When you think of the Iowa State Fair, what comes to mind? You might picture seeing concerts in the Grandstand. Or maybe you’re dreaming of eating so many corn dogs in a day you can’t move! As for me, I think of one simple word: legacy.
I get it. Who goes to the Fair to philosophize when they could be riding down the Giant Slide? When you’ve grown up going to the Fair and hearing stories of family and friends doing the same, it’s hard not to reflect. When I walk on Grand Avenue, I see my cousin, Hannah, running for Fair Queen. When at the MidAmerican Energy Stage, I hear Vocal Trash playing “Why Can’t We Be Friends?” And when wandering through Thrill Ville, I remember the nights spent with my best friends, wishing the Fair could last just a little longer.
These events might have occurred in years past, but being at the Fair brings me right back to these very moments. When September rolls around, and the last cattle stall has been raked, all we have left of the Fair are our memories. The legacy of the Iowa State Fair is kept alive by the stories we tell and the plans we make for the following summer. The Blue Ribbon Foundation also presents opportunities to leave a legacy through a variety of donor programs such as Back the Barns, T.A.G. Team, and Block by Block. The question I leave with you, dear Fairgoer, is how will you leave your legacy at this year’s Fair?
