Photos: Iowa State Fair begins in Des Moines

Agriculture shows, food, entertainment and competition greeted the public as the Iowa State Fair opened Thursday

Fairgoers ride the Sky Glider during the Iowa State Fair in Des Moines on Thursday. The State Fair opened Thursday and will remain open through Sunday, Aug. 17. (Elizabeth Wood/The Gazette)

Hannah Pratt sculpts a spur out of butter for one of the displays with the butter cow during the Iowa State Fair in Des Moines on Thursday. Sarah Pratt, the Iowa State Fair’s butter sculptor, said her daughters Hannah and Grace Pratt have been learning how to sculpt butter from her. In July, Sarah, Hannah and Grace went to Washington, D.C to carve a butter cow for the Smithsonian American Art Museum. Pratt said she and Rod Zeitler, of Iowa City, will have displays in the Smithsonian. (Elizabeth Wood/The Gazette)

Grayson Rave (right), 9, and Amelia Rave (center), 8, cool off in front of a fan during the Iowa State Fair in Des Moines on Thursday. The State Fair opened Thursday and will continue through Sunday, Aug. 17. (Elizabeth Wood/The Gazette)

Mitchell Wallin, 13, (left), Ayden Chodur (right), 12, and Tucker Janssen, 13, lower a small rubber bat tied to a fishing string in front of people entering the swine barn during the Iowa State Fair in Des Moines on Thursday. The boys said they’ll be showing pigs on Friday, but they wanted to pass the time on Thursday. (Elizabeth Wood/The Gazette)

Nicole Derby shaves her cow before Friday’s cattle shows during the Iowa State Fair in Des Moines on Thursday. Cattle shows start at noon and end around 10 p.m. on Friday. The fair opened Thursday and will run through Sunday, Aug. 17. (Elizabeth Wood/The Gazette)

Floriculture superintendent Andrea Spencer organizes flowers for display after the flowers had been judged and presented with awards during the Iowa State Fair in Des Moines on Thursday. The floriculture display can be seen during the fair, which opened Thursday and continues through Sunday, Aug. 17. (Elizabeth Wood/The Gazette)

Fairgoers wave to family and friends below the Sky Glider during the State Fair in Des Moines on Thursday. The State Fair opened Thursday and will run through Sunday, Aug. 17. (Elizabeth Wood/The Gazette)

Eleanne Harder paints a portion of the Discovery Garden for the plein air open paint during the Iowa State Fair in Des Moines on Thursday. Artists can sign up to paint for the Aug. 9 plein air open paint online at the State Fair’s website. (Elizabeth Wood/The Gazette)

Carter Brown (left), 6, Kelsey Brown (center), 2, and Nora Brown, 7, dance as Bandaloni sings during the Iowa State Fair in Des Moines on Thursday. Bandaloni and other entertainers will be at the state fair all week and next week, until the end of the fair on Sunday, Aug. 17. (Elizabeth Wood/The Gazette)