Competitive Exhibits

Enter your best at the Iowa State Fair, including food, fabrics and threads, heritage (antiques), agricultural and horticultural crops and more.

General Rules and Regulations

The rules specific for each department are found in each respective department premium book. It is the responsibility of each exhibitor to be familiar with all applicable rules and regulations. 

The premium book of each department explains the available classes, entry requirements and awards.

The online entry system and entry form will be available May 1.

Agricultural & Horticultural Crops

Enter your homegrown fruits, vegetables, nuts and farm crops (field corn, soybeans, popcorn, grains, etc.) along with corn and soybean art creations. Information on special classes that do not require pre-entry, such as weed identification, fruit/vegetable/nut identification, most unusual vegetable and best tasting tomato can also be found here.

Ag and hort crop entries

Apiary

Enter your beekeeping and honey products, including jars/bears of honey, honeycomb, beeswax candles, beekeeping photos, etc.

Apiary exhibits at the Fair

Creative Arts & Crafts

Enter your handmade baskets and jewelry, building block structures, China/porcelain painting, paper crafts, tole/decorative painting and other crafts such as wreaths, diamond art and decorations. Articles in this category may be made from a pattern or class setting, but the work thereon must be your own work.

Creative arts entries

Doll Houses & Miniature Rooms

Enter your doll house, miniature room and/or scene.

Dollhouse entries

Fabric & Threads

Enter your embroidery, counted cross stitch, needlepoint, crochet, knitting, weaving, tatting, quilting and sewn items.

Fabric and Threads display

Fine Art

Enter your paintings, drawings, watercolors, sculptures, glass, pottery, etc. Articles in this category must be original. Copies of work created by other persons are not eligible.

Fine art at the Fair

Floriculture

Enter your homegrown flowers (dahlias, roses, gladiolus, etc.) and plants along with floral arrangements, limited classes (pedestals, niches, mantels, table settings, etc.) and junior/intermediate seed pictures. Information on special classes that do not require pre-entry, such as adult seed picture, plant identification, fairy gardens, plus many others can also be found here.

Floriculture exhibits at the Fair

Food

Enter your homemade cakes, cookies, breads, casseroles, appetizers, pies, jams, jellies, etc.

Food entries at the Fair

Heritage

Enter your antique (genuine and at least 50 years old) glass, pottery, toys, dry goods, furnishings, primitives, etc. along with small and large item collections.

Heritage exhibits

Horseshoe Pitching

Try your hand at horseshoe pitching every day of the Iowa State Fair. See the premium book rules for schedule and entry information.

Horseshoe pitching courts

Iowa Commercial Wine

Enter your commercial wines and hard ciders. Must be an Iowa commercial winery to participate. (Non-commercial – see Oenology Department below to enter your amateur wine, beer, mead and cider.)

Commercial wine entries

Iowa Quality Dairy Products

Enter your butter, cheeses, curds, beverages and ice cream/gelatos. Must be a licensed Iowa facility to participate.

Butter cooler in the Agriculture Building

Iowa State Chili Cook Off Championship

Enter your homestyle and traditional red chili. Must be a member of the International Chili Society to participate. This is a sanctioned event and the winner in each class is eligible to compete in the World Championship. (Non-members of ICS – see Food Department above to enter your chili.)

Iowa PBS - Chili Cook Off

Photo credit: Iowa PBS

Oenology

Enter your homemade (amateur) wine, beer, mead and cider. (Commercial – see Iowa Commercial Wine Department above to enter your commercial wine and hard ciders.)

Amateur oenology case

Photography

Enter your standard color or black and white photos. Classes are also available for photos that have been edited beyond basic editing techniques (computer enhanced, toned, tinted, HDR, etc.).

Photography exhibits display

Wood Projects

Enter your woodcarving (wood sculpted or shaped with gouges, knives or handheld rotary tools), woodworking (articles made from wood) and woodturning (articles of wood shaped on a lathe) items.

Wood projects