The Spectacle that is the Iowa State Fair

This weekend we took the boys to the Iowa State Fair. Memorialized by Rogers and Hammerstein's 1945 musical "State Fair," it is probably the largest and most well-known in the country. There's something about being so close to such fundamental elements of life, fresh produce, farm animals, wild flowers and indigenous plants, not to mention hand made crafts, that's fulfilling. It's something that I grew up with a unique appreciation for and something that I really want my boys to have fond memories of as they grow older.

Growing up in Des Moines, home of the Iowa State Fair, this spectacle and cultural phenomenon that is uniquely Iowa was an integral part of my childhood. The Iowa State Fair is where I saw my first concert in 7th grade (Tiffany and New Kids on the Block), and where I always avoided the creep show that was the Midway (carnival rides and games). My grandparents worked at the Fair in some capacity for more than 50 years, and my mom tells the same story every year about running around the Fairgrounds in bare feet for the entire two weeks while her parents worked. When my grandparents worked at the Horse Pavilion I was between the ages of 9 and 13. We could get in to any horse show we wanted for free and had I been allowed, I literally would have sat there all day long. I couldn't ever get enough of those beautiful animals prancing, galloping, cantering and gracefully moving around the ring. English saddle was my favorite, with the regally dressed riders bouncing up and down in a predictable rhythm, backs straight and giving the appearance of absolute grace and control.

This year we got to take the boys for a ride on the Giant Slide. The smell of the burlap sack and the exhileration as you fly over the rises in the giant yellow slide were just as vivid as when I was a child.

Of course, no visit to the State Fair would be complete without the annual viewing of the world's largest pig. The massive animals are rarely seen awake, or standing. I'm not quite sure how they get them in and out of their pens. The boys are always apprehensive and rarely enjoy more than a distant peek at the impressive beasts. With the world's largest pig in such close proximity, it's only appropriate to gorge yourself on every fried food under the sun. The joke goes, if it can be fried, you can find it at the fair. We actually found "macaroni and cheese bites" - think balls of macaroni and cheese, breaded then fried. Heaven!

The other joke, is that you can find just about anything served "on a stick." Darling hubby usually indulges in the deep fried Snickers on a stick, but since he's been working out lately, he passed this year. We even saw "beer on a stick" for the first time this year!

Making new traditions and new memories with the boys adds a whole new dimension to the fair now that I'm a mother. This year it was visiting the farm implements displays, especially the John Deere area. They have both developed an incredible fondness for the big green tractors and seeing them in real life was almost more than they could comprehend. Andrew loved the smaller, yard machines, while Thomas found a digger that was just his size.

We always make "spin art" - the boys put drops of paint on a white piece of cardboard, then push a button that spins the piece of cardboard and sends the paint flying towards the edges. The results never disappoint. The boys get their faces painted at the Cultural Building, and play on the wooden train playgrounds.

And new this year, we went to a new building that houses several baby animal displays. Meant as an educational center for different livestock animals and the breeding process, we heard stories of people who actually witnessed live births of cows, pigs and goats. I'm personally not all that disappointed to have missed that, though they had video running over and over on larger than life screens all over the building.

As we walked out of the gate, we all agreed that we'd definitely gotten enough Iowa State Fair to last us until next year!