Fair Dates & Attendance
Upcoming Fair Dates
Historically, the Fair ended on the Sunday one week before Labor Day and the earliest Fair dates were August 13-23. In 1994, the Iowa State Fair Board, in an effort to avoid earlier school start dates, moved the dates of the Fair up one week. The Fair now ends on the Sunday two weeks prior to Labor Day. Based on calendar shifts, the earliest Fair dates are August 7-17 and the latest are August 13-23.
| YEAR | FAIR DATES |
|---|---|
| 2022 | Aug 11-21 |
| 2023 | Aug 10-20 |
| 2024 | Aug 8-18 |
Daily Attendance
The State Fair is Iowa’s largest event, annually attracting visitors from all over the Midwest, as well as the rest of the U.S. and many foreign countries. Following the Fair, daily attendance estimates are set aside and an actual count of tickets including daily sales, advance sales, exhibitors, concessionaires, campers, children, credentials, half price, etc. is made to determine the final total attendance.
| FAIR DAY | 2019 | 2021 |
|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | 84,928 | 77,700 |
| Day 2 | 103,096 | 104,177 |
| Day 3 | 122,111 | 111,603 |
| Day 4 | 108,283 | 107,410 |
| Day 5 | 97,682 | 95,621 |
| Day 6 | 102,953 | 90,688 |
| Day 7 | 109,323 | 91,510 |
| Day 8 | 104,247 | 96,064 |
| Day 9 | 112,891 | 101,952 |
| Day 10 | 119,276 | 117,764 |
| Day 11 | 105,585 | 99,991 |
| Total | 1,170,375 | 1,094,480 |