Iowa State Fair hawkers prepare for a million gawkers
By JARED STRONG • jstrong@dmreg.com • August 7, 2010The State Fair creatures have awakened.
Golf carts buzz by. Neon beer signs flicker. And on the main road through the Iowa State Fairgrounds, Patrick Martin sells corn dogs for $4. Jumbo-size costs $1 more.
"I'm loving this weather," said Martin, 40, a Texan who has sold fair food nationwide since he was 12.
All around him, the final preparations are being made to accommodate a million visitors who will snack, gawk and people-watch at the fair, which opens Thursday and runs through Aug. 22. "It's almost like a garden that starts to grow and bloom," said Lori Chappell, a fair spokeswoman. "It's really fun to see it come together because we work on it all year long."
State Fair employees grow from 60 to 1,400 this month. A team of 15 trim the grass and whack weeds each day.
Martin and his crew were among the first food vendors to arrive, about a month ago. This is their temporary Midwest headquarters, from which they dispatch corn-dog stands and workers to a handful of county fairs in the area. They also sell food to other vendors or visitors who come early to get a sneak peek of what's to come.
Kevin McGrath II stands on a ladder as he works Friday on erecting a sign on a stand at the Iowa State Fairgrounds. Ryan Saviuc assists him from above. The stand, east of the Administration Building, is owned by Kevin McGrath Sr. of Fort Myers, Fla.Most of the other 200 or so food vendors started arriving last week. Carnival rides will be set up on Monday, and the animals - about 9,500 of them - arrive as early as Tuesday.
"This is one of our favorite fairs," said Kevin McGrath II, of Fort Myers, Fla., who drives his funnel cake stand to 25 fairs each year. This is his fourth stop.
"It's the people," he said. "Everyone here loves to have fun."
Amanda Lay of Ankeny strolled among the food stands on Friday with the two young boys for whom she is a nanny. They walked past a lawn that will soon be overrun with giant pumpkins.
"I haven't been to the fair in 11 years since I moved to Texas," she said. "I'm eager for all the food."
New foods this year are the Octodog - a hot dog cut in the shape of an octopus - and the Fair Square - a $2 crispy rice bar on a stick, the proceeds of which will benefit future fair projects. Chappell said the fair expects to sell more than 16,000 of the squares.
The gates open at 6 a.m. Thursday. The opening ceremony is at 9 a.m. at the new Jacobson Exhibition Center, a climate-controlled horse show arena.
Country singer Lee Greenwood plays a free show there at 7 p.m.
When the fair ends 11 days later on Aug. 22, "everyone leaves all at once," Chappell said. "Boom. It's here and then it's gone. And then you're in withdrawal. It's really a letdown when it ends."
"This is one of our favorite fairs," said Kevin McGrath II, of Fort Myers, Fla., who drives his funnel cake stand to 25 fairs each year. This is his fourth stop.
"It's the people," he said. "Everyone here loves to have fun."
Amanda Lay of Ankeny strolled among the food stands on Friday with the two young boys for whom she is a nanny. They walked past a lawn that will soon be overrun with giant pumpkins.
"I haven't been to the fair in 11 years since I moved to Texas," she said. "I'm eager for all the food."
New foods this year are the Octodog - a hot dog cut in the shape of an octopus - and the Fair Square - a $2 crispy rice bar on a stick, the proceeds of which will benefit future fair projects. Chappell said the fair expects to sell more than 16,000 of the squares.
The gates open at 6 a.m. Thursday. The opening ceremony is at 9 a.m. at the new Jacobson Exhibition Center, a climate-controlled horse show arena.
Country singer Lee Greenwood plays a free show there at 7 p.m.
When the fair ends 11 days later on Aug. 22, "everyone leaves all at once," Chappell said. "Boom. It's here and then it's gone. And then you're in withdrawal. It's really a letdown when it ends."
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