Folks brought their best turkey calls to the opening day of the 2024 Iowa State Fair. While some used gadgets and gismos, others relied on their own voice.

The yearly event takes place at Pioneer Hall, and this year there were seven adult contestants. Each were asked to do four calls: a gobble, a cluck and purr, a kee kee run and a call of their choice.

While all contestants put their best foot forward, it was Ervin Eiben of Monticello, Iowa, who took home first place. Eiben said what he enjoys most about turkey hunting is calling the bird in.

Victoria Reyna-Rodriguez is a general assignment reporter for the Register. Reach her at vreynarodriguez@registermedia.com or follow her on Twitter @VictoriaReynaR.

End your kids’ summer with a visit to the Iowa State Fair and create memorable moments that will last a lifetime.

The Iowa State Fair offers a number of attractions for kids, many of which are free. So after you grab your fried treat, here are five different activities to bring your kids to at the fair this year.

Baby Animals

Introduce your babies to baby animals at the Iowa State Fair. Not only is this an adorable experience but it also makes for great photo opportunities. Children can watch baby chicks hatch, baby ducks slide or goats play in new playpens. The baby animal exhibit is located south of the Little Hands on the Farm area. Kids can also pet cattle, horses, pigs and sheep at the Hands On Barn Experience.

More: Ever heard of the Husband Calling Contest? Here are 5 bizarre Iowa State Fair contests

Kids in the Kitchen

Get your kids in the kitchen making healthy farm-fresh recipes at the Kids Can Cook area. Children ages 5 to 17 can work on their chef skills and learn about cleanliness, food handling and preparation. The kid’s kitchen is located in the east room at Maytag Family Theaters.

More: What’s the new Iowa State Fair logo? It’s not the one on social media

Free entertainment for kids

The fair doesn’t just have concerts for adults, there also is entertainment for kids at the Fun Forest Stage. Performances include interactive music with The Dollipops and a children’s magic show by The Chipper Experience. Kidz Bop will perform at the fair at 6 p.m. Aug. 18. Tickets are $20.

Pick a vegetable

Take your kids to The Garden where they can learn how vegetables grow. They can become a producer and harvest veggies that are then given to the Iowa Food Bank. The spaces are loaded with garden beds where the little ones can get their hands dirty. Children also can learn about sustainability at a special composting exhibit. The Garden is located north of Little Hands on the Farm.

Thrill parks

What’s a trip to the fair without enjoying some of the carnival rides? There are a number of kid-friendly rides for the whole family to do together.

Perhaps the most well-known ride for children is the giant slide, which parents can ride with their kids. Your screams might sound louder because there are microphones strung over the slide to amplify the sound. The giant slide is $3 per person and is located near Ruan Plaza.

Avoid walking around the fair and instead enjoy a ride with your child on the sky glider while seeing all the fair attractions. Riders taller than 48 inches can ride alone. It is $6 one way and $9 round trip. The sky glider runs east from Pioneer Hall to the entrance of the Thrill Ville and west from Gate 10 to Rock Island Avenue.

How much is a ticket to the Iowa State Fair? Where can I buy one?

You can buy tickets on the Iowa State Fair website.

Ticket prices at the gate and online during the fair are:

• Adult (ages 12 and up): $16
• Child (ages 6-11): $10
• Under 5: Free

Kate Kealey is a general assignment reporter for the Des Moines Register. Reach her at kkealey@registermedia.com or follow her on Twitter at @Kkealey17.

Independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr canceled an upcoming campaign event because of “increased security concerns,” his campaign said Wednesday.

Kennedy, 70, had been slated to appear at the Des Moines Register’s Political Soapbox at the Iowa State Fair on Saturday afternoon, but he called off the appearance because the outdoor venue posed a heightened risk to his safety.  

“We were unable to secure a venue stage indoors that satisfies our security requirements for Mr. Kennedy’s safety,” a campaign official told The Post. 

The Des Moines Register first reported on Kennedy’s cancellation at the outlet’s fair event, noting that he was one of 10 political candidates scheduled to speak.

The paper’s executive editor, Carol Hunter, said she was told of no specific threats against Kennedy and called the campaign’s concerns about having the candidate attend an open-air event at the crowded fairgrounds “understandable.” 

Kennedy, who has faced death threats and has been hounded by stalkers since launching his White House bid, had long pleaded for Secret Service protection and was finally granted that protection last month by the Biden administration after the assassination attempt against former President Donald Trump, 78.

His father and uncle — former New York Sen. Robert F. Kennedy and former President John F. Kennedy — were both gunned down by assassins in the 1960s. 

The Secret Service reportedly encouraged the Trump campaign to stop scheduling outdoor events in the wake of the July 13 shooting at his Butler, Pa., rally. 

Trump, 78, vowed in an interview with Fox News last month that he would continue to host outdoor rallies, but all his events since the assassination attempt have been indoors. 

Vice President Kamala Harris and her running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, held an outdoor rally on Wednesday in Eau Claire, Wis.

Kennedy made headlines this week after he admitted on Sunday that he disposed of a dead bear by dumping the carcass in New York’s Central Park in 2014 and making it seem like the animal was hit by a bicyclist. 

The independent candidate has 5.3% support in the 2024 presidential race, according to a FiveThirtyEight average of national surveys.