Iowa
Meet the deep-fried bubblegum and bubblegum soda at the Iowa State Fair
It’s the last day of the Iowa State Fair, and you still need to try two last dishes before the sun sets on Fair Fever. Head all the way up to Grandfather’s Barn for gorgeous views of the State Capitol and downtown Des Moines skyline at Bubbly Bar & Bistro.
First order the deep-fried bubblegum. It’s such a fun dish made with a vanilla marshmallow in the sent, flavored with bubblegum, and then deep fried in a funnel cake coating. Yes, it tastes just like bubblegum, without the crunchy fried bits mucking up the gum. This dish goes for $10.
Then get bubblegum soda to go with it for $6. You’ll feel like a kid again.
What to order at Bubbly Bar & Bistro
Owners Jennie and Bryan Enloe come up with the novelty dishes at this new stand. You can find waffles made with puppy chow and drizzled with chocolate and peanut butter, pork belly corn dog bites served with maple syrup or Mike’s hot honey, and deep-fried pepperoni chips, which are just what they sound like.
Find the Tipsy Peach as well, one of the Top 11 Best New Dishes at the Iowa State Fair. The pearl waffle comes topped with peaches soaked in sangria and dolloped with mascarpone cheese that is whipped with cream, thyme and lemon. The dish goes for $13. Grant Gillon, the Altoona chef who won “MasterChef” last season, worked with Bubbly Bar to create the dish.
More: These top three dishes compete for Best New Food at the Iowa State Fair in 2024
And the cocktails here even scream novelty. Try a Cotton Candy Bubble Trouble with sparkling wine poured over cotton candy, the Grumpy Old Manhattan that includes a bubbly and smoky surprise, or a Lavender Lemontini with a wine-based vodka.
Bubbly also won Best New Drink (Alcohol Free) for the Abracadabra Color-Changing Butterfly Lemonade, a drink that starts a vibrant blue and then changes to a pretty magenta. The drink contains an essence of cucumber as well as butterfly pea flower. The drink goes for $12. You can add a wine-based vodka too.
And the vineyard-like setting earned the outpost the Best of Show Award from the Iowa State Fair as well.
Where to find Bubbly Bar & Bistro
Location: Next to Grandfather’s Barn at the Iowa State Fair
Contact: bubblybarisf.com
Susan Stapleton is the entertainment editor and dining reporter at The Des Moines Register. You can reach out to her on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram, or drop her a line at sstapleton@gannett.com.
IOWA CITY, Iowa (KCRG) — Volunteers broke ground Saturday for Iowa Valley Habitat for Humanity’s 16th Woman Build, honoring a retired University of Iowa nursing professor.
Liz Swanson, a retired nursing professor, was chosen as this year’s honoree for her decades of impact. The Women Build program focuses on including women in every step of home construction.
While the home is built in Swanson’s honor, it will go to a fellow nurse and mother of three. The family applied through the affordable housing program.
Swanson said she’s proud to be part of a project that directly connects to her nursing legacy.
“It’s very special to have the unique opportunity to help the nurse who is working nights,” Swanson said.
Swanson said stable housing gives families the security to plan for the future.
“It means security for families. We talked briefly to the children and they said, ‘we’re gonna have our own bedroom,’” Swanson said.
Volunteers are set to begin work on the home in August. Those interested in volunteering can find more information here.
Copyright 2026 KCRG. All rights reserved.
The Iowa Lottery offers several draw games for those aiming to win big with rewards ranging from $1,000 to millions. The most an Iowan has ever won from playing the lottery was $343 million in 2018 off the Powerball.
Don’t miss out on the winnings. Here’s a look at Friday, May 8, 2026, winning numbers for each game:
Winning Mega Millions numbers from May 8 drawing
37-47-49-51-58, Mega Ball: 16
Check Mega Millions payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Pick-3 numbers from May 8 drawing
Midday: 0-5-8
Evening: 9-9-2
Check Pick-3 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Pick-4 numbers from May 8 drawing
Midday: 0-2-7-3
Evening: 0-7-0-6
Check Pick-4 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Millionaire for Life numbers from May 8 drawing
14-16-21-43-51, Bonus: 03
Check Millionaire for Life payouts and previous drawings here.
Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results
When are the Iowa Lottery drawings held?
- Powerball: 9:59 p.m. CT on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
- Mega Millions: 10:00 p.m. CT on Tuesday and Friday.
- Lotto America: 9:15 p.m. CT on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
- Lucky for Life: 9:38 p.m. CT daily.
- Pick 3 (Day): 12:20 p.m. CT daily.
- Pick 3 (Evening): 10:00 p.m. CT daily.
- Pick 4 (Day): 12:20 p.m. CT daily.
- Pick 4 (Evening): 10:00 p.m. CT daily.
- Millionaire for Life: 10:15 p.m. CT daily.
This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by an Iowa editor. You can send feedback using this form.
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