The Selby's Iowa State Fair Guide

JOHN DEERE AGRICULTURE BUILDING

Butter Cow — Six hundred pounds of butter over a wire frame, in a cooler case, since 1911.

4-H Horticulture, main floor — Garden crops on paper plates. It moved me. 

Iowa State Fair Rose Show — Single stems in bud vases. Epic. 

The Salad Bowl, west balcony — Caprese on a stick, PB&J on a stick, apple tea shake-up.

Bauder's Ice Cream, southwest side — Peppermint bar. Cookie crust, peppermint ice cream, fudge. The Des Moines pharmacy since 1916.

THE TRIANGLE / ADMINISTRATION BUILDING

Thelma's — Ice cream pressed between two cookies, snickerdoodle to cayenne chocolate chip.

Koepp's Nut Rolls — Cashew, pecan, mixed. Chocolate dipped if you ask.

Turkey Time's Strawberry Smoothies — Whole berries, no mix. 

GRAND AVENUE / GRANDSTAND

Barksdale's State Fair Cookie Factory — Warm chocolate chip cookies by the bucket, cold milk, since 1959.

Fyfe's Deep Fried Twinkies and Candy Bars — Twinkie, Oreo, pecan pie with caramel and bacon bits.

ANNE & BILL RILEY STAGE / ROCK ISLAND AVENUE

Fair Food Fridays — Jumbo tenderloin, hand-breaded onion strings or potatoes with nacho cheese, Grand Champion Fizz. 

Minneapple Pie — Deep fried apple pie under cinnamon ice cream. 

Smith's — Deep fried strawberry shortcake on a stick, footlong corn dogs, fountain lemonade.

Grater Taters — Whole potato spiraled onto a skewer and fried, cheese and jalapeño on top.

Walleye on a Stick — Walleye, catfish, birch beer. 

Palazzo's Java House — Cold brew.

Buni's Cinnamon Rolls — Caramel glazed with pecans, made in the trailer.

WALNUT SQUARE / GIANT SLIDE

Reichardt Family Giant Slide — Seventy-one steps up, burlap sack down, yellow and green since 1968.

THRILL VILLE / MIDWAY

Sky Glide — Chairlift over the whole grounds. Does not stop at unload, so keep walking.

Ye Old Mill — Oldest permanent ride at the fair, a dark boat ride in which nothing happens. 

Magic Maze — Mirrored funhouse behind the big looping ride.

RICHARD O. JACOBSON EXHIBITION CENTER / GATE 10

Brad & Harry's Cheese Curds — Deep fried by the bucket since 1985. Garlic dill pickle if you're feeling it.

PIONEER HALL / CULTURAL CENTER

The Snack Box — Homemade cake donuts and cold brew at the west entrance.

Travelin' Tom's Coffee — Culture Center courtyard, waffles and shaved ice out of a truck.

LEMONADE

Brafford's Lemonade — Next door to Dad's. Get the jalapeño lemonade. Fresh squeezed, citrus first, the heat arrives late. My favorite drink at the fair!