(The Center Square) – Politicians, livestock and concerts were not the only big draw at the Iowa State Fair.
State Treasurer Roby Smith said Wednesday more than 2,800 fairgoers stopped by his booth and discovered unclaimed money, including one person who claimed $24,385.
The Great Treasure Hunt highlighted unclaimed assets, including stocks, bonds, life insurance policies and unclaimed checking and savings accounts.
It was one of hundreds of attractions at the 11-day state fair that ended Sunday. More than 1.1 million people attended the fair, up 15,000 from last year’s attendance numbers. A record was set on Sunday, Aug. 13, when 114,937 people visited the fair. The previous record is from 2017, when 112,396 attended in a single day.
Some highlights included the $150,000 sale of a hog, a new record, and concerts that attracted more than 113,000 people. Politicians also stopped by the fair to campaign before January’s Iowa caucus.
About 12% of the fairgoers come from outside of Iowa, according to Mindy Williamson, the fair’s marketing director. Last year, the fair’s economic impact was $100 million, she said.
The 11-day fair has happened every year since its beginning in Fairfield in 1854, breaking only for wars and the COVID-19 pandemic. It moved to Des Moines in 1879 and has been held in the capital city ever since.
Some of the world’s best-known performers have graced the stage at the fair, including Bob Dylan, Elton John and The Beach Boys, according to the fair’s history. Garth Brooks attended the fair early in his career and not only returned in 1994 but had a statue of himself made entirely of butter.
