Chuck Grassley: “one of the best ways to tell the Iowa story already unfolds each year in Iowa's capital city, Des Moines. The Iowa State…”

“one of the best ways to tell the Iowa story already unfolds each year in Iowa's capital city, Des Moines. The Iowa State Fair has become an icon of life in Iowa--it is a reflection of what is best about Iowa and its people. Sparking the interest of hundreds of thousands of visitors each year, the State fair offers a diverse range of exhibits and performances. And it is among the largest agricultural expositions in the Nation. In 1854, 8 years after Iowa joined the Union, the first State fair was held in Fairfield, IA, on a 6-acre field. Even in those early years, Iowans came from miles around. Although the fair was only a 3-day event, an amazing crowd of 7,000 to 10,000 arrived 3 days before and camped in covered wagons along the road. In 1878, the fair grounds were permanently moved to Des Moines. Today, the fairgrounds span 400 acres, including 160 acres of campgrounds.”