A tradition I started last year was my Iowa State Fair Power Rankings. Last year I just compiled my list of my 10 Favorite Fair Things. This year I’m going to power rank the 10 Iowa State Fair Buildings:
10 Best Iowa State Fair Buildings Power Rankings
#10 MURALS
Murals is actually an electrical sub-station. You can’t go in it, but every side is covered with an incredible mural and is by far the best place on the fairgrounds to do a selfie. Or even a self-portrait. Also a good spot to grab a clandestine smoke apparently.
#9 ANN & BILL RILEY STAGE
Some might argue it isn’t a building, but to me it meets all the requirements. It is one of three free stages to watch entertainment at the Fair and by far the best. Not only is it the site of the Bill Riley Talent Show (which lowkey is one of my favorite parts of the Fair). It seats over 3,000 people. There is shade and it is located right smack in the middle of a good majority of the food options. When I’m on the job of eating with a group of people, I like to setup base there. Then everyone can scatter and find their own food and come back and watch some kid from Decatur City belt out a showtune!
#8 GRANDSTAND
The Grandstand hosts the big time acts that come to the Fair. Admittedly I haven’t been to a concert at the Grandstand since I went to see Maroon 5 with Jill. So that tells you it has been probably a decade. But this year there were many shows that tempted me. Foreigner. Greta Van Fleet. The Avett Brothers. To name a few. I didn’t go to any, but I was tempted. The inside hosts a bunch of flea market type stuff. But most importantly it is the home of Nitro Ice Cream. A must get at the Fair for me every year!
#7 ELWELL FAMILY FOOD CENTER
This is a bit of a nostalgic pick. This was one of my Mom’s must-sees every year. It hosts the food contests. But the favorite here is the cake contests. Both the Ugly Cake Contest and then the, not sure what it is actually called, but the Pretty Cake Contest. An added bonus is that it is air conditioned and it has some of the cleanest bathrooms at the State Fair. But in the last couple of years I have gotten to introduce Elainie to the joy of the Ugly Cake Contest and that makes my heart all warm and fuzzy.
#6 DNR BUILDING
This building would be higher on the list in past years, but in recent years there haven’t been many birds on the pond because of the stupid avian flu. But there are a few, so partial credit. There are still turtles. There are also still the lunkers in the fish tanks inside. Plus sometimes there are snakes and other various creatures. Plus some of the gates were designed and built and installed by an artist that lives 2 houses down from me from garbage pulled out of Iowa rivers. This year they added an archery range, but unfortunately got rid of the water feature that housed a couple of water lilies.
#5 BRUCE L. RASTETTER 4-H EXHIBITS BUILDING
This is another slightly nostalgic pick. Both my sisters were very active in 4-H and frequently had pictures on display in this building. I still love looking at the 4-H photo contest and just looking at all the other exhibits that the young people of our state have put together. They are frequently equal parts fascinating and awe inspiring. It is also an air conditioned building with clean bathrooms and water bottle refill stations. Plus the 4-H food stand is decent and your dollars go to support a good cause.
#4 PAUL R. KNAPP ANIMAL LEARNING CENTER
This is by far the newest and smelliest building on my power rankings. But it is air conditioned. The bathrooms are clean. It is by far the best place to see baby animals. Baby pigs. Baby sheep. Baby goats. Baby cows. Baby chickens. Baby ducks. All super adorable!
#3 PIONEER HALL
There is definitely some nostalgia in this pick. Many of my earliest State Fair memories involve Pioneer Hall. My Dad used to sell antiques here during the Iowa State Fair. It is the oldest building on this list and I think the oldest building of the Iowa State Fair. It was built in 1886 and was originally a poultry building. But nostalgia aside it is one of my favorite buildings to visit. Not just because of all the antique dealers. But the blacksmith display. The old-timey music that comes from the stage. Plus it hosts some of the best contests of the fair. Cow Chip Throwing. Rubber Duck Throwing. Husband Calling. Hog Calling. Turkey Calling. To name a few. Plus it is one of the places to get on the sky glider. There are tractor displays in the courtyard. Plenty to do, even if you don’t like antiques.
#2 JOHN DEERE AGRICULTURE BUILDING
The Agriculture Building doesn’t rank this high just because it is sponsored by John Deere. But it definitely helps. Next to the Agriculture Building is the Discovery Garden. Which is well documented as one of my favorite parts of the Fair. But next to that is the Largest Pumpkin Contest. Inside is where you can get a free hard boiled egg. The butter sculptures are housed here. Plus just a myriad of strange contests that are amongst my favorites. Like the seed mosaic art contest. The Odd Vegetable Contest. Upstairs is where the honey producers have their contests and sell honey lemonade. It is truly atrocious (the lemonade), but you can see Shannon, so that is something! Plus, the 4-H has their Dairy Barn there. Applelishus has a food stand. There is also a small State Fair Souvenir Stand. It really has something for everybody and don’t sleep on that free hard boiled egg!
#1 PATTY & JIM COWNIE CULTURAL CENTER
You should have known this was going to be #1. A very ugly building on the inside and out, it was built in 1949 as the 4-H Girls Dormitory. You can see the 4-H Logo engraved on the corners of the building as the remnants of its original use. But perhaps it is because it is so utilitarian, it is perfect for all of the art that it hosts. Obviously, it hosts the Photography Salon. But it also host the Fine Arts Contest. Plus it hosts the Dollhouse Contest. Woodworking exhibits. The Artist Fair. On the ground floor by the main entrance on the east wall one of my favorite artists has setup and sold for years. I always stop and pickup some new stickers. There is just art of every kind there. And if you like art at all (and if you don’t and are here, my feelings are a touch hurt) this is the best building at the State Fair.
Next year I might Power Rank the best State Fair Contests, but there are so many I don’t know I could do such a list justice. It is a year away, so who knows what will change, but it is my first idea.
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Today is a long one, so buckle up.
I’m going to start by ranking the Finalists for Best New Fair Food. Then just share all the food I ate at the Iowa State Fair:
#3 Iowa Sm’Oak’ed Roll – Whatcha Smokin? BBQ – $14
The description:
Smoked Pork tenderloin stuffed with jasmine rice, jalapeno creamed corn, smoked poblano queso and Giddy Up Texas taco sauce, poblano ranch and smoked sesame seeds.
It just wasn’t good. It was bland. The sauces didn’t work. It was served barely above room temperature. Jesse is the only person I heard say anything good about it. It was one of the worst things I’ve ever had at the Iowa State Fair. Period. Which was disappointing because they are basically a local restaurant for me AND last year, their Iowa Twinkie was my favorite. I have no doubt they will rebound and offer something delicious again next year.
#2 Bacon Cheeseburger Egg Roll – Winn & Sara’s Kitchen – $12
Description:
Ground beef cooked with bacon and pickles with a cheese filling, wrapped in a golden pastry egg roll drizzled with house made burger sauce.
This is the one that went on to win Best New Fair Food. I don’t have a qualm with it. This was definitely tasty AutoFocus. I could see myself sitting in a bar and just hammering these down. But I don’t know that it was transcendent. I definitely plan to hit their actual restaurant in Indianola with Shannon at some point in the future.
#1 Lobster Corn Dog – Destination Grille – $20
Description:
Lobster tail pulled through batter season with cayenne pepper and salt, topped with a lemon aioli drizzle.
I had very little expectation for this. I’m not a big fan of lobster, but this really knocked my sweaty from a full day of State Fair walking socks off! If Red Lobster was like this, I might almost be a lobster man. But not likely. Too much work for me. My theory on why it didn’t win best food is because the price tag was pretty steep and the size of the portion varied wildly. You can look at the picture with me, Logan, and Sabas and see that Sabas clearly got robbed!
I can’t wait to see what new foods come to next year’s Iowa State Fair!
But wait… I’m not done. Here is the rest of the food I ate on my 4 trips to the Iowa State Fair:
Dill Pickle Fried Cheese Curds – From Trip 1 with Teresa
Fry Bread – From Trip 2 with Jen, Evie, and Layla.
Beef Brisket Sandwich – Trip 2
Fried Mushrooms – Stolen from Jen
Evie and Layla enjoying their Piggy in a Donut and Apple Egg Rolls
Biscuit Bar – Trip 3 with Logan and eventually Elainie and Sabas
Layla’s Piggy in a Donut looked so good I had to have one!
Logan’s Mississippi Pot Roast
Logan’s Potato Salad – the best potato salad I’ve had in my life… no fooling!
Logan and his trophy, but we will get into that at a later date!
Italian Grinder – Still Trip 3
Cookies and Milk – Still Trip 3
Smash Burger – Trip 4 with Nader – Jesse and Nader crapped out
I didn’t eat at the Methodist Food Stand, but I did stop to see my favorite server!
Nitro Ice Cream!
The Bacon Cheeseburger Egg Roll sold out!
Fried Veggie Platter
With a Pepsi
Apple Slushie
And my final Iowa State Fair food: Funnel Cake Cheeseburger
This was tasty but messy AutoFocus to eat. I don’t think I would get it again.
One last Pepsi for the road.
Farewell dear Fair!
Next week’s food adventure will involve Logan competing at the State Fair Grilling Contest. Then we will get back to chronological order!
