March 28, 2024

Blue Ribbon Foundation releases history book

"A Great State Fair: The Blue Ribbon Foundation and the Revival of the Iowa State Fair"

Local author and historian Bill Friedricks, along with Peter Cownie and the Blue Ribbon Foundation, has brought the community a telling book capturing the complete history of the Iowa State Fair. “A Great State Fair: The Blue Ribbon Foundation and the Revival of the Iowa State Fair” was released last week at the Corn dog Kickoff annual fundraising event and is available now through local book retailers and amazon.com, and will be available at the fair, Aug. 10-20. The book retails for $20.

The story takes you behind the scenes of the roller coaster ride of ups and downs of the Iowa State Fair’s long history, leading up to the Blue Ribbon Foundation and the remarkable renaissance it brought about at the Iowa State Fairgrounds, now bigger and better than ever.

“You could title this book ‘How they Saved the Fair,’” Iowa Public Television host David Yepsen said. “An eminent Iowa historian chronicles how Iowans came together and, under some inspired leadership from John Putney and Bill Knapp, built a world-class exhibition set to last another century. It’s also a road map for how Iowans might join to accomplish other great things we need doing in our state.”

“Bill Friedricks’ compelling story of our state fair will leave you longing for those wonderful August days exploring the fairgrounds with family and friends,” Kristi Knous, president of the Community Foundation of Greater Des Moines, said.