Endless food, entertainment and contests to reign at next year's Fair, Aug. 12-22

We're counting down the final minutes of the 2009 Iowa State Fair - "State Fair Time" - but eager Fairgoers are already marking their calendars for the 2010 Iowa State Fair, August 12-22.

The 2010 theme - "Non Stop Fun" - harkens to the endless array of food, animals, entertainment, exhibits, rides, music, people-watching, contests, er, well…you get the idea. The 2010 Iowa State Fair promises to be the same round-the-clock blur of activity folks have come to expect from the country's favorite state fair.

Next year's logo, designed by Trilix Marketing Group of Urbandale, is reminiscent of the bright, lighted signs found in some of America’s favorite entertainment destinations where days run into night, people forget their cares and there is always something to do.

The Iowa State Fair is the state's largest single tourism event. With the state’s largest arts show, largest foods department of any state fair and one of the world’s largest livestock shows all in the same place, it's no surprise it was named in the New York Times best-selling travel book 1,000 Places To See Before You Die. The Fair is also included in the recently published, 1,000 Places To See in the U.S.A. and Canada Before You Die.

In 2006 and 2008, the Fair was listed in Discover America's Top 200 Events in the Nation, joining the ranks of the Super Bowl, the Kentucky Derby and the Daytona 500. The event was USA Weekend’s #2 choice for summer fun in America and recognized by Family Fun magazine as one of America's Great Fairs and Festivals. The Fair is also one of the American Bus Association’s 2009 Top 100 Events.

The 2010 Iowa State Fair is scheduled for August 12-22. For more information, call 800/545-FAIR or check out iowastatefair.org.