Des Moines, IA: Polk County (Our 7th County!)

It’s mid-August in Iowa and that means one thing. Getting your heinie to Des Moines and conquering the state fair. When roaming acre after acre of the Iowa State Fair, you start to wonder how any other state fair could be bigger. Well, Texas figured it out. And like Iowans, Texans are just as patriotic when it comes to their annual state showcase. But I have a trick up my sleeve. I’ve scooped up four native Texans and I’m taking them to Des Moines this year. Not Dallas! Take that Big Tex! Thats right, 4/5 of Team Goodvin were born in Austin, TX. But they call Iowa home and it’s time they join the 1 million other tourists that flocked to the state fairgrounds and show the world that Texas will always be welcomed in Iowa.

We knew we were close to the state fairgrounds when we took the Altoona exit and began hear the collective crunch coming from all the customers visiting the countless food vendors. Thats funny because the Altoona exit is about 5 miles away from the fairgrounds and a lot of the food is breaded and fried. Thanks for laughing. It was the last day of the fair and Team Goodvin joined the other 99,000 that would visit over the course of this perfect summer Sunday. It didn’t take long to start planning our trip for next year. The Iowa State Fair is truly one of the most massive of its kind and we knew we weren’t going to be able to see it all in one day. We’ll be checking into a hotel room and stay a couple days next August. Many people can get their fill in one day, but the Des Moines area is chock full of affordable lodging with a ton of other activities to do all over the metro.

The agriculture and livestock venues have always been and always will be the driving force of the Iowa State Fair. I love living in a state that holds so much responsibility for the worlds survival. Our metro areas are getting updated every month and there’s a new youthful culture pouring into our borders. Right into the state that feeds everyone in this great country in someway everyday. Take time to mosey through the venues and watch how proud everyone is of their precious farms and talk about the crops they produce and the livestock they raise. My Texan wife spent much of the time with her beloved goats. They have creepy eyes.

Time for a beverage! Proceed directly to the Iowa Craft Beer Tent. The brewery business is booming in the Hawkeye State and the state fair showcases all of them. The bartenders and tendernesses work tirelessly serving and educating the fair goers on the beauty that is Iowa craft beer. My favorite venue!

There will always be something we didn’t see at the Iowa Sate Fair no matter how many times we go. That’s the best part. The aroma is still in my nostrils. You smell that? Over in Des Moines…you smell that? Smells like……Iowa. (Victory)