Iowa
Who needs a babysitter? Here’s 5 things to do with kids at the Iowa State Fair
Passengers on Iowa State Fair Sky Glider rain money to passersby
People riding the Iowa State Fair Sky Glider Sunday, August 15 sent money raining down to people walking through the Fairgrounds.
Stephanie Rayburn, Provided to the Register
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.
DES Moines, Iowa — Gov. Kim Reynolds has ordered all flags in Iowa to be lowered to half-staff Saturday in honor of state Sen. Julian Garrett, who died June 8 at the age of 85.
Flags will be flown at half-staff from sunrise to sunset June 20, the day of Garrett’s funeral, on the Iowa Capitol Building and across the Capitol Complex. The order also applies to all public buildings, grounds and facilities throughout the state.
Garrett served 16 years in the Iowa Legislature, first representing House District 55 from 2011 to 2013 before serving in the Iowa Senate through the 2026 legislative session.
In addition to his legislative service, Garrett was a farmer, attorney and former employee of the Iowa Attorney General’s Office.
“Sen. Garrett was a friend who served our state with integrity — whether as a cattle producer, a Little League coach, an attorney in the executive branch, or a legislator,” Reynolds said in a statement. “For 15 years, we worked together to unleash opportunities for the Iowans we served, and his impact will be felt for generations to come.”
Reynolds is encouraging individuals, businesses, schools, municipalities, counties and other government entities to lower their flags to half-staff during the same time period as a sign of respect.
Garrett represented southwest Iowa in the Legislature and was known for his work on judiciary and agriculture-related issues during his tenure at the Statehouse.
An Iowa man was injured Thursday afternoon after three vehicles traveling northbound on Interstate 35 collided near Albert Lea.
Thomas Gene Anderson, 34, of Winnebago, Iowa, was taken by Mayo Ambulance to Mayo Clinic Health System in Albert Lea for non-life threatening injuries, according to the Minnesota State Patrol.
Anderson was listed as the driver of a 2019 Chevrolet Blazer.
The report states the Blazer and a 2020 Nissan Rogue, driven by Brenda Sue Bangs, 52, of Glenville, and a 2021 Chevrolet Blazer, driven by Lisa Ann Bettin, 64, of Altoona, Iowa, were all northbound on I-35 near milepost 10 when the vehicles collided at 3:49 p.m.
As we work through the month of June, things are starting to heat up on the diamond around Iowa high school baseball.
With the start of postseason play just around the corner in July, teams are working to get prepared for the stretch run.
High School On SI Iowa has a Top 25 state power ranking while the Iowa High School Baseball Coaches Association releases weekly class-by-class rankings.
Here are leaders as of June 17, 2026 for several major hitting and pitching categories. Stats are from those uploaded to the Bound website.
Iowa High School Baseball Leaders
Home Runs
- Tru McBride, Fort Dodge, 9
- Colton Roemmich, West Des Moines Valley, 9
- Brandon Bea, Davenport North, 8
- Kamden Jorgensen, Saydel, 8
- Gabe Blanshan, Urbandale, 7
Running Batted In
- Callan Koch, Sioux City East, 38
- West Cole, Mason City Newman Catholic, 37
- Tru McBride, Fort Dodge, 36
- Chance Georgius, Roland-Story, 34
- Ty Heydon, Coon Rapids-Bayard, 34
Stolen Bases
- Aiden Ferry, Roland-Story, 38
- Tate Garman, Algona, 33
- Titan Foster, Nodaway Valley, 32
- Tate Moulton, Grand View Christian, 30
- Cael Wishman, Baxter, 29
Runs Scored
- Cal Jepsen, Sioux City East, 45
- Aiden Frey, Roland-Story, 43
- Cal Heydon, Coon Rapids-Bayard, 41
- Kolton Schiltz, Fort Dodge, 40
- Colton Wight, Martensdale-St. Marys, 39
Hits
- Colton Wight, Martensdale-St. Marys, 39
- Cal Jepsen, Sioux City East, 38
- Callan Koch, Sioux City East, 36
- Ty Heydon, Coon Rapids-Bayard, 35
- Lucas Kelley, Des Moines Roosevelt, 34
Doubles
- Joe Nilles, Sioux City North, 13
- Colton Wight, Martensdale-St. Marys, 13
- Lucas Kelley, Des Moines Roosevelt, 12
- Brett Harris, Western Dubuque, 12
- Brooks Bond, Lewis Central, 11
Triples
- Callan Koch, Sioux City East, 7
- Will Nesler, Ankeny Centennial, 5
- Jacob Pierro, Dubuque Wahlert Catholic, 5
- Lucas Kelley, Des Moines Roosevelt, 5
- Cal Jepsen, Sioux City East, 4
Total Bases
- Colton Wight, Martensdale-St. Marys, 68
- Tru McBride, Fort Dodge, 68
- Bryce Pauly, Davenport North, 67
- Cal Jepsen, Sioux City East, 65
- Ty Heydon, Coon Rapids-Bayard, 62
Pitching Wins
- Tyler Etten, Urbandale, 9
- Chase White, Dyersville Beckman Catholic, 7
- Colton Moffit, Baxter, 7
- Connor Mullenbach, Saint Ansgar, 6
- Aidan Nielsen, Don Bosco, 6
Earned Run Average (min. 18 innings pitched)
- Connor Mullenbach, Saint Ansgar, 0.00
- Luke Vestal, Pleasantville, 0.00
- Ryan Stedman, West Des Moines Valley, 0.24
- Will Litton, Iowa City Regina Catholic, 0.25
- Judd Jirovsky, Grundy Center, 0.26
Strikeouts
- Colton Moffit, Baxter, 85
- Brody Wangsness, North Butler, 75
- Lincoln Roethler, Denver, 71
- Owen Klocksiem, Louisa-Muscatine, 67
- Cooper Chizek, Emmetsburg, 65
Opponents Batting Average Against (min. 18 innings pitched)
- Macklin Loftus, Logan-Magnolia, .017
- Jack Wedemeier, Waverly-Shell Rock, .065
- Teagan Brunk, Shenandoah, .069
- Ryan Stedman, West Des Moines Valley, .072
- Bronx Siebersma, MVAOCOU, .075
Saves
- Beckham Simon, West Liberty, 4
- Deacon Kucera, Cedar Rapids Kennedy, 4
- Graham Rima, Pleasant Valley, 4
- Gavin de Jesus, Waukee, 4
- Easton Goodwin, Waterloo Columbus Catholic, 3
Innings Pitched
- Colton Moffit, Baxter, 43
- Tyler Etten, Urbandale, 38.2
- Owen Galvin, Denison-Schleswig, 38
- Tallon Crandall, Carroll, 37.1
- Austin Remster, Melcher-Dallas, 37.1
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