DES MOINES, Iowa – As the 2018 Iowa State Fair kicks off, be sure to stop by the DNR building located at the west end of the fairgrounds near Gate 11.
During the 11 days of the Iowa State Fair, count on the Iowa DNR to have a fun-filled, family-friendly, educational and entertaining packed daily schedule for all fairgoers to enjoy.
Inside the DNR building, DNR experts will be on hand daily to answer any questions you may have related to Iowa’s natural resources. Take time to browse around the many exhibits within the DNR, including the Hike, Bike and Paddle zone, Watch and Learn zone, Stay and Play zone, In Your Home zone and meet many DNR staff and experts. Take a peek at the live fish, ducks and turtles and get an up-close look at the mounted wildlife that are native to Iowa. You can even buy or renew a one-year subscription to the DNR’s Iowa Outdoors magazine for $15 and receive a free t-shirt or renew or purchase your hunting tags or fishing licenses.
The DNR courtyard provides a nice shady area with many benches and picnic tables for families to enjoy overlooking a pond with live ducks and turtles. The courtyard stage will have several educational and interactive presentations daily. Some highlights of the courtyard presentations include:
- From the farmer’s market to the Dutch oven (Thursday, August 9)
- Paddling Iowa: places to go and safety tips (Thursday, August 9)
- Healthy Parks = Healthy People: Annual state park events throughout Iowa for fun and fitness (Thursday, August 9)
- Rain Gardens and Pollinators (Friday, August 10)
- Kids Activities: Explore nature in your backyard (Friday, August 10)
- Fishing technology, cooking and cleaning fish (Saturday, August 11)
- Fishing technology: using the DNR’s website to track fish (Saturday, August 11)
- Reusapalooza: Kids Activities: make and take old stuff gets new life (Sunday, August 12)
- When junk becomes art (Sunday, August 12)
- Predator trapping and wildlife on your farm (Monday, August 13)
- Training your new hunting dog (Monday, August 13)
- Timber theft and legal ways to sell your trees (Monday, August 13)
- Tree diseases and insects (Tuesday, August 14)
- Every drop counts: from the ground to the tap (Tuesday, August 14)
- Managing your farm pond and woodland resources (Tuesday, August 14)
- Selecting and planting trees in your backyard (Tuesday, August 14)
- We used to have what? A history of wildlife in Iowa (Wednesday, August 15)
- Volunteer opportunities in the outdoors (Wednesday, August 15)
- Dutch oven cooking in the campground (Thursday, August 16)
- Kids Activities: Explore Iowa State Parks (Thursday, August 16)
- Let’s Explore: Maquoketa Caves (Thursday, August 16)
- Turtles of Iowa (LIVE animals) (Friday, August 17)
- Fish cleaning and cooking (Friday, August 17)
- Fishing basics for beginners and kids (Friday, August 17)
- Iowa Trumpeter Swans (LIVE animals) (Saturday, August 18)
- Kids Activities: Attracting wildlife to your backyard (Saturday, August 18)
- Reptiles and amphibians of Iowa (LIVE animals) (Saturday, August 18)
- Chronic Wasting Disease and the Iowa deer herd (Saturday, August 18)
You can find a full schedule at iowadnr.gov/fair. Join the Iowa DNR at the 2018 Iowa State Fair.