What They’re Thinking: What the Iowa State Fair’s new CEO sees in the future

Jeremy Parsons’ passion for the Iowa State Fair came full circle in March when he was named CEO of the fair, one of the state’s most universally beloved institutions.

A native of Leon in south-central Iowa, Parsons spent his summer weekends at fairs. He worked at fairs throughout high school and college and chose a career in education to keep his summers free for the fair.

His nearly 30 years of fair experience includes time as a volunteer at the Decatur County Fair, seasonal work at the Iowa and Missouri state fairs, a stint as executive director of the Missouri State Fair Foundation and 12 years leading the Clay County Fair — Iowa’s largest county fair.

Now, at age 46, Parsons is overseeing his first Iowa State Fair as its CEO. The fair opens today in Des Moines, continuing through Aug. 20.

In an interview, Parsons told The Gazette about the plans he has in store and how he hopes to maintain the Iowa State Fair’s role as a place where “nothing compares” for the next generation.

Q: You’ve had a fascination with the Iowa State Fair since you were a child. What sparked that passion for you?

A: Like many Iowans, I just grew up here at the fair. I had so many memories of attending the Iowa State Fair, with my parents, with my grandparents, just enjoying all that the Iowa State Fair is. So for me, that started when I was really, really young, and obviously has continued to today.

The love of the Iowa State Fair, then, and helping with my parents at the Decatur County Fair in Leon, really just led to a passion for the fair industry in general.

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Q: You’ve been on the job since March, so tell us about the learning curve. What’s the difference between being an avid enjoyer of the Iowa State Fair and actually running the Iowa State Fair?

A: You know, I think some things are the same. Even when you work here, the Iowa State Fair is such an incredible place. And the people who work here are phenomenal. We're blessed here with a great full-time staff of nearly 70 that work year-round to put on the fair and all the other events that happen here.

So I think one thing is the staff that work here — they kind of have the same passion for the fair as the fairgoers. But when you talk about a difference in order for people to have an enjoyable time … that means a lot of details, and a lot of things are being coordinated behind the scenes that we hope the fairgoer never notices.

So I think on this side of the house, when you're on the inside, you really get an idea of the amount of planning and the level of detail that has to be done here to make the Iowa State Fair successful.

Q: You ran the Clay County Fair for a number of years — the biggest county fair in Iowa. How has that experience translated to this job?

A: Whether it's a small county fair, or a large county fair, or the state fair, every fair is unique. But ultimately, a lot of things at fairs are the same.

Fairgoers want to have clean bathrooms, they want to have nice parking lots. They want to have an enjoyable time at the fair. They want to have great food, great entertainment. They want to see competition at the fair.

So, while obviously not nearly as large as the Iowa State Fair, my time at the Clay County Fair just really prepared me for that expectation that fairgoers have.

But I think this year — for me — it's been a really steep learning curve. I was fortunate to spend some time here as a summer employee in the past, and so that has helped provide a little baseline of knowledge. But (on) a lot of days, it's kind of like drinking out of a fire hose, that's for sure.

Q: You said it’s like drinking out of a fire hose some days. What are the most challenging parts of the job?

A: I think it's just continuing to wrap my head around the size and scope of the fair and all of those details and all the various areas and departments that it takes to make the fair happen.

The fair is a happy place. But if there's something that (weighs) on me, it's just that fair goal or expectation — you know, Iowans love the Iowa State Fair. That's something that I want to try to continue — just the keeping the fair up to those high standards that Iowans have come to expect.

Q: What is it that folks love most about the State Fair, and what parts of that experience are you and your teams aiming to preserve as you come on?

A: I think Iowans just understand that the Iowa State Fair is really part of our culture. It's been the subject of movies and Broadway musicals (and) New York Times bestsellers. It's a big cultural icon — part of the fabric of our state.

So that, then, becomes important as we plan the fair — that it continues to represent Iowa. I would say half of our fairgoers are traditionalists. … (They say) every August when we come to the fair, we know where we need to go to get a corn dog. And we know where to find the newest mop, and we know where to see the big boar. Every year our fair trip is mapped out and don't you dare change a thing.

But yet the other half of our fairgoers say, “Well, if it's the same as last year, why should I go back?” So our challenge every year here is navigating that middle ground of tradition versus new. But at the same time, the fair has to reflect the changes that are occurring in Iowa.

That's really the challenge, and that's why we come to work every day.

Q: What are some of your goals to stay relevant and maintain the fair’s status as a place where “nothing compares” for the next generation?

A: The cornerstone of the fair is agriculture and will always be agriculture. Obviously, that's important in a state like Iowa. But looking to the future, we have to make sure we are continuing to educate people about agriculture, specifically where their food comes from.

So how can our ag education efforts here evolve (so) that while people are here to have fun and enjoy the fair, we can also make this a place where they come to learn?

It just happens that our mission is to get people to learn about agriculture. I just think our goal as we go forward needs to be to continue to make sure that the Iowa State Fair represents all Iowans.

In today's political climate, places like the Iowa State Fair are places where people all across the political spectrum can still have an enjoyable day together, and our world needs more of those types of places.

You don't stay in business nearly 170 years without the ability to evolve and change with the times.

Q: What has sustained the passion for the fair throughout your life?

A: One of the nice things about teaching was the fact that allowed me to keep my summer job here at the Iowa State Fair, and then later at the Missouri State Fair.

I said it before, but fairs are such unique places in today's world. There are so few places where entire families can go to spend a day together. And what really makes the fairs unique is when you go to the fair, each family member can find something that interests them, yet they're still doing it together.

I think it's just that sense that fairs are a celebration of all that's good, whether that's a 4-H youth showing an animal or grandma with her quilt, or food or entertainment. They're just celebrations of all the good things. That passion is really what has sustained me.

Who wouldn't want to go to work at a place every day when you're doing good things?

Q: What are some of the most exciting new things that we can expect this year?

A: Back to that ag education base, we're excited this year to have the Choose Iowa Brunch on the last day of the fair, Aug. 20. We’re kind of calling it “fancy at the fair,” for lack of better words. It's a three-course plated brunch, all locally sourced foods, all produced by Iowa chefs.

As far as the new things at this year's fair, as always, there are lots of new entertainment options. This year, (there is) kind of a focus on some tribute acts on some of our free stages — everything from Billy Joel and Elton John, to rock acts. Just the variety across the board and those types of things.

And, of course, food -- 64 new foods at this year's fair. So you put all those things together, plus the traditional things, and it's going to be another great Iowa State Fair.

Q: What does it mean to you to be running these things now after a lifetime of admiring the Iowa State Fair?

A: It's just an honor to serve as caretaker of the Iowa State Fair. And I use that word because there have been other CEOs before me and, down the road, there'll be other CEOs after me. The Iowa State Fair definitely isn't going anywhere.

I'm just the caretaker for the current time. It's just my job to keep the shine and polish on the fair that's always been there, and then make it a little better to hand it off to the next person. That really means a lot to me — that I can play a small part in the history of this great institution.

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