(Radio Iowa) – The Iowa State Fair is the state’s largest tourism event and State Fair C-E-O Jeremy Parsons says that was affirmed this year. Nearly one-point-two MILLION people attended the 2025 Fair — just about 22-thousand short of the attendance record set last year.

Parsons says the Iowa State Fair’s Blue Ribbon Foundation has raised the money to install creature comforts on the fairgrounds that have mitigated the weather’s impact on attendance.

State Fair Grandstand ticket sales DID set a record over the Fair’s 11 day run. Nearly 132-thousand people attended the nightly concerts. Parsons says the diverse line-up appealed to a wide variety of people.

The top draw was 27-year-old country star Megan Moroney, with the second and third largest Grandstand audiences for the concerts by rappers T-Pain and Pitbull.

Fair-goers were allowed to bring in non-alcoholic drinks and food in soft-sided coolers this year. Parsons says it does not seem to have dampened sales by licensed vendors on the fairgrounds.

Preparations for the 2026 State Fair are well underway. Renovations are starting on the inside of the historic Horse Barn and on Monday the Iowa State Fair Board approved spending one-point-eight MILLION dollars worth of repairs for the Swine and Cattle Barns. Fundraising is underway for a 15 MILLION dollar Ag Education Center on the fairgrounds and Parsons says they hope to have a groundbreaking for the project during next year’s State Fair.