DES MOINES, Iowa (WHO) — The 2022 Iowa State Fair got underway Thursday with the opening ceremonies.
“Iowa’s coming together to celebrate all the reasons why we love living in Iowa,” said Fair Manager Gary Slater. “What makes a difference is the volunteers, supporters, the staff, and the many people behind the scenes and for you being here. Let’s find our fun in 2022.”
The Fair this year worked out a deal with Major League Baseball to carry the FOX Sports broadcast of the Field of Dreams Game from Dyersville. Four giant screens were located across the fair so people can catch the game. Next year, there won’t be a Field of Dreams game due to the construction of a new stadium.
“They’re building the infrastructure that they think we’ll need,” said Governor Kim Reynolds on a grant helping to build the permanent stadium. “This is a great opportunity to just again showcase the state, last year it was perfect, absolutely everything was perfect more people watched that game than had in years and years.”
Also, the Butter Cow is back again, a crowd favorite. The special butter sculptures this year include a tribute to the Music Man in Mason City and the Ye Old Mill, which turns 100 this year.
Artists could be found all over who were painting scenes of the fairgrounds.
“It’s pretty cool, it’s kind of stressful because you wanna do a good job when everything is so fluid. Everybody’s moving around so much you have to capture something like a building, it doesn’t move,” an artist said.