State Fair Memories

Since the pandemic began in early '20, the Iowa State Fair has been absent from my schedule. The first year it was cancelled and last year seemed too early to go, so far as I was concerned. This year's Fair began yesterday with the traditional parade and much of the previous hoopla. Again this year, as the covid pandemic continues (if blunted somewhat) it still seems too early to be in huge groups of people. That's too bad because the Fair offers so many opportunities for sketching, people watching, serious food-tasting, and the like. These sketches are memories of Fairs past.

"Outside the Grandstand," ink/wc

The Grand Concourse runs through the heart of the fairgrounds. There are often dense crowds.

The cupola in the sketch on the left is the top of Pioneer Hall, one of my favorite buildings at the Fair. The Hall houses all manner of "old-time" exhibits--a blacksmith shop, a letterpress shop, people working with antique things like a spinning wheel and so on. It's an enormous frame building and probably at least a century old. The sky ride gondola is a nice contrast.

One of the amenities of the Fair is the tram service. Throughout the 11 days a tram service circles the entire fairgrounds, pulled by enormous green tractors driven by volunteer groups. The tram is a great way to get an overview of the gigantic event, which encompasses everything from animal exhibitions and competition to fine art exhibitions. 

Perhaps next year will bring a chance to return to the Fair in all of it's smelly, tasty, glitzy, sentimental glory.