Best Choose Iowa Fair Food Contest Overview

The Best Choose Iowa Fair Food Contest will celebrate those Iowa State Fair food menu items made using ingredients sourced from Iowa to honor Iowa’s strong farming tradition. Choose Iowa is a program through the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship to identify and promote the food, beverages and ag products that are grown, raised and made in Iowa. Fairgoers can find the food stands participating in this contest using the Iowa State Fair’s app and website. Fairgoers will vote for the Best Choose Iowa Fair Food via online form which can be found via QR codes posted on signs at participating concessionaires’ stands as well as the Choose Iowa website. The deadline for public votes is Wednesday, August 14, 2024, at 11:59 p.m. The winner will be announced on Friday, August 16, 2024, and presented with a plaque and a big sign to proudly display at their stand during the presentation of the Iowa State Fair Best New Food award.

Rules for Best Choose Iowa Fair Food Contest

• This contest is open to all Iowa State Fair food concessionaires. If you own different stands with unique menus, you can submit one entry per unique stand. The item must be sold from the same unique stand.
• Food items submitted must be ready to eat items intended for consumption at the Iowa State Fair. Farmers market vendors are not eligible to participate in this contest.
• Menu items submitted must already be approved for sale by the Iowa State Fair Concessions Department.
• At least one ingredient (or more) in the menu item must be grown, produced, or processed in Iowa, not including water. Simply ordering from an Iowa supplier is not sufficient. Ingredient(s) must be raised, grown by Iowa producer(s) and their contact information provided with entry details.
• Beverages are not eligible for the contest.
• Submissions are not guaranteed approval for inclusion in the contest.
• Once submitted for entry, the integrity of your food items cannot change. This includes changes to the ingredients and source. If there are sourcing issues, provide documentation as soon as possible to prove that effort was made to find an Iowa-based solution. Any other changes will result in disqualification.
• Concessionaires are not required but are encouraged to be Choose Iowa members. Sign up to become a Choose Iowa member here.
• By entering the contest, you agree that your booth name, food name, food photo and description can be used on the Choose Iowa website, social media, and in other promotions.
• Food names will be used for marketing purposes and should be cleared of all trademark and copyright before submission.
• Marketing efforts will be made to publicize the contest participants; however, media coverage is not a guarantee.
• Signage will be provided to concessionaires to indicate their participation in the contest.
• Food contest voting results (collected via an online form) will be tabulated by Choose Iowa and are considered final. The deadline for public votes is Wed., Aug. 14, 2024, at 11:59 p.m.
• Save the date (August 16): If your entry is selected to win (notification to come August 15),you are required to be present at your booth on August 16 in order to receive your award.
• Entries received after July 31, 2024, will not be accepted.

For questions, please reach out to chooseiowa@iowaagriculture.gov.