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The Iowa State Fair — one of our state's oldest and biggest traditions — is back for another fun-filled 11-day adventure on the east side of Des Moines. This year’s theme is "Fair Sweet Fair" and it runs from Thursday, Aug. 7, through Sunday, Aug. 17. Of course, the annual parade kicks things off on Aug. 6 in downtown Des Moines.Video above: Outside food and drink now allowed at the Iowa State FairThe fairgrounds, which are located at East 30th Street and East University Avenue, are open from 8 a.m. to midnight from Aug. 7 to Aug. 16. On the final day, which is Aug. 17, grounds are open from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. Buildings are open 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. throughout the fair. You can see ����vlog 8 News live at 4:30 p.m. every weekday during the fair at the MidAmerican Energy Stage. You can also stream ����vlog 8’s coverage of the Iowa State Fair for free on the Very Local app. Click here to download Very Local to your phone.See all of our Iowa State Fair coverage here.����vlog has compiled this daily guide to make the most of your time at the fairgrounds.Day 1: Thursday, Aug. 7Grandstand: Forrest Frank with special guest Lecrae, 8 p.m.; ticketsFree stage headliners: Ty Myers at the Susan Knapp Amphitheater, 8 p.m.; The Holy Rocka Rollaz at the Anne and Bill Riley Stage, 7 p.m. and 9 p.m.; Taylor Inspired Dance Party at the MidAmerican Energy Stage, 8 p.m.Weather: Thursday will be partly cloudy with a slight chance of rain. Expect a high of 91 degrees. Check out ����vlog's daily forecast here.Daily attendance record: 101,262 on the first Thursday in 2008Iowan of the Day: Brenda DeVore of Promise CityLive ����vlog newscast: 4:30-5 p.m. at the MidAmerican Energy StageEat something: The fair introduced 67 new foods this year. A panel of judges tried 11 of the new foods and picked the top three to be finalists. Try one of the finalists and cast your vote for this year's best new food. Winn & Sara's Kitchen's Bacon Chicken Ranch Eggroll: A hand-wrapped eggroll filled with tender chicken, crispy bacon and rich white cheddar cheese. The golden, crunchy exterior is drizzled with their homemade ranch dressing.Whatcha Smokin? BBQ's Three Little Pigs: A trio of nostalgic flavors. First is a corndog-inspired savory and sweet honey and mustard-glazed ham ball topped with cornbread crumbles. The next ham ball is coated in a tangy cherry side glaze with Maraschino cherries, inspired by a tangy and sweet cherry soda. The last is funnel cake inspired. It's coated in a butter vanilla glazed and topped with a sprinkle of powder sugar, a play on the classic fair food.Over The Top's The Scotcheroo Shake: Voted Fair's Sweetest Food. This is a new take on the Midwest classic. It's a rich and creamy shake with housemade scotcheroo ice cream. It's topped with whipped cream, caramel and chocolate drizzle, and a scotcheroo.Don't miss: The first day is all about the animals. The Big Ram Contest will be at noon at the Sheep Barn. The Big Boar Contest is at 1 p.m. in the Swine Barn. Starting at 8:30 a.m., Dairy Cattle Shows will take over the Pioneer Livestock Pavilion with the Super Bull Contest at 7 p.m. but there's another cow you butter not miss.Take a break from the hot weather and visit the iconic Iowa State Fair butter cow. This year's cow companions include fan favorites from Disney's Toy Story to ring in 30 years of the Pixar classic plus some hidden gems from the fair.Day 2: Friday, Aug. 8Grandstand: Parker McCollum with special guest Josh Abbott Band, 8 p.m.; ticketsFree stage headliners: Creed Fisher at the Susan Knapp Amphitheater, 8 p.m.; The Holy Rocka Rollaz at the Anne and Bill Riley Stage, 7 p.m. and 9 p.m.; The Nadas at the MidAmerican Energy Stage, 7 p.m. and 9 p.m.Weather: Friday will be mostly sunny and hot, with a high of 93 degrees. Check out ����vlog's daily forecast here.Daily attendance record: 115,703 on the first Friday in 2001Iowan of the Day: Emily Grell of DanburyLive ����vlog newscast: 4:30-5 p.m. at the MidAmerican Energy StageDrink something: The fair introduced 36 new drinks this year, 26 of which are alcohol-free.Frozen Strawberry Acai Refresher: A mix of strawberry and açai flavors with a frozen base (alcohol-free).Cotton Candy Soda Pop: Fizzy cotton-candy flavored soda with edible glitter (alcohol-free).Pink Pony Cooler: A gluten-free sour brewed with pink guava and agave. It's mixed with Cotton Candy Sour. (alcoholic)The Yellowstone: Grapefruit juice with a squeeze of lime on top of a drop of honey. It's topped with a slice of grapefruit is covered in tajín (alcoholic)Don't miss: Check out fresh and Iowa-grown products at the Farmers Markets. It's located behind the Animal Learning Center and is the place for vendors to sell locally grown fruits and vegetables, flowers, jerky, handmade soaps and more. It's open from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. each day of the fair. The first Friday night of the fair is East Side Night. It's where Des Moines eastsiders come together at different areas of the fair for an unofficial Lee Township and East High School reunion. Day 3: Saturday, Aug. 9Grandstand: Megan Moroney with special guest Kameron Marlowe, 8 p.m.; ticketsFree stage headliners: Waylon Wyatt at the Susan Knapp Amphitheater, 8 p.m.; Iowa State Fair Queen Coronation at the Anne and Bill Riley Stage, 7 p.m.; The End (A Tribute to the Beatles) at the MidAmerican Energy Stage, 8 p.m.Weather: Saturday will be mostly sunny and hot with a high of 91 degrees. Showers and thunderstorms are possible. Check out ����vlog's daily forecast here.Daily attendance record: 128,732 on the first Saturday in 2024Iowan of the Day: Barb Runneberg of Algona Eat something: The fair takes your favorites and makes them easy to eat. Try one of these mobile foods on a stick:Chicken in a waffle on a stickBacon Wrapped Rib on a stickFunnel Cake on a stickBacon Pecan Pie on a stickDon't miss: It's coronation day! Take a trip to the Anne and Bill Riley Stage at 7 p.m. to see who will win the crown. The Iowa State Fair queen contest has contestants from each county in the state. Contestants are judged based on several characteristics including personality, attitude, leadership, citizenship, contribution to community, overall appearance, charm and poise. Last year's queen was Elli Blackford of Clarke County. A fair isn't a fair without amusement rides. Take today to have some thrill-filled fun. Take a float in the Ye Old Mill, reach new heights on the Sky Glider and then fly down on the slide. There are options for all ages at one of the three "thrill" areas.Thrill park hours:August 7-16: Thrill Ville is open 11 a.m.-11 p.m.; Thrill Town is open 10 a.m.-10 p.m.; Thrill Zone is open 10 a.m.-11 p.m.August 17: Thrill Ville is open 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Thrill Town and Thrill Zone are open 10 a.m.-9 p.m. Day 4: Sunday, Aug. 10Grandstand: Pitbull with special guest Neon Union, 8 p.m.; ticketsFree stage headliners: The Castellows at the Susan Knapp Amphitheater, 8 p.m.; Parranderos Latin Combo at the Anne and Bill Riley Stage, 7 p.m.; Pecos and the Rooftops at the MidAmerican Energy Stage, 8 p.m.Weather: Sunday will be mostly cloudy with a chance for scattered showers and storms and a high of 91 degrees. Check out ����vlog's daily forecast here.Daily attendance record: 115,048 on the first Sunday in 2024Iowan of the Day: Donna Koch of Cedar Rapids Eat something: There's lots of new offerings this year to satisfy your sweet tooth. Try one of these sweet new foods:Applishus' Sweet Granny's Apple Delight Sundae: Granny Smith-flavored ice cream topped with apple filling, caramel and whipped cream inside a waffle cone bowl. It's crowned with an apple cookie. Dairy Zone's The Butter Cow Tornado: Butterscotch ice cream with gooey butter cake pieces. It's topped with a white-chocolate Butter Cow candy.The Bird's Nest's Deep Fried Banana S'mores: bananas and melted chocolate coated in a crispy batter. Don't miss: This year marks 100 years of the fiddlers at the state fair. To celebrate, head down to Farm Bureau Pioneer Hall for the Fiddlers Championship at 3 p.m. Musicians from across the Midwest are competing in their designated age category to see who wins the title of Fiddle Grand Champion. Day 5: Monday, Aug. 11Grandstand: Lynyrd Skynyrd with special guest The Outlaws, 8 p.m.; ticketsFree stage headliners: Kashus Culpepper at the Susan Knapp Amphitheater, 8 p.m.; Six Appeal at the Anne and Bill Riley Stage, 7 p.m. and 9 p.m.; PetRock at the MidAmerican Energy Stage, 8 p.m.Weather: Mostly cloudy with a slight chance of rain and a high of 87 degrees. Check out ����vlog's daily forecast here.Daily attendance record: 105,522 on Monday in 2017Iowan of the Day: Roger & Mary Sue Chatfield of KeokukLive ����vlog newscast: 4:30-5 p.m. at the MidAmerican Energy StageEat something: The state fair is nostalgic for many. Try some of the fair classics that stood the test of time like corndogs, fried Oreos, funnel cake, and, of course, sweet corn. Don't miss: It's Veterans Day at the fair, which means active and former members of the U.S. military receive discounted $12 admission at the gate. Activities include a veterans parade along the Grand Concourse at 11 a.m., a performance by the Iowa Military Veterans' Band at 2 p.m. at the Knapp Amphitheater, and a Military Tribute Concert at 4:30 p.m. on the Riley Stage.Day 6: Tuesday, Aug. 12Grandstand: Rascal Flatts with special guest Neal McCoy, 8 p.m.; ticketsFree stage headliners: Drew Baldrige at the Susan Knapp Amphitheater, 8 p.m.; Herman’s Hermits starring Peter Noone at the Anne and Bill Riley Stage, 7 p.m.; Electric Avenue (MTV 80s Tribute) at the MidAmerican Energy Stage, 8 p.m.Weather: Tuesday will be mostly sunny with a high around 85 degrees. Check out ����vlog's daily forecast here.Daily attendance record: 105,384 on Tuesday in 2024Iowan of the Day: Ruby Thomas of CoinLive ����vlog newscast: 4:30-5 p.m. at the MidAmerican Energy StageEat something: Fair food can be expensive but there's plenty of value-priced options across the fairgrounds. Check out these cheap but delicious options for $5 and under: Cattle Barn Café's Cookie: $1West Des Moines United Methodist Church's Ice Cream: $1Bag of Zag's Popcorn: $2 The Snack Box's Homemade Cake Donuts: $2.50Stockmann's Inn's Mac N' Cheese: $3 Pickle Dawg and Footlong's Hot Dog: $3 Stockmann's Inn's Seasoned Fries: $4Bettie's Foot Long's Footlong Hot Dog: $4The Salad Bowl's Peanut Butter & Jelly on a Stick: $5The Rib Shack's Mac N' Cheese Smoked Brisket and Bacon: $5For a full list of value-priced items, click here.Don't miss: It's a great day to check out some of the free entertainment options around the fair, including:Chain Saw Artists Gary Keenan, T.J. Jenkins and Clint Henik at Expo HillThe Flying Royals west of Richard O. Jacobsen Exhibition CenterHot Glass Academy next to First ChurchCowboy Boot Camp next to Gate 15Kids Can Cook Cooking Show at the Maytag TheaterBut not all the free entertainment is easy to find. Try to see how many traveling entertainers you can find like the one-man band Bandaloni, Greg Frisbee's interactive The Ice Cream Show, and Hillbilly Bob and his tractor. Day 6 is also time for the Beard Growing Contest at Pioneer Hall. Go see the longest, best groomed, most unique, most historic in nature and best beard with costume at 10:30 a.m.Day 7: Wednesday, Aug. 13Grandstand: Hairball’s Silver Anniversary Tour, 8 p.m.; ticketsFree stage headliners: Tanner Adell at the Susan Knapp Amphitheater, 8 p.m.; Herman’s Hermits starring Peter Noone at the Anne and Bill Riley Stage, 7 p.m.; Allie Colleen at the MidAmerican Energy Stage, 8 p.m.Weather: Wednesday will see intervals of clouds and sunshine with a high of 86 degrees. Check out ����vlog's daily forecast here.Daily attendance record: 109,323 on Wednesday in 2019Iowan of the Day: Donna Brown of Cedar FallsLive ����vlog newscast: 4:30-5 p.m. at the MidAmerican Energy StageEat something: After 7 days at the fair, you might need a break from the fried foods, sugar and grease. There's lots of healthy but still delicious options like a Caprese salad on a stick, fruit kabobs, sandwiches, corn on the cob and more. Don't miss: Wednesday morning will be a sensory-friendly time. From 8 a.m. until noon, there will be lower sound levels, limited flashing lights, calming rooms, designated educational areas and trained volunteers throughout the fair. New this year is an inclusive playground with accessible ramps and surfaces and stage programming at MidAmerican Energy and Susan Knapp Amphitheater stages. For a complete list of programs and activities, click here.Day 8: Thursday, Aug. 14Grandstand: Def Leppard with special guest Phil X & The Drills, 8 p.m.; ticketsFree stage headliners: William Clark Green at the Susan Knapp Amphitheater, 8 p.m.; Ron Diamond at the Anne and Bill Riley Stage, 7 p.m. and 9 p.m.; The Pork Tornadoes at the MidAmerican Energy Stage, 8 p.m.Weather: Check out ����vlog's daily forecast hereDaily attendance record: 107,449 on the second Thursday in 2015Iowan of the Day: Peggy Smith of BaxterLive ����vlog newscast: 4:30-5 p.m. at the MidAmerican Energy StageEat something: If you're in the mood for something fruity, there's new food and drink options to keep you refreshed but with a fair twist.Big Acai Bowl's Big Acai Sorbet Flight: a sorbet flight with different flavors and toppings, including granola, banana, strawberry, pineapple, blueberry, peanut butter, cacao drizzle and vanilla chia pudding.Thelma's Lemon Blueberry Ice Cream Sandwich: Lemon cookies with blueberry ice cream sandwiched in the middle.Po-Boy's One in A Melon: Sprite with watermelon and twisted lime syrup. It's topped with a watermelon lime popsicle (alcohol-free).The Bird's Nest's Hawaiiowan Hype: Topical punch flavored sour made with pineapple and passionfruit juices (alcoholic). Don't miss: If you're feeling lucky on the 8th day, the Iowa Lottery is attempting to break the Guinness World Record for the most people scratching a lottery ticket at once. It's at Elwell Family Park at 5 p.m.But if you're not in the mood to test your luck, the Cornhole Tournament is at 3 p.m. on the Grand Concourse. Grab your partner for doubles and see if you can be the best cornhole players in the state. Registration starts at 2 p.m., and the entry fee is $20.Day 9: Friday, Aug. 15Grandstand: Hank Williams Jr. with special guest Old Crow Medicine Show, 8 p.m.; ticketsFree stage headliners: Brent Cobb at the Susan Knapp Amphitheater, 8 p.m.; Ron Diamond at the Anne and Bill Riley Stage, 7 p.m. and 9 p.m.; Not Quite Brothers at the MidAmerican Energy Stage, 8 p.m.Weather: Check out ����vlog's daily forecast hereDaily attendance record: 112,891 on the second Friday in 2019Iowan of the Day: Jean Saveraid of HuxleyLive ����vlog newscast: 4:30-5 p.m. at the MidAmerican Energy StageEat something: While Iowa may be a landlocked state, the fair still hosts a variety of seafood options:Saigonais' Saigon Lobster Bomb: A French baguette fried in a seasoned batter with lobster and served with house hoisin sauce and sriracha. JR's SouthPork Ranch's Lobster Biscuits & Gravy: Cheesy biscuits covered in lobster gravy.Po Boy Stand's Shrimp Corndog: Three shrimps fried in corndog batter and topped with a sweet jalapeno glaze.Destination Grille's Surf N Turf: Combination meal of the Lobster Corn Dog with Steak Tip Gnocchi.Don't miss: Need a good laugh? Take a trip to Pioneer Hall to see the world-famous husband calling contest. It's simple: watch as contestants show how they call for their husbands. It starts at 10 a.m. After, you can see how kids call for their moms starting at 11 a.m. Day 10: Saturday, Aug. 16Grandstand: T-Pain with special guest charlieonnafriday, 8 p.m.; ticketsFree stage headliners: Drake White at the Susan Knapp Amphitheater, 8 p.m.; Ron Diamond at the Anne and Bill Riley Stage, 7 p.m. and 9 p.m.; Jason Brown at the MidAmerican Energy Stage, 8 p.m.Weather: Check out ����vlog's daily forecast hereDaily attendance record: 128,298 on the second Saturday in 2022Iowan of the Day: Lou Sipolt Jr. of Altoona Eat something: There's no better partnership than Iowa and agriculture — specifically corn. There's plenty of delicious options so you can get your fix of the state's top produce including corn on the cob (even deep-fried), fried corn strips, Mexican street corn on the cob or in a cup, sweet corn ice cream and more. Don't miss: There's several activities meant for little ones. Located in Kids Zone, take on Little Hands on the Farm, so your children can learn how to become farmers. Children, ages 2 to 10, receive a gathering basket to take with them along a path with a garden, grain bin, apple orchard, chicken coop, tractor shed, sheep barn and dairy barn. After collecting items along the way, children get the chance to sell these items at the Little Hands on Farm Farmers' Market in exchange for a Little Hands dollar to spend at the grocery store on a snack.Day 11: Sunday, Aug. 17Grandstand: Kidz Bop Live, 6 p.m.; ticketsFree stage headliners: Redferrin at the Susan Knapp Amphitheater, 7 p.m.; Rebecca St. James at the Anne and Bill Riley Stage, 7 p.m.; Journey from the Heart at the MidAmerican Energy Stage, 7 p.m.Weather: Check out ����vlog's daily forecast hereDaily attendance record: 119,754 on the second Sunday in 2012 Eat something: Before the fair ends, make sure to hit Barksdale's State Fair Cookies. These cookies have been a staple for fairgoers since 1993. Get some cookies in a cup or a bucket to share with those around you. Don't miss: It's the last day of the fair, which means it's the Bill Riley Talent Search Finals. From 1:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m., ages two through 21 will be giving it their all in hopes of winning the biggest talent show in the state. The winner receives a giant trophy and a check for $10,000. New this year, the Farmers Markets is showcasing the littlest creators. On the last day of the fair, Sunday, Aug. 17, kids ages 7 to 17 can enter their homemade products to win banners from the Kids Makers Market. Fairgoers can check out this market and purchase products from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.