Trent Bohlen of Runnells and his daughter Davie Bohlen, 3, react as they go down the giant slide at the Iowa State Fair in Des Moines, Iowa on Friday, August 11, 2023. (Savannah Blake/The Gazette)

A man waters his horses during the Iowa State Fair in Des Moines, Iowa on Friday, August 11, 2023. (Savannah Blake/The Gazette)

Marty Reynolds operates the forklift to move around pumpkins during the Big Pumpkin Weigh-In event at the Iowa State Fair in Des Moines, Iowa on Friday, August 11, 2023. (Savannah Blake/The Gazette)

A girl reaches out to grab an egg on a stick at the agricultural center during the Iowa State Fair in Des Moines, Iowa on Friday, August 11, 2023. (Savannah Blake/The Gazette)

People watch the Des Moines Register Political Soapbox from the sidewalk at the Iowa State Fair in Des Moines, Iowa on Friday, August 11, 2023. (Savannah Blake/The Gazette)

A couple takes a selfie while hanging out at Jalapeño Pete’s during the Iowa State Fair in Des Moines, Iowa on Friday, August 11, 2023. (Savannah Blake/The Gazette)

Shawn Sterk of the Jones County Pork Producers flips pork chops at the Iowa State Fair in Des Moines, Iowa on Friday, August 11, 2023. (Savannah Blake/The Gazette)

FFA members drive tractors through the street near the exhibition center at the Iowa State Fair in Des Moines, Iowa on Friday, August 11, 2023. (Savannah Blake/The Gazette)

Girls ride around the practice arena ahead of the Cowgirl Queen competition at the Iowa State Fair in Des Moines, Iowa on Friday, August 11, 2023. (Savannah Blake/The Gazette)

People watch as 4H members parade down the road in tractors at the Iowa State Fair in Des Moines, Iowa on Friday, August 11, 2023. (Savannah Blake/The Gazette)

A woman watches tractors drive back while on exhibition at the Iowa State Fair in Des Moines, Iowa on Friday, August 11, 2023. (Savannah Blake/The Gazette)

Jones County Pork Producer employees flip pork chops on an open air grill at the Iowa State Fair in Des Moines, Iowa on Friday, August 11, 2023. (Savannah Blake/The Gazette)

People wait in a long line to go down the giant slide at the Iowa State Fair in Des Moines, Iowa on Friday, August 11, 2023. (Savannah Blake/The Gazette)

Pete Caspers of Peosta watches as a pumpkin is loaded up to get weighed during the Big Pumpkin Weigh-In event at the Iowa State Fair in Des Moines, Iowa on Friday, August 11, 2023. (Savannah Blake/The Gazette)

Rusty Caspers of Anamosa, left, smiles at his girlfriend Dawn Kaufman of Anamosa after weighing the pumpkin he submitted during the Big Pumpkin Weigh-In event at the Iowa State Fair in Des Moines, Iowa on Friday, August 11, 2023. (Savannah Blake/The Gazette)

A crowd of people react as they watch a giant pumpkin get lifted off the ground during the Big Pumpkin Weigh-In event at the Iowa State Fair in Des Moines, Iowa on Friday, August 11, 2023. (Savannah Blake/The Gazette)

Volunteers work together to move a giant pumpkin to the scale during the Big Pumpkin Weigh-In event at the Iowa State Fair in Des Moines, Iowa on Friday, August 11, 2023. (Savannah Blake/The Gazette)

Ada Schauer of Panora puts lipstick on Cora Fluharty, 13, as she finishes her makeup for the Cowgirl Queen competition at the Iowa State Fair in Des Moines, Iowa on Friday, August 11, 2023. (Savannah Blake/The Gazette)

Caitlyn Cronin of Knoxville, 13, checks out her makeup after getting help from former Cowgirl Queen Karly Connolly during the Iowa State Fair in Des Moines, Iowa on Friday, August 11, 2023. (Savannah Blake/The Gazette)

Caitlyn Cronin of Knoxville, 13, holds out her Cowgirl Queen jacket to match the colors to her makeup while getting ready for the Cowgirl Queen competition during the Iowa State Fair in Des Moines, Iowa on Friday, August 11, 2023. (Savannah Blake/The Gazette)

Shyanne Brown of Atlantic, 17, gets her horse Zane ready for the Cowgirl Queen competition with her mom Tafi Brown at the Iowa State Fair in Des Moines, Iowa on Friday, August 11, 2023. (Savannah Blake/The Gazette)

Gavin Hiatt, 4, left, and Chandler Hiatt, 2, react as they watch a pair of state troopers drive by while enjoying some corn dogs in the shade at the Iowa State Fair in Des Moines, Iowa on Friday, August 11, 2023. (Savannah Blake/The Gazette)

Marty Schnicker of Mount Pleasant, left, and Wyatt Spieker of Earlham work together to put a pumpkin on the scale during the Big Pumpkin Weigh-In event at the Iowa State Fair in Des Moines, Iowa on Friday, August 11, 2023. (Savannah Blake/The Gazette)

Jones County Pork Producer president Travis Hansen, left, talks with Dana Rankin, middle, and Alex Frankfurt as they hang out at the Iowa Pork Association building during the Iowa State Fair in Des Moines, Iowa on Friday, August 11, 2023. (Savannah Blake/The Gazette)

Alex Franzen, left, of the Jones County Pork Producers talks with Josh Holmes of the Seaboard Pork Company while taking a break from the heat at the Iowa State Fair in Des Moines, Iowa on Friday, August 11, 2023. (Savannah Blake/The Gazette)

Fairgoers walk around in the evening at the Iowa State Fair in Des Moines, Iowa on Friday, August 11, 2023. (Savannah Blake/The Gazette)

A rider trots around the arena while competing in the youth Cowgirl Queen competition at the Iowa State Fair in Des Moines, Iowa on Friday, August 11, 2023. (Savannah Blake/The Gazette)

Photos in this gallery are available for purchase, both print and digital download for personal use. Click the image, then click the 'buy photo' button to view options and pricing.