DES MOINES, Iowa — Thursday marks the first day of the Iowa State Fair. It’s a tradition that’s brought Iowans together for over 100 years. In fact, the first one was held in 1854. Still, some are experiencing it for the first time. That includes Local Five’s Laura Bowen.
This state fair was, by far, the biggest fair Laura's been to. In fact, when she first moved to Iowa, one of the first things she learned about was the iconic state fair. While this might’ve been Laura's first time, some have been coming here for generations.
One man told her that he's been going to the state fair for decades and the campground is a staple for his family.
“We camp up there. It’s the best thing you’ve ever seen up there. This is our vacation every single year and we love it," he said.
A couple kids told Laura that they've been going to the fair for as long as they can remember.
“We’ve pretty much been going our whole life. It’s been a tradition since our great grandpa," they said.
When it comes to rides, they told her that the slingshot is the scariest. Another kid told her that she'd go on the dizzying ride called "The Rockstar" within only a few minutes of eating a meal!
The Local 5 team was impressed with fairgoers' skills. Laura and Photographer Ali Abdullah got competitive with fair games but were ultimately outshined by one man who made a basket while turning around with no way to see what he was doing.
Another thing Laura was told she couldn't miss? The food.
“Try the new foods. You gotta try foods out there. There’s anything you want to eat out there. Some things you can’t even imagine," one man said.