Ready to Experience the Fair Through the Eyes of a Volunteer?

Happy Tuesday everyone! I have jumped right in during my second week at the Foundation and I could not be more excited. One way that hundreds of people get to experience the Fair each year is through volunteering. Each year the Foundation has around 1,400 volunteer positions to fill throughout the 11-day extravaganza that is the Iowa State Fair. The majority of these positions consist of selling bottled water at various locations across the Fairgrounds, as well as running our multiple souvenir stores. This year volunteers are also able to be a part of our 2nd annual State Fair Bingo. On August 14th, Fairgoers can swing by the Better Business Bureau tent on the Grand Concourse from 8:00 A.M. to 8:00 P.M. and participate in a fun game of Bingo and have a chance to win some money. Who doesn’t love that?

Something new with volunteering this year is our sign up process. In the past we have mailed out forms and hand created a master schedule for everyone. Gone are the days of mailing forms and say a big hello to our online sign up system. With our new process each available shift is listed and sorted out by day, job, location, and time. We are so excited to begin our new process and we hope that it takes some stress off of our wonderful volunteer’s shoulders as well.

Volunteers are the living and breathing glue that hold many of the Blue Ribbon Foundation’s programs together. The Iowa State Fair would not be able to happen without them. Our participants range from people who have been helping for 15+ years to people who are joining us for their first time. Each person receives a free 2019 Iowa State Fair volunteer t-shirt, admission into the fair for the day, as well as a single day parking pass. In order to work with the Blue Ribbon Foundation you must be at least 16 years of age, pass a background check and you must work at least one four hour shift throughout the Fair. Some favorite memories that keep them coming back for more each year include the high class people watching, getting to try the new fair food every year, and the stories they get to hear from each person they interact with. 

This incredible 11-day marathon could not be made possible without these dedicated and outstanding individuals. Are you interested in experiencing the Fair through the eyes of a volunteer? Sign up will be available starting June 11th, 2019 at http://www.blueribbonfoundation.org/events/iowa-state-fair/volunteer. We hope to see you in just a short 64 days on our beautiful Fairgrounds, and don’t forget, next time you walk by a water booth souvenir store be sure to say hi!