Possibly my shortest time there ever (for varied reasons). Observations:
- The Shenaniguns Wild West Show may have been around a while, but bad puns are still funny.
- The Hot Beef Sundae is five years old!
- Cattlemen groups in some northern counties have dropped participation at the Beef Quarters, and Mills/Montgomery are now together.
- The Swine Barn seemed even emptier than it has been the past few years.
- Windstream has ended the old Iowa Telecom’s presence by the Farm Bureau tent.
- “America Needs Farmers” is a very worthy cause, but can’t Farm Bureau offer something for, you know, the agricultural school?
- Iowa State-Texas A&M Homecoming T-shirt – inadvertent future collector’s item?
- Why is there a special T-shirt for the Iowa State-Oklahoma State game – which, because it’s a night game on the Friday before Thanksgiving break, is going to be too cold for T-shirts?
- In the same vein of “this single-game shirt thing is going too far,” UNI’s formerly generic “Beat State” shirt is now directed specifically at this year’s ISU game.
- Nebraska-related items are crawling out of the woodwork with multiple vendors.
- Putting the creationists right across from the Democratic Party? I don’t care who you are, that’s funny right there.
- The U of I showed off the original Cy-Hawk trophy before its retirement. Its passing has generated comments that are mixed at best.
- The Hall of Law seemed emptier than usual, too. The weather area had a poster about the July derecho.
- Why no continued advertising about the
Rice Krispie bar on a stickFair Squares? I had completely forgotten about them. - Trial by Jury has moved from the Family Center to escape the heat and nearby music – and traded it for the music from the horse show.
- I miss the train.