First ‘Sensory-Friendly Morning’ at the Iowa State Fair

The lights and sounds of the Iowa State Fair will be a little lower Aug. 17 for the first-ever Sensory-Friendly Morning at the fair, presented by ChildServe. With thousands of things to do, see or eat, the fair might seem a bit overstimulating to some, so we are bringing it down a notch or two for a morning.

At the Sensory-Friendly Morning, we will create an environment designed with children and adults with autism or sensory processing disorders in mind. Our goal for the morning is to enable families who have a member, whether child or adult, with special needs to visit, explore and enjoy the fair.

Special sensory programming is planned with modifications in certain zones of the fairgrounds. A Calming Room, sponsored by ChildServe, will also be open to anyone that needs a little time to recharge or destress. The event includes the mitigation of sounds and motions as much as possible, designated educational areas, directional signage and trained volunteers.

For more information, visit www.iowastatefair.org.