Are Your Tax Dollars Really Funding The Iowa State Fair?

The Iowa State Fair is underway.  It's 11 days of music, food, rides, attractions, animals and so much more.  The Iowa State Fair has been going on since 1854 and is one of the largest and best-known state fairs in all of the country.

If you've never been to the Iowa State Fair maybe you don't realize how big it is until you look at the map.  It's over 450 acres!  Yeah, you'll definitely be putting your steps in at the fair!

But if you aren't putting in your steps at the Iowa State Fair are you still paying for the fair?

Not All Iowa Fairs Are The Same

Fair season in the Midwest is as American as...well a fair.  From state fairs in Iowa, Illinois, Wisconsin, and beyond to local county and city fairs the summer is filled with fun times at the fair.

In the Davenport, the Mississippi Valley Fair just concluded and was not without controversy.  But, the fair team is looking to improve things with added security and new ways to purchase tickets.

The Mississippi Valley Fair is a business.  They are privately run and have bills and employees to pay.  At the end of the day, the money they bring in through ticket sales, vendors, and sponsorships is how they make money to not only pay all the expenses for the fair (bands, security, building maintenance, electricity, etc.) but to pay for the staff that keeps the fair, and the fairgrounds, up and running.  It is and always has been this way.

Does The Iowa State Fair Get Money From The Government?

The first state fair in 1854 had a budget of $354.  That has slightly increased over the years.  In fact, you can see the exacts of the Iowa State Fair budget because it's a government entity and everything must be made public. So you can see the 2023 fiscal year here. FYI, it's 66 pages long so make sure you set aside some time to dive into that page-turner.

One thing you will see in the figures is that the Iowa State Fair for the most part is now self-funded.  The money they make during the fair pays for expenses, maintenance, salaries, and entertainment.  However, they do still receive government money at times.

According to Google,

The Iowa State Legislature and the City of Des Moines have appropriated funds for the fair in the past, and legislative appropriations are used for capital improvements and repairs. For example, since 1993, the fair has received $10.7 million from lottery receipts and the Iowa Infrastructure Fund for capital improvements.

So if you've bought a lottery ticket in Iowa in the last 30 years you may have contributed to keeping the Iowa State Fairgrounds looking nice.  Go check out the fair this year and see what your failed dollar scratcher helped create.