Blue Ribbon Foundation

August Come She Will

There are eight days until the Iowa State Fair and the Fair looks like it could start tomorrow! It’s amazing to see all of the food stands when I have become so used to seeing the grounds empty.

As others begin to set up, I’m seeing all of my hard work this summer begin to wrap up. I’m approaching the ends of my to-do lists and will make my daily Fair schedule this afternoon! What seemed so far away in May arrived in the blink of an eye.

Building a Blue Ribbon Future

Each year the Iowa State Fairgrounds is dotted with hand-painted sculptures that resemble a Fair time favorite. The last few have included a horse, an ice cream cone, the state of Iowa and a pig. This year’s Fair time favorite statue is the branding box or logo of the Iowa State Fair. For the last few years the Blue Ribbon Foundation has had its own statue in front of the Administration Building. This year we partnered with Sticks Inc. on a design for the Foundation’s branding box statue.

Hampton's Local Olympian

This week is full speed ahead as the Blue Ribbon Foundation prepares for the Iowa State Fair! Without the Corndog Kickoff or the volunteer reception, it is nice to be able to focus on our Iowans of the Day.

Last year’s Iowan of the Day winner, Dennis Carlson from Hampton, Iowa, is yet another outstanding example of Iowa’s local Olympians.

Paint the Fair!

Have you ever stood on Expo Hill, and looked in amazement at the beauty of the historic Iowa State Fairgrounds? If you haven’t, take a few moments during this Fair to breathe in the views and sign up for a time to paint those breath-taking sights at the painting class offered here at the Iowa State Fairgrounds. Join Messy Missy’s at the 2016 Iowa State Fair for the first ever painting class held at the Fair.

Iowa State Fair Painting Class

The office took a sigh of relief after the close of the Corndog Kickoff. It was amazing to see the success of an event after spending so many hours of preparation.

Exceeding Expectations

After many months of prep, planning and hard work, it is sad to say the 20th Annual Corndog Kickoff Benefit Auction and Fair Food Grazing Party has come to a close. Beyond the eight staff members that worked countless hours to make the event a success, it was the volunteers and the patrons that truly made this year’s Corndog Kickoff the best yet!

The Story Behind a Hometown Tradition

I hope everyone enjoyed Independence Day and ate their fair share of hot dogs. This Saturday you can enjoy a corndog by attending the Corndog Kickoff! The office has been much busier this morning preparing for the event after the long weekend.

Crossing Off Tasks on the Checklist

It’s hard to believe that even though the Corndog Kickoff is under two weeks away, the Blue Ribbon Foundation has already started preparing for the event!

The first task we crossed off our checklist is organizing the garage to take items to the Varied Industries building. Many hands truly do make light work, the task, with over 200 auction packages to prepare for, flew by.

Runners and Volunteers

With all of the items coming in for the Corndog Kickoff Benefit Auction and all of the plans in full swing, it is hard to think about the Iowa State Fair! Only two months from today, the second Saturday of the Fair has a lot to offer. One of the best things about the Iowa State Fair is the Fairgrounds 5K! Running or volunteering for the Fairgrounds 5K gives you the unique opportunity to see the Fairgrounds without the 100,000 attendees.

Nominate a "Local Olympian" today!

This week marks a much calmer week without the World Pork Expo on the Fairgrounds. As strange as it was to see the Fairgrounds filled, it’s just as strange to see the Fairgrounds bare again too.

Two weeks from this Friday marks the last day to submit Iowan of the Day nominations. As much as I’ve loved reading through old nominations, I can’t wait to see this year’s Iowan of the Day winners.