News

New Foods at the Iowa State Fair in 2024

New Foods at the Iowa State Fair in 2024

Photo: Saga Communications


With less than a month before the Iowa State Fair in Des Moines – August 8-18 – the Fair released the list of new foods for 2024. There are 84 new options in total. The special event to decide the finalists that fairgoers will vote on will LIVE on the Iowa State Fair Facebook on July 16 at 1 p.m.

There will also be new events, new hours, and chances to save money – see below. 

2024 New Food List

  • Apple Fries
  • Bacon Cheeseburger Egg Roll
  • Barbie Era Funnel Cake
  • Beer Belly Fries
  • BLT on a Stick
  • Breakfast Sandwich
  • Brunchy Burger
  • Pork’s Bloody Mary Buffet
  • Butter Beer Ice Cream
  • Calamari
  • Candied Bacon Gnocchi
  • Cheeseburger Corn Dog
  • Chicken Flautas
  • Dg Chicken Strips
  • Chicken Mac Attack Bowl
  • Chicken Nest
  • Cinnamon Crunch Apple Taco
  • Connecticut Style Lobster Roll
  • Cookies and Cream Ice Cream Nachos
  • Corn in a Cup
  • Crème Brulée Stuffed French Toast
  • Deep Fried Bubble Gum
  • Deep Fried Hot Cheetos Pretzel
  • Deep Fried PB& J
  • Deep Fried Pepperoni Chips
  • Disco Stick
  • Dough-Chos
  • Fabulous Fries
  • Fiesta Egglote
  • Fire Cracker Shrimp
  • Flight Fry Bread
  • Hot Cheeto Float
  • Funnel Cake Burger
  • Garlic Ranch Pickle Pizza
  • Golden Fried Veggie Samosas
  • Handheld Charcuterie
  • Hot Chick Chicken
  • Hot Mess Biscuit
  • Ice Cream Nachos
  • Iowa Street Corn Specialty Pizza
  • Iowa Sm’oak’ed Roll
  • Italian Meat Ball Sub
  • AE Party Balls
  • Lamb Snack Sticks
  • Lemonade Donut Drops
  • Lil’ L’roy’s Bites
  • Lobster Corn Dog
  • Loose L’roy Sandwich
  • Louisiana Mac Bowl
  • Maple Bacon Bliss Sundae
  • Nachorito
  • Not Your Daddy’s Burger
  • PB&J Biscuit
  • Peanut Butter Pretzel Brownies
  • Pickle Pizza
  • Piggy in a Donut
  • Pink Lemonade Whoopie Pies
  • Pork Belly Corn Dog
  • Pork Belly Corndog Bites
  • Protein Bowl
  • Pulled Pork Smoked Snacks
  • Puppy Chow
  • Ragin’ Raspberry Ravioli
  • Raspberry Cheesecake Frozen Yogurt
  • Shoot Tequila Funnel Cake
  • Sriracha Pickle
  • Spicy Fever Beefburger
  • Standby Biscuit
  • Strawberries and Cream Waffle on a Stick
  • Sunrise Sugar Pearl Waffle Sandwich
  • The Big Daddy Burger
  • The Illusion Ice Cream
  • The Party Biscuit
  • The Regular Biscuit
  • Bacon Brisket Smash Burger
  • Tipsy Peach
  • Tornado
  • Two Foot Connecticut Style Lobster Roll
  • Two-Foot Lobster Roll
  • Up In Smoke Snacks
  • Up on the Dill Fries
  • Walking Frito Pie
  • Walleye Fish Tacos
  • What’s Your Wonton

New Events: Glass blowing by Hot Glass Academy near First Church, the all-Iowa Fair View Farmers Market next to Grandfather’s Barn, Kids Can Cook demonstrations in Maytag Family Theater, Cowboy Boot Camp north of Little Hands on the Farm, a Goat Playpen and Farmer Bull Pen – Meet a Farmer in the Animal Learning Center and Llama Love: Hooves on Adventure ($; pre-registration required) special family event.

More Action and Thrills at Elwell Family Park: Antique Tractor Pull (FREE, August 8); Short Course UTV & ATV Cup (FREE, August 10); Charros performances (FREE, August 11); Outlaw Truck and Tractor Pulls ($, August 13 and 14); Garden Tractor Pull (FREE, August 16); Demolition Derby ($, August 17); and Figure 8 races ($, August 18). Buy discount Elwell Family Park tickets now at iowastatefair.org.

More for the Fairgoer: Fairgoers can find more Fairgrounds improvements in 2024, including additional ADA parking, restroom improvements, more water bottle filling stations, new shade areas, and additional picnic tables and benches to rest, recharge, and relax.

New Fair Hours: Fair hours are 8 a.m. to midnight, August 8-17, with no on-site ticket sales and no entry/re-entry allowed after 10 p.m. On August 18, the Fair is open from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. with no on-site ticket sales and no entry/re-entry allowed after 7 p.m.

Save Money: Savvy spenders, save time and money with advance admission tickets before August 8. Save $5 on adult tickets and $3 on tickets for children 11 and under (children 5 and under are free). State Fair Value Packs are the biggest and BEST way to save on all the best Fair activities for your family – just $20 for many of your favorite Fair activities and rides! Order at iowastatefair.org before July 24 or until August 7 at the Iowa State Fair Ticket Office. Plus, you can also buy Thrill Passes, Giant Slide and Ye Old Mill tickets, and Barksdale’s State Fair cookie coupons at iowastatefair.org.

What's Happening

Des Moines’ People’s Choice

See the best of the best in central Iowa as voted on by YOU in the Des Moines’ People’s Choice!

HITS Mobile App

Get HITS 99.9 on the go! Download the FREE mobile app.

How to Listen

Listen to HITS 99.9 on your smart speaker!

Join the HITS Email Club

Join the HITS Email Club for your shot to win exclusive prizes

Text Club

Text HITS to 515-784-2999 to join the HITS 99.9 Text Club!

Recent Headlines

2 hours ago in Entertainment

What to Stream: Ed Sheeran, ‘Only Murders in the Building,’ Charlie Sheen doc and Borderlands 4

Fresh

"Only Murders in the Building" returning for its fifth season and Ed Sheeran coming back with the new pop album "Play" are some of the new television, films, music and games headed to a device near you.

2 hours ago in Entertainment, Music

Ella Langley, Megan Moroney, Lainey Wilson lead Country Music Association Awards noms with 6 each

Fresh

Joining Lainey Wilson in competing for the night's highest honor — CMA entertainer of the year — will be Luke Combs, Cody Johnson, Chris Stapleton and Morgan Wallen, last year's winner in the category.

Recent Headlines

2 hours ago in Entertainment

What to Stream: Ed Sheeran, ‘Only Murders in the Building,’ Charlie Sheen doc and Borderlands 4

Fresh

"Only Murders in the Building" returning for its fifth season and Ed Sheeran coming back with the new pop album "Play" are some of the new television, films, music and games headed to a device near you.

2 hours ago in Entertainment, Music

Ella Langley, Megan Moroney, Lainey Wilson lead Country Music Association Awards noms with 6 each

Fresh

Joining Lainey Wilson in competing for the night's highest honor — CMA entertainer of the year — will be Luke Combs, Cody Johnson, Chris Stapleton and Morgan Wallen, last year's winner in the category.

9 hours ago in Entertainment

‘SNL’ wins big for season 50 at the Creative Arts Emmys. Obama, Kimmel and Lamar also take trophies

Barack Obama won his third career Emmy and Kendrick Lamar won his second, while the 50th season of "Saturday Night Live" was the biggest winner with 11 on the second night of the Creative Arts Emmy Awards.