12 to 22, 2027
- Status
- Confirmed
- Venue
- Iowa State Fairgrounds
- Price
- Not announced
- Camping
- Available
- Last checked
- Oct 14, 2026
Iowa State Fair returns to Iowa State Fairgrounds, Des Moines, IA, Aug 12 to 22, 2027. Froligo tracks ticket prices, camping, attendee feedback and travel details.
What to eat & drink
The organiser's own Food page states nearly 200 food stands and more than 50 items on a stick; its Best New Food Contest (People's Choice) has run since at least 2013, with 2026's winner Porky Parm Gnocchi from Destination Grille, following 2025's Bacon Chicken Ranch Eggroll from Winn & Sara's Kitchen. The separate Choose Iowa Favorite Fair Food Contest, highlighting Iowa-sourced ingredients, went in 2026 to Beattie's Melon Patch for their Watermelon Cup.
The experience
What's special
The Iowa State Fair ran eleven consecutive days in August 2026, closing with an all-time attendance record of 1,218,834, and the 2027 edition is already confirmed for August 12 to 22. Grandstand concerts, which do not come with fair admission and are sold separately through Etix, drew a sold-out crowd of 17,360 for Lainey Wilson on the fourth day, a new record for the venue, among a lineup running from HARDY and the Red Clay Strays through TLC and Salt-N-Pepa to Alabama and BigXthaPlug. Parking remains ten dollars a vehicle in the fairgrounds' own lots, with a free shuttle inside them to the gates
What people love
The organiser's own 2026 Best New Food Contest went to Destination Grille's Porky Parm Gnocchi, while the Choose Iowa Favorite Fair Food award went to Beattie's Melon Patch for their Watermelon Cup, alongside the long-running tradition of Barksdale's State Fair Cookies
Last time around
The 2026 fair set an all-time attendance record of 1,218,834 over its eleven days, breaking the previous record of 1,182,682 set in 2024, with single-day records also falling on the first Sunday, the Monday, the second Friday and the second Saturday (which also set the all-time single-day attendance record at 130,654)
Music & entertainment
Tap an artist to play them right here.
2027 lineup not yet announced. Here's who played in 2026:
Getting there
How do I get to Iowa State Fair?
By car
Most people drive to Iowa State Fair. Check current road and traffic conditions before you set off, and see parking below.
By train
No direct passenger rail to the venue was found. Drive, fly in, or use a shuttle instead.
By bus & public transit
No scheduled intercity bus or public transit route to the venue was found. Drive, fly in, or use a shuttle instead.
Taxi & rideshare
Taxis and rideshare such as Uber and Lyft can be limited near the venue, especially late at night or in rural areas. Agree a pickup point and time in advance and keep a backup plan.
🅿 Parking
On site parking available. Cost $10 per vehicle in Lots A, B and C. A free Blue Line Parking Shuttle runs within Lots A, B and C to the admission gates. Motorcycle parking is also $10, with a free designated area in the northeast corner of Lot A. Bicycle parking inside Gate 13 is free. Accessible parking in Lots A, B and C is first-come-first-served
🚙 Car hire
Where
Venue
Iowa State Fairgrounds
Accessibility & comfort
What the organiser or venue publishes about getting around, and what they do not.
An extensive Disability Assistance page covers: wheelchair/scooter rental via HomeTown Mobility (scooters $80/full day 8 a.m.-close, wheelchairs $30/day, plus a $10 phone-reservation fee and a $5 cancellation fee if cancelled under 48 hours ahead) at Gates 8, 10, 11, 13 and 15; ADA/accessible parking in Lots A, B and C, first-come-first-served; Assisted Listening Devices at named livestock/exhibition buildings (72 hours' notice); a TDD available 8 a.m.-8 p.m. in the Administration Building; complimentary volunteer-operated Mobility Assistance Cart shuttles (9 a.m.-4 p.m., fixed routes between Information Booths); a free Blue Line Parking Shuttle (5:30 a.m.-1 a.m.); and sign language interpreters by request at least two weeks in advance
Confirm your specific needs with the organiser's access team before you travel.
Pricing
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