AFTER THAT SURGERY. SO GOOD NEWS THERE. WELL, THE IOWA STATE FAIR IS JUST ONE WAY IOWANS ARE MAKING THE MOST OF SUMMER BEFORE SCHOOL STARTS BACK UP AGAIN NEXT WEEK. vlog SHOWS US HOW THE FINAL WEEKS OF SUMMER FUN ARE ACTUALLY GIVING THE METRO HERE IN THE DES MOINES AREA AN ECONOMIC BOOST. FROM THE RACETRACK TO THE CATTLE BARN, CENTRAL IOWA IS WHERE PEOPLE ARE FLOCKING TO SQUEEZE THE MOST OUT OF SUMMER’S END. EVERY TIME WE COME TO THE STATE FAIR. YEAH, EVEN WHEN HE WAS LITTLE. ACCORDING TO DATA FROM CATCH DES MOINES, AN AVERAGE OF MORE THAN 12,500 HOTEL ROOMS WERE BOOKED ACROSS THE METRO AT THE START OF AUGUST. THE ORGANIZATION IS ATTRIBUTING THAT UPTICK IN TOURISM TO A SERIES OF EVENTS. LIKE EVERYONE TO IOWA, THE NATIONAL SENIOR GAMES THAT DREW IN AN ESTIMATED 15,000 PEOPLE, THE SOLD OUT NASCAR CUP SERIES, A RECORD BREAKING NUMBER OF VISITORS AT THE HINTERLAND MUSIC FESTIVAL EACH DAY. AND THE BIGGEST DRAW OF ALL I STATE FAIR THAT WELCOMED MORE THAN 950,000 PEOPLE BEFORE ITS FINAL WEEKEND. TO CELEBRATE THE END OF SUMMER WHILE IT LASTS, I WANT MORE SUMMER. I WANT SOMEONE TO LAST SCHOOL YEAR. IF THERE WAS ONLY JUST THIS MACHINE THAT GAVE YOU ALL THE KNOWLEDGE, NO SCHOOL BEFORE. THEY HAVE TO SHIFT GEARS FOR THE SCHOOL YEAR. WE’VE ALREADY BOUGHT OUR SCHOOL SUPPLIES. NOW I’M TRYING TO FOCUS ON WHAT MY SCHEDULE IS GETTING TO KNOW PEOPLE. SO
Iowa State Fair boosts central Iowa's economy as summer ends
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Updated: 3:04 PM CDT Aug 17, 2025
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Central Iowa is experiencing an economic boost as people flock to events like the Iowa State Fair to make the most of summer's end before school starts. From the race track to the cattle barn, the area is bustling with activity.Data from Catch Des Moines shows that an average of more than 12,500 hotel rooms were booked across the metro at the start of August. This increase in tourism is attributed to events such as the National Senior Games, which drew an estimated 15,000 people, the sold-out NASCAR Cup Series, and a record-breaking number of visitors at the Hinterland Music Festival each day. The biggest draw of all is the Iowa State Fair, which welcomed more than 950,000 people before its final weekend.Young fairgoer Micah Bartlett expressed his desire for summer to last all year, saying, "I want more summer. I want summer to last all year. If only there was just this machine that could give you all the knowledge. No school."As the school year approaches, Alexis Rutto shared her preparations, saying, "We've already bought our school supplies, now I'm trying to focus on what my schedule is, getting to know people, so I have my school set up and ready to go."» See all of our Iowa State Fair coverage here.
DES MOINES, Iowa — Central Iowa is experiencing an economic boost as people flock to events like the Iowa State Fair to make the most of summer's end before school starts. From the race track to the cattle barn, the area is bustling with activity.
Data from Catch Des Moines shows that an average of more than 12,500 hotel rooms were booked across the metro at the start of August. This increase in tourism is attributed to events such as the National Senior Games, which drew an estimated 15,000 people, the sold-out NASCAR Cup Series, and a record-breaking number of visitors at the Hinterland Music Festival each day. The biggest draw of all is the Iowa State Fair, which welcomed more than 950,000 people before its final weekend.
Young fairgoer Micah Bartlett expressed his desire for summer to last all year, saying, "I want more summer. I want summer to last all year. If only there was just this machine that could give you all the knowledge. No school."
As the school year approaches, Alexis Rutto shared her preparations, saying, "We've already bought our school supplies, now I'm trying to focus on what my schedule is, getting to know people, so I have my school set up and ready to go."
» See all of our Iowa State Fair coverage here.
