Iowa State Fair 2027

Iowa State Fair 2027 runs Aug 12–22, 2027, in Des Moines, Iowa.

Des Moines, Iowa (Iowa State Fairgrounds).

Aug 12–22, 2027.

Best categories: rv, towable, trucks-vans. The Iowa State Fair is the American state fair of legend — the butter cow sculpture, the food-on-a-stick arms race, national-caliber livestock shows, and grandstand concerts across eleven August days in Des Moines. The 2027 fair runs August 12-22, per the fair's published dates — the traditional eleven days opening the second Thursday of August. For RV travelers it holds a rare card: the fairgrounds operate their own enormous campground directly on the property — thousands of sites where multi-generational Iowa families have camped the same spots for decades. The campground takes reservations through the fair and demand from returning families is intense, so treat it as the first booking of the trip; commercial parks around Des Moines catch the overflow. August is moderate season for Midwest rentals outside the fair itself, so the rig is the easy half — 6-8 weeks of lead from the Des Moines market. Mornings belong to the livestock barns, evenings to the grandstand; midday heat is for the air-conditioned rig.

Recommended lead time: 10 weeks. Event windows book up early, so search and lock your dates as soon as your plans firm up.

Yes — the fairgrounds run one of the largest event campgrounds in the country right on the property. Reservations go through the fair and returning-family demand is heavy, so book the site before anything else.

August 12-22, 2027 — eleven days from the second Thursday of August, published on the fair's official site.

It's one of the best RV events in the Midwest: on-grounds camping, eleven days of programming, and Des Moines' food scene ten minutes away. Even two fair days plus an eastern Iowa loop makes a strong week.

August in Des Moines runs hot and humid — hydrate on the pavement hours, and treat the fair's posted heat guidance seriously with kids and pets. Pets generally aren't allowed on fairgrounds; plan the rig's AC accordingly.

The on-grounds campground means you can walk back to your own kitchen for lunch and return for the evening shows without repaying parking — a fair rhythm no hotel can match.