DES MOINES, Iowa – Making your way to the 2019 Iowa State Fair? Be sure to stop by the DNR building on the west end of grand concourse of the fairgrounds, August 8 - 18, to learn everything conservation, recreation and environment.
The DNR building will be open every day of the Iowa State Fair from 9am – 9pm. All new this year: more live animals—frogs, toads and turtles and the popular outdoor pond with the ducks, geese, swans and nearly 40 turtles. The large aquariums will feature live fish that can be found in Iowa’s lakes and streams. The stream table is a scaled version of Iowa landscape with running water giving fairgoers a close up look at how streams work. Get an up-close look at a mounted black bear and learn about the latest in water quality efforts in our state.
Buy or renew your DNR Iowa Outdoors magazine and get a free t-shirt, only at the Iowa State Fair. You can also purchase your hunting, fishing and trapping licenses and learn about the new DNR app and licensing system. Deer tags go on-sale on August 15, be sure to stop by the DNR sales zone to get yours!
Take aim with your archery skills in the outdoor archery exhibit and visit the all-new TIP (Turn In Poachers) trailer, featuring deer mounts from trophy bucks poached in Iowa. Learn about the many state parks, best places to trout fish, proper fitting of life jackets, and the top areas to hike and paddle in Iowa.
Visit the DNR Courtyard every day of the fair for live programming, including live animals, dutch oven cooking demonstrations, presentations on backyard birding, shed antler hunting, motion cameras for hunting, training your new hunting dog, the history of Iowa State Parks, water quality and tree diseases and insects. Find a full schedule of the courtyard presentations here.
DNR experts will be on hand daily at the fair to answer all of your questions and to share about their careers and other careers with the Department.
We hope you will join us at the 2019 Iowa State Fair.