Fairgoers brave the rain on the first day of the 2026 Iowa State Fair
Aug. 13, 2026, 6:00 p.m. ET
Fairgoers arrive for the first day of the Iowa State Fair on Aug. 13, 2026, at the Iowa State Fairgrounds.
Cody Scanlan/The Register
Red heads back to his pen after the Big Boar contest at the Iowa State Fair on Aug. 13, 2026, at the Iowa State Fairgrounds. Red won second place in the competition at 1,240 pounds.
Cody Scanlan/The Register
Parker Cline, 10, poses for a portrait with his cow at the Cattle Barn at the Iowa State Fair on Aug. 13, 2026, in Des Moines.
Kaiden J. Yu/The Register
From left: Noah Stepp and Aubrey Carroll share an order of mini doughnuts on the first day of the Iowa State Fair on Aug. 13, 2026, at the Iowa State Fairgrounds.
Cody Scanlan/The Register
The 11th-grade walk trot horse show begins on Aug. 13, 2026, at the Iowa State Fairgrounds.
Cody Scanlan/The Register
The Snow family walks through the rain as they arrive for the first day of the Iowa State Fair on Aug. 13, 2026, at the Iowa State Fairgrounds.
Cody Scanlan/The Register
Fairgoers arrive for the first day of the Iowa State Fair on Aug. 13, 2026, at the Iowa State Fairgrounds.
Cody Scanlan/The Register
A family runs through rain on the first day of the Iowa State Fair on Aug. 13, 2026, in Des Moines.
Kaiden J. Yu/The Register
Fairgoers carry umbrellas and wear rain jackets on the first day of the Iowa State Fair on Aug. 13, 2026, in Des Moines.
Kaiden J. Yu/The Register
Fairgoers line up for food while carrying umbrellas and wearing rain jackets on the first day of the Iowa State Fair on Aug. 13, 2026, in Des Moines.
Kaiden J. Yu/The Register
Jason Fremstead of La Crosse, Wisconsin, trims the hair of a cow at the Cattle Barn at the Iowa State Fair on Aug. 13, 2026, in Des Moines.
Kaiden J. Yu/The Register
From left, state fair volunteers Rachel Smith of Norwalk and her parents Mike and Ellyn McDonald of Sandersville, Georgia, walk the fairgrounds during the first day of the Iowa State Fair on Aug. 13, 2026, in Des Moines.
Kaiden J. Yu/The Register
Mary Beth Zelle of Waverly holds stalks of corn during FFA farm crop judging on Aug. 13, 2026, at the Iowa State Fairgrounds.
Cody Scanlan/The Register
FFA Judges Clark Adam and Lucas Roberts judge ears of corn on the first day of the Iowa State Fair on Aug. 13, 2026, at the Iowa State Fairgrounds.
Cody Scanlan/The Register
Participants in the 11th-grade walk trot horse show receive their ribbons on Aug. 13, 2026, at the Iowa State Fairgrounds.
Cody Scanlan/The Register
Cindy Haynes and Richard Jauron judge the vegetables in the FFA Horticulture contest at the Iowa State Fair on Aug. 13, 2026, at the Iowa State Fairgrounds.
Cody Scanlan/The Register
Fairgoers look at the map for the Iowa State Fair on Aug. 13, 2026, in Des Moines.
Kaiden J. Yu/The Register
Fairgoers try different flavored dips by A Blend Above Gourmet Food Products at the Varied Industries Building on the first day of the Iowa State Fair on Aug. 13, 2026, in Des Moines.
Kaiden J. Yu/The Register
Iowa State Fair staff dry the giant slide ride after a storm rolled through the fairgrounds in the morning of Aug. 13, 2026, in Des Moines.
Kaiden J. Yu/The Register
Dalton Stults, left, and Max Johnson of Beattie’s Watermelon Stand prepare watermelon for customers on the first day of the Iowa State Fair on Aug. 13, 2026, in Des Moines.
Kaiden J. Yu/The Register
Abacus O’berry of Isabel Burke Salt Water Taffy serves customers on the first day of the Iowa State Fair on Aug. 13, 2026, in Des Moines.
Kaiden J. Yu/The Register
Dirty Ernie participates in the 2026 Big Boar contest at the Iowa State Fair on Aug. 13, 2026, at the Iowa State Fairgrounds.
Cody Scanlan/The Register
Bandit heads to his holding pen after being weighed in this year’s Big Boar contest at the Iowa State Fair on Aug. 13, 2026, at the Iowa State Fairgrounds.
Cody Scanlan/The Register
George is weighed during the 2026 Iowa State Fair Big Boar contest on Aug. 13, 2026, at the Iowa State Fairgrounds.
Cody Scanlan/The Register
Red steps off the scale during the Big Boar contest at the Iowa State Fair on Aug. 13, 2026, at the Iowa State Fairgrounds. Red won second place in the competition at 1,240 pounds.
Cody Scanlan/The Register
Zoomer steps up onto the scale for the Big Boar contest at the Iowa State Fair on Aug. 13, 2026, at the Iowa State Fairgrounds. Zoomer won the competition by just six pounds.
Cody Scanlan/The Register
Red heads back to his pen after the Big Boar contest at the Iowa State Fair on Aug. 13, 2026, at the Iowa State Fairgrounds. Red won second place in the competition at 1,240 pounds.
Cody Scanlan/The Register
Anne Ling from West Des Moines gives a final call after winning the Ladies Chicken Calling Contest on the first day of the Iowa State Fair on Aug. 13, 2026, at Pioneer Hall in Des Moines.
Nirmalendu Majumdar/Ames Tribune
The audience reacts during the Ladies Chicken Calling Contest on the first day of the Iowa State Fair on Aug. 13, 2026, at Pioneer Hall in Des Moines.
Nirmalendu Majumdar/Ames Tribune
A child reacts during the Ladies Chicken Calling Contest on the first day of the Iowa State Fair on Aug. 13, 2026, at Pioneer Hall in Des Moines.
Nirmalendu Majumdar/Ames Tribune
Participants of the Youth Rooster Calling Contest wait for the results on the first day of the Iowa State Fair on Aug. 13, 2026, in Des Moines.
Nirmalendu Majumdar/Ames Tribune
A visitor takes pictures of the displayed American flags to celebrate 250 years of independence on the first day of the Iowa State Fair on Aug. 13, 2026, in Des Moines.
Nirmalendu Majumdar/Ames Tribune
The Devine Dancers group from Des Moines performs on the first day of the Iowa State Fair on Aug. 13, 2026, in Des Moines.
Nirmalendu Majumdar/Ames Tribune
Visitors enjoy the sky glider on the first day of the Iowa State Fair on Aug. 13, 2026, in Des Moines.
Nirmalendu Majumdar/Ames Tribune
The Devine Dancers group from Des Moines performs on the first day of the Iowa State Fair on Aug. 13, 2026, in Des Moines.
Nirmalendu Majumdar/Ames Tribune
Democratic gubernatorial candidate Rob Sand visits the Iowa Pork Producers Association tent during the Iowa State Fair on Aug. 13, 2026, at the Iowa State Fairgrounds.
Cody Scanlan/The Register
Democratic gubernatorial candidate Rob Sand takes a photo with Winona and Allis Samson of Prairie City on Aug. 13, 2026, at the Iowa State Fairgrounds.
Cody Scanlan/The Register
Ron Fodor of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, takes a photo with Iowa Democratic gubernatorial candidate Rob Sand on the first day of the Iowa State Fair on Aug. 13, 2026, at the Iowa State Fairgrounds.
Cody Scanlan/The Register
Fairgoers enjoy food and company on the first day of the Iowa State Fair on Aug. 13, 2026, in Des Moines.
Provided By Iowa State Fair/Matthew Putney
A fairgoer takes a photo with people dressed up in America 250 garb on the first day of the Iowa State Fair on Aug. 13, 2026, in Des Moines.
Provided By Iowa State Fair/Matthew Putney
Young fairgoers meet rabbits on the first day of the Iowa State Fair on Aug. 13, 2026, in Des Moines.
Provided By Iowa State Fair/Matthew Putney
Young fairgoers meet rabbits on the first day of the Iowa State Fair on Aug. 13, 2026, in Des Moines.
Provided By Iowa State Fair/Matthew Putney
Young fairgoers meet rabbits on the first day of the Iowa State Fair on Aug. 13, 2026, in Des Moines.
Provided By Iowa State Fair/Matthew Putney
A young fairgoer tries hula hooping on the first day of the Iowa State Fair on Aug. 13, 2026, in Des Moines.
NATIONU.S. Department of JusticeCongressional Black Caucus urges DOJ review of Nolan Wells case Anthony ThompsonUSA TODAYAug. 14, 2026, 1:57 p.m. ETThe Congressional...
NATIONFacebookOjai Raptor Center warns fans about Jackie the bald eagle merch Saman ShafiqUSA TODAYAug. 14, 2026, 5:38 p.m. ETThe wildlife rehabilitation center...
More VideosRecord rains trigger deadly flooding in Japan, strand thousandsInside courtroom as Luigi Mangione pleads guilty in federal caseMangione's lawyer speaks out...
