Many people attend the Iowa State Fair for the food — and this year, those who enjoy a good pork chop can get it at the new Iowa Pork Tent building. The new facility has taken almost five years of planning and envisioning the project to get it to completion.

PORK GRILLED BY PRODUCERS: The new Iowa Pork Tent will serve Iowa State fairgoers pork prepared by Iowa pork producers.

Doug Rice, Iowa Pork Tent committee chairman, has spent his whole life watching the pork tent evolve, as his parents were involved during his childhood. “The Iowa Pork Tent does a lot for the Iowa State Fair and our industry as a whole,” he says.

“Fairgoers can expect to enjoy many of the same things on the menu this year at the Iowa Pork Tent as they have in the past — delicious, affordable Iowa pork grilled on outside grills for everyone to see. There will also be new features with the new facility, including the new patio and indoor seating areas,” he adds.

42-year tradition

The Iowa Pork Tent has been a tradition at the Iowa State Fair since 1981. Iowa is ranked No. 1 in the nation in pork production, and this new facility is considered a tribute to hardworking pig farmers and will keep the tradition of serving pork by the men and women who raise it. The new tent will serve fairgoers in a more efficient way.

Trish Cook, president of the Iowa Pork Producers Association says the group is very thankful for all the companies and others who donated to the new tent and made it possible to construct in less than a year to be ready for the 2023 fair.

DINE INDOORS OR OUTDOORS: The new Iowa Pork Tent features a patio and inside dining area for fairgoers to eat pork.

Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds invites fairgoers to visit the new facility and help highlight how important the pork industry is to the state of Iowa, and agriculture overall. “Nothing compares to the Iowa State Fair, and nothing compares to the Iowa pork producers pork tent,” she adds.

Reynolds and many other dignitaries serve as guest grillers during the Iowa State Fair, Aug. 10-20. Over the past 41 years, the Iowa Pork Tent has provided more than 2.25 million servings of pork during the fair, including more than 500,000 Iowa chops. The IPPA serves about 50,000 pork chops on a stick during each Iowa State Fair.