Choose Iowa at the 2026 Iowa State Fair
Choose Iowa Favorite Fair Food Contest
The Choose Iowa Fair Food Contest celebrates fair food menu items made using ingredients sourced from Iowa! Fairgoers will be invited to vote for their favorite fair food featuring Iowa ingredients during the Iowa State Fair until 11:59 p.m. on Wednesday, August 19. The food stand with the winning Choose Iowa Favorite Fair Food will be recognized on August 21 when the Iowa State Fair’s Best New Food is announced. A new map showing all the food locations featuring Iowa ingredients will be posted on the Iowa State Fair website and mobile app (enjoy the 2025 map for now).
Entries in the Choose Iowa Favorite Fair Food Contest
- List of entries coming soon...
The Kitchen: Choose Iowa Presents...
In The Kitchen, Choose Iowa is curating the 1 p.m. presentation every day featuring Iowa grown and raised ingredients. Choose Iowa members will present cooking demonstrations and food presentations daily at 1 p.m. in The Kitchen inside the Maytag Family Theatre Building - located on the Grand Concourse between the Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) building and the Barksdale Cookies building. Find details about each cooking demo event on the Choose Iowa Facebook page.
- Thursday, August 13, 2026 –
- Friday, August 14, 2026 –
- Saturday, August 15, 2026 –
- Sunday, August 16, 2026 –
- Monday, August 17, 2026 –
- Tuesday, August 18, 2026 –
- Wednesday, August 19, 2026 –
- Thursday, August 20, 2026 –
- Friday, August 21, 2026 –
- Saturday, August 22, 2026 –
- Sunday, August 23, 2026 –
Choose Iowa Day at the Blue Ribbon Kids' Club
Choose Iowa will be at Kids’ Club on Friday, August 14 at 10 a.m. Get ready to meet a farmer and learn what they do each day. There may even be a fun farm-related activity! Kids' Club meets at the Fun Forest Stage, southeast of the Agriculture Building.
Coloring Calendar Awards Ceremony
Some of the most talented student artists in Iowa will be honored for their artwork’s inclusion in the Choose Iowa Coloring Calendar in a ceremony to be held Tuesday, August 18 at 10 a.m. on the stage in the Agriculture Building. If you are looking to pick up your own calendar copy, stop by the Iowa Department of Agriculture’s booth in the Agriculture Building while quantities last.
Choose Iowa in the Agriculture Building
When you stop in the Agriculture Building to see the world-famous butter cow or to get your egg on a stick, look for the Choose Iowa banners in the center of the building. Fairgoers can visit a photo booth and get a free “Picture Yourself in Iowa Agriculture” photo after selecting from numerous fun ag backgrounds. There will also be information banners about Iowa agriculture with fun facts about commodities and products produced in Iowa. Fairgoers can also pick up a free commemorative Choose Iowa cup and a free Choose Iowa Coloring Calendar while supplies last.
Choose Iowa on Tap
Try out the this year's Yield of Dreams corn lager at the Iowa Craft Beer Tent featuring corn from Iowa corn growers. The beer represents a partnership between Choose Iowa, Iowa Corn, the Iowa Brewers Guild, Confluence Brewing Company, and Confluence Distribution.