Iowa State Fair Blue Ribbon Foundation

Nothing Compares to My State Fair Souvenirs

The last few days the other interns and I have taken our lunch to the “Original and Famous” Bud Tent.  The tent’s not full of people yet, but from an empty picnic table in the shade we can watch the great Iowa State Fair take shape.  Just in our daily half hour breaks we’ve seen the propane tanks get installed on Rock Island, the red fencing go in for the Big Boar and Super Bull, and many people staring at their phones playing Pokemon Go.  
 

Are You Feeling Lucky?

The Corndog Kickoff is only 15 days away. Can you believe it?! Everyone in the office, including myself, has been busy bees working to get everything prepared for the big event. It is incredible the amount of support the Blue Ribbon Foundation has received in auction donations. They are phenomenal and you won’t want to miss the opportunity to land one of the amazing packages available at the Corndog Kickoff.

Blue Ribbon Recipes

Driving past the Grandstand to get to work this morning was different than usual.  There was a food vendor set up, getting ready for the Goodguys car show.  While the Fair is so much more than food, the two have become synonimous.  The first food stand is exciting, and now I want a tenderloin for lunch, but the Food Competition at the Iowa State Fair has been going on much longer than our obsession with deep fat fryers.  
 

Obsessively, Relentlessly at Your Service!

With World Pork Expo in full swing, the fairgrounds have been a bit crazy. Coming from a livestock background, events like this get me fired up. I love seeing people from all over the world come to the east side of Des Moines to learn and partake in all the activities the World Pork Expo has to offer. With a large event like this and the State Fair of course, the Fairgrounds use an unbelievable amount of energy.

Time Flies When You're Havin' Fun

The saying “time flies when you’re having fun” definitely has a meaning this summer. When working on my projects at the Foundation, I tell myself I have plenty of time, but in reality the summer is going by quickly. We are down to 36 days until the Corndog Kickoff and 69 days until the great Iowa State Fair.  It seems like yesterday I was walking in the front doors of our earth home office and we had 95 days until the Fair.

Golfing and Giving

I am closing in on week 3 working at the Blue Ribbon Foundation and this place is definitely a “birdie.” A “birdie” is one stroke better than par in the game of golf. My internship experience has been anything but par over the last three weeks. The love and passion for the Iowa State Fair and the Foundation that fills the air is incredible. Learning about different areas and the history of the Foundation has been very eye opening.