2024 New Foods

Sweet, salty, on a stick, strange and tasty, this year, Fairgoers voted for the top 2024 top new food or tried all of the new foods at the Iowa State Fair. 

The top 3 new Fair foods competed for the coveted 2024 Iowa State Fair People's Choice top new food.

2024 New Drinks

New Drinks - Alcohol-free

• Abracadabra Butterfly Lemonade, Bubbly Bar & Bistro*: Introducing a refreshing color-changing lemonade that captivates the senses! This extraordinary beverage starts as a vibrant blue and magically transforms into a mesmerizing magenta hue. Infused with the subtle essence of cucumber, this delightful lemonade not only tantalizes your taste buds but also harnesses the power of a superfood, Butterfly Pea Flower, ensuring a truly invigorating and wholesome experience.
• Aguas Frescas & Horchata Fruit Drinks, Taco King*: A refreshing drink made from fresh fruit, water, sweetener and lime juice. Flavors are lemonade, watermelon and pineapple. Horchata is a rice-based drink straight from Mexico, made with long-grain white rice, water, milk and brown sugar.
• Berry American, Po-Boys*: Ice cold Sprite with Blue Raspberry Syrup, cherry syrup and topped with a bomb pop popsicle.
• Berry Dirty Slush, Iowa Specialty Crop Growers Assoc.*: Berry Dirty Slush is a dirty take on your classic ice cream float. Dr. Pepper and a signature strawberry slush are layered on top of creamy, hand-dipped vanilla ice cream, creating the perfect balance of bubbles and berries. A drizzle of strawberry syrup is added for an extra berry burst of flavor, followed by a dollop of whipped topping and a sliced strawberry.
• Bubble Gum Soda, Bubbly Bar & Soda: All-natural, dye-free soda presented with a Flashy-Fun Bubbly Twist. Experience the bubble scent-sation!
• Bubbly Latte, Biscuit Bar*: An iced bubbly dessert coffee with notes of cherry and vanilla, available with whipped topping.
• Bursting Boba Lemonade, Cluckin' Coop
• Cherry Italian Soda, Hagar's Hoagies
• Dr. Pickle, JR's SouthPork Ranch*: An ice-cold Dr Pepper soda pop with sliced pickle chips is served over ice.
• Gold Ribbon, The Snack Box*: A Vanilla & Caramel Breve topped with a caramel drizzle. The Gold Ribbon is a signature take on an iced, creamy breve featuring brewed in-house cold brew, half and half, vanilla syrup, and caramel sauce, then topped with a caramel sauce drizzle. A nod to the fair favorite purple ribbon winners, the Gold Ribbon is sure to be a champion! The Gold Ribbon is a great addition to The Snack Box's line up of iced coffees and cold brew lattes on tap!
• Green Monster, Dairy Zone*: A tart green colored treat! Made with Sprite, green apple flavoring, a drizzle of caramel and topped with whipped cream and an edible monster eye.
• Hot Cheeto Float, Taylor Concessions*: A unique soda float made lemon-lime soda infused with Flaming Hot Cheetos. Topped with whipped cream and more crunchy Flaming Hot Cheetos.
• Iowa Ade, Destination Grille*: This delicious mocktail is a refreshingly sweet take on the Tequila Sunrise, with a colorful combination of lemonade, orange juice and grenadine, blue curacao and house-made simple syrup. And we couldn't forget a special topping to honor farming history for some added Iowa State Fair fun.
• Island Cherry Bomb Lemonade, Island Noodles*: Island Lemonade with a Cherry Bomb Twist and topped with a spicy cherry bomb candy.
• Lavender Lemonade, Bubbly Bar & Bistro: Meyer lemon and lavender combine to create a fascinatingly tasty drink that’s a delicate balance of floral, tangy and sweet—a refreshing spin on summertime lemonade.
• Life's A Peach Dirty Soda, Wonder Bars*: Dr. Pepper, peach syrup and vanilla syrup. Add a splash of cream and top it off with whipped topping and a peach ring candy.
• Mango Bliss, Winn & Sara's Kitchen*: The Mango Bliss Bubble Tea with strawberry popping bobas is a delightful and refreshing drink that combines the tropical sweetness of mango with the fun, burst-in-your-mouth sensation of strawberry popas. This drink features a smooth and creamy mango-flavored base. The highlight is the addition of strawberry popping bobas - small, fruit juice-filled spheres that burst with a satisfying pop.
• Paradise N' Chill, Steer N Stein*: In a world where every sip promises a non-alcoholic escape to paradise, one drinks dares to turn ordinary into extraordinary. Boring ice cubes become the start of the show; featuring three stacked layers of Watermelon, Pineapple and electrolyte-enhanced blue Powerade house-made cubes melting under a cascade of house-made lemonade and Sprite. A big wave of flavors are released and colors change until the last refreshing drop. As the surf settles, Paradise continues with an LED light-up base and a refillable cup offering Island discounts, as if you were a local.
• Red, White, And Blooze, Steer N Stein: When partisan politics have become the norm, Red, White and Blooze is the candidate that will refresh your taste buds and revolutionize your eyes. With a robust foundation of 2 ounces of 100% wine-based vodka, the timeless charm of grenadine, liberating house made lemonade and blue raspberry make for a campaign trail of flavor. Topping off this platform is a classic Bomb-Pop symbolizing the unity of three flavors for one purpose - bringing all parties together for a bipartisan landslide victory. As the confetti falls, the celebration continues with an LED light up base and a refillable cup offering government subsidies on a variety of other beverages at its campaign headquarters - Steer N' Stein. Can be made non-alcoholic.
• Tilt Nitro Energy Berry, Travelin' Tom's Coffee and Kona Ice*: Tilt Nitro Energy is a proprietary energy drink only found on a Tom's Coffee Truck. Tilt is a citrusy energy drink infused with Nitrogen to give it that frothy smooth taste!
• Watermelon Creamsicle, Bacon Box*: A watermelon version of the famous Lemonade Creamsicle. Watermelon, ice cream, and lemonade combined in a refreshing slushie.

New Drinks - Alcohol

• Abracadabra Butterfly Lemonade, Bubbly Bar & Bistro: Introducing a refreshing color-changing lemonade that captivates the senses! This extraordinary beverage starts as a vibrant blue and magically transforms into a mesmerizing magenta hue. Infused with the subtle essence of cucumber, this delightful lemonade not only tantalizes your taste buds but also harnesses the power of a superfood, Butterfly Pea Flower, ensuring a truly invigorating and wholesome experience.
• Apple Pie Nestarita, The Bird's Nest*: All the nostalgia of America's favorite dessert in a glass. The Apple Pie Nestarita is served up ice cold in an easy-to-carry yardstick glass. Featuring Iowa-owned and operated Cedar Ridge Apple Pie wine, Toddy's terlingua wine-based tequila, lime and orange juice and cinnamon syrup topped with five braised apples.
• Caramel Apple Beer, The Depot: A flavor of the Fair.
• Cotton Candy Bubble Trouble, Bubbly Bar & Bistro: Sparkling wine poured over fresh-spun cotton candy.
• Cowgirl Cooler, Lemonade, Long Island, Twisted Tea Slushies, JR's SouthPork Ranch*: JR's Cowgirl Cool-Aid is a delightfully delicious drink that is a combination of Barn Town Brewery's Cotton Candy Gluten Free Sour and Watermelon Gluten Free Sour.
• Dutch Letter Ale Beer, Iowa Craft Beer Tent
• Fair Fudge Beer, Iowa Craft Beer Tent
• Fish Bowl Cocktail, Old West Roadhouse BBQ*: Tropical blue Hawaiian rum drink with an assortment of candy fish swimming in the bowl.
• Flirty Fruity Bubbles, Bubbly Bar & Bistro: Delight your inner child with a bubbly, playful blast of icy-cold nostalgia. This wine-based vodka cocktail is bursting with fruity flavors and whimsically rimmed with a rainbow of crushed Fruity Pebbles™.
• Funnel Cake Ruthie Beer, The Bud Tent*
• Grumpy Old Manhattan Hard Seltzer Cocktail, Bubbly Bar & Bistro: This revitalized take on the classic cocktail features rich flavors of aged bourbon and cherry for a harmonious blend of tradition and contemporary flair in every sip. Presented to you with a bubbly, smoky surprise!
• Hive2o PB&J Hard Honey, Bubbly Bar & Bistro*: Hive20 PB&J is a refreshing carbonated 6% ABV hard honey liquid version of the sandwich Mom made you as a kid. No chemicals or imitation flavors are added to this beverage: simply fermented honey, grapes, fresh roasted peanuts and filtered water. 6% ABV
• Lavender Lemontini, Bubbly Bar & Bistro: A hard variation of the signature all-natural Lavender Lemonade that combines Meyer lemon, lavender and wine-based vodka for a refreshingly fun balance of floral, tangy and sweet.
• Magical Mimosa, Bubbly Bar & Bistro: Prosecco and orange juice with edible gold glitter.
• Mini Donut Dunkel Beer, Iowa Craft Beer Tent
• Naughty Shirley, Bubbly Bar & Bistro: A wildly refreshing twist on a childhood favorite! This grown-up version of the Shirley Temple features wine-based vodka, evokes cheerful memories, and feels like a party in a cup. Garnished with a cherry rock-candy stick.
• Paradise N' Chill Chill, Steer N Stein: Boring ice cubes become the start of the show; featuring three stacked layers of Watermelon, Pineapple and electrolyte-enhanced blue Powerade house-made cubes melting under a cascade of house-made lemonade and Sprite. A big wave of flavors are released and colors change until the last refreshing drop. As the surf settles, Paradise continues with an LED light-up base and a refillable cup offering Island discounts, as if you were a local.
• Pig Lebowksi Beer, Iowa Craft Beer Tent
• Porky's Bloody Buffet, Jalapeno Pete's*: This Bloody Mary Buffet comes with mini tacos, mini corndogs, waffle fries, pickle spear, green olives, meat stick, cubed cheese, and a strip of bacon! It's a Bloody and a Meal! In a souvenir cup!
• Rainbow Sherbet Sour Beer, Iowa Craft Beer Tent
• Red, White, And Blooze, Steer N Stein*: When partisan politics have become the norm, Red, White and Blooze is the candidate that will refresh your taste buds and revolutionize your eyes. With a robust foundation of two ounces of 100% wine-based vodka, the timeless charm of grenadine, liberating house-made lemonade and blue raspberry make for a campaign trail of flavor. Topping off this platform is a classic bomb pop symbolizing the unity of three flavors for one purpose - bringing all parties together for a bipartisan landslide victory. As the confetti falls, the celebration continues with an LED light-up base and a refillable cup offering government subsidies on a variety of other beverages at its campaign headquarters - Steer N' Stein.
• Spiked Lemonade, The Depot*: Every sip of this will make you think of the Iowa State Fair, sipping lemonade and people watching.
• Tantalizing Tulip, Bubbly Bar & Bistro

*Denotes drink item found on the drink scavenger hunt, available on the Iowa State Fair app August 8-18, 2024.

Please remember to be responsible when trying the new drinks!

Best New Food Contest Winners

Past People’s Choice Award winners include:

• 2013: Shrimp Corn Dog - Zag's Po Boys
• 2014: Funnel Cake on a Stick - multiple vendors
• 2015: The Rib Shack - Ultimate Bacon Brisket Bomb
• 2016: Iowa Turkey Federation – Not Your Mamma’s Taco
• 2017: Steer ‘N’ Stein – Pork Almighty
• 2018: Applishus – Apple Eggroll
• 2019: G Mig’s Wrap Stand – Georgie’s Roast with the Most Wrap
• 2021: Cluckin’ Coop by the Iowa Egg Council/Iowa Poultry Association – Chicken Egg Salad with Fry Bread
• 2022: The Rib Shack – The Finisher
• 2023: What's Your Cheez - Deep-Fried Bacon Brisket Mac-n-Cheese Grilled Cheese
• 2024: Winn & Sara's Kitchen - Bacon Cheeseburger Eggroll