Iowa State Fair Earns Top International Industry Honors

DES MOINES, IA (12/14/2018) (readMedia)-- The Iowa State Fair was awarded top honors in every category at the International Association of Fairs and Expositions (IAFE) Annual Convention held earlier this month. Competing against other Fairs and Festivals with attendance over 1 million, the Iowa State Fair earned top awards in the Agricultural, Competitive Exhibit, Sponsorship and Communication categories.

In the Agricultural Awards competition, the Iowa State Fair won the following first-place awards: Technique/procedure/policy developed by Fair Management to correct an issue or challenge related to an agricultural program, Newly established or evolving program/exhibit at your fair which promotes agriculture to the fair?going public, Program/event/exhibit designed to educate consumers/fair?going public of a current agriculture or Fair industry challenge. Second place awards were given to the Iowa State Fair in Agriculture programs video, while third place honors were received in Unique partnership for an exhibit/promotion/special event/competition showcased during the fair, Innovative way(s) technology is used to benefit agriculture program(s) at your fair, Equine photo, Ag Education (4?H/FFA) photo and Any other agriculture program/exhibit. Plus, an overall Best of Division award was received for the Farm to Fair program.

In the Competitive Awards division, the Iowa State Fair was awarded first-place in the Create It on the Spot Contest Participatory Contest, Competitive Exhibit Display Photo Series, General Display Photo Series (Non-Animal) and third place in Fair Activity to Increase Awareness of Competitive Exhibits and Single Photo of a Competitive Exhibit Display.

In the Sponsorship Awards category, the Fair earned first-place honors in Sponsorship Innovation for the Farm to Fair Meal for 500 on the Grand Concourse. First place honors in Sponsorship Continuity were given for the Iowa STEM Day at the Fair. Second place honors in Sponsorship Continuity were given for Iowa Corn's Day at the Fair, Little Hands on the Farm and Farm to Fair sponsorships. Second place honors were given to First-Time Sponsorship for the recycling containers program that was sponsored by Wolfe Eye Clinic. A Sponsorship Sweepstakes award was given for the Farm to Fair sponsorship event.

In the Communication Awards category, the Fair earned first-place honors including Printed Promotional Material, Promotional Event, Miscellaneous Use of Technology to Promote Fair/Event and Mobile App. Second place finishes were reported in Website, Unique Advertising Specialties/Merchandise/Souvenirs and Promotional/Advertising Poster. Third place awards were given in Promotional Advertising Outdoor, Web Advertisement and Overall Marketing Campaign. The Iowa State Fair also received the Best of Show Communications Sweepstakes Award for the top number of points collected over all categories.

The IAFE awards are divided into five divisions based on attendance and are judged by a team of industry experts. The Iowa State Fair is a proud member of the IAFE, which represents more than 1,100 fairs and festivals around the world and more than 900 allied members from Fair related fields.

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Frequently ranked as one of the top events in the country, the Iowa State Fair is the single largest event in the state of Iowa and one of the oldest and largest agricultural and industrial expositions in the country. Annually attracting more than a million people from all over the world, the Iowa State Fair located at East 30th and East University, just 10 minutes from downtown Des Moines is Iowa's greatest celebration with a salute to the best in agriculture, industry, entertainment and achievement. "Nothing Compares" to State Fair Favorites August 8-18, 2019. For more information, visit www.iowastatefair.org.