Des Moines, Monday, 18 August 2025.
The 2025 Iowa State Fair is rewriting history with unprecedented attendance and entertainment success. Surpassing the one million visitor mark with a day still remaining, the fair has shattered previous records. The Grandstand concerts have drawn an impressive 131,616 attendees in the first 10 days, eclipsing the 2019 record. Headline acts like T-Pain, Pitbull, and Megan Moroney have electrified audiences, with T-Pain’s concert drawing 16,202 fans. Notably, the fair’s culinary scene is equally vibrant, with the Bacon Chicken Ranch Eggroll winning the People’s Choice Best New Food award, securing 44.7% of 10,711 total votes. These milestones underscore the fair’s enduring appeal and its ability to continually reinvent itself as a premier cultural event.
Record-Breaking Attendance
The 2025 Iowa State Fair has achieved a remarkable milestone by surpassing one million visitors with an entire day remaining in the event [1]. Saturday, August 16th saw an impressive 118,093 fairgoers, positioning the fair to potentially break its historical attendance record [1]. The fair’s total attendance is tracking closely with the record-breaking 2024 event, which saw 1,182,682 total visitors [1].
Grandstand Entertainment Triumph
The fair’s Grandstand concerts have set a new benchmark, with 131,616 concertgoers in the first 10 days, decisively surpassing the previous 2019 record of 128,504 [2]. Headline performances have been particularly notable, with T-Pain drawing 16,202 fans on Saturday night [2]. Other top-selling concerts included Megan Moroney with 16,371 attendees and Pitbull attracting 16,090 spectators [2].
Culinary Highlight: Best New Food
In the culinary arena, the Bacon Chicken Ranch Eggroll from Winn & Sara’s Kitchen emerged victorious in the People’s Choice Best New Food Contest [3]. The dish secured 44.7 percent of the votes, garnering 10,711 total votes [3]. This marks the second consecutive year Winn & Sara’s Kitchen has claimed the top prize, following their 2024 win with a Bacon Cheeseburger Eggroll [3].
Bronnen