Free Stuff at the Iowa State Fair

While I was feeding my 7month old son, I over heard some one say
Wow we got a lot of free stuff! (girlfriend or wife)
um how much did you pay to get in? (boyfriend/husband)
Oh well yeah but we got a ton of free stuff!

I couldn't help but to chuckle in fact one of the coolest thing about going to the fair is getting all the free stuff, I never need pens, pads of paper, pencils, or even those cheap plastic cups you get ( love them for freezing water in) So if you are headed to the Iowa State Fair this week here are my must stop places:

First on my list is Ford, you have to register ( provide email and adress) they give you a wrist band and then you get to play 3 games each which are filled with real prizes, I got a nice Ford tumbler with lid and straw, along with a reusable bag!

Then Crysler Dodge, and Jeep: you can register and then grab something out of their bag, lots of little prizes but some include a small flashlight, and a reusable bag (see a trend?) Yep, every body is finally on the reusable bag band wagon!

Chevy gives away a draw string back back for registering

John Deer sponsors a little hands on the farm, your kiddo's can play on a farm, They supply a free John Deer hat, although when we went through we didn't get one... So I don't know what happened, C really had fun so that is all that really matters.

John Deer at their vendor station (out side of the Varied Industry bld. gives out hat antlers (super cute on small kiddos)

Mid American Energy, gives you a reusable bag for stopping into their building powered by a wind turbine.

At the Agriculture Bld. are some samples on Iowa Brand food, including Johnsonville, Pork Producers, and the Egg council. Also you can see the butter cow, and Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. (a must visit) While you are there you can get a double dip Ice Cream Cone made from Iowa's dairy farmers.

Anderson and Eric, you can sample all their new dairy products, and then give them your feed back. ( I loved the Chocolate Cherry milk)

And the mother load of all things free is taking a trip into the Varied Industry Bld. you can sample made in Iowa food_Yummy! Get tons of tattos, pencils/pens, plastic cups, PBS is there so you can visit Clifford the Big Red Dog, Stop at the Iowa Shop and get a free Tiger Hawk logo tattoo and free poster(this is possible for other colleges, however I didn't stop at the other places- too many people.)

Places worth mentioning and going:

The Butterfly Garden, you have to pay $3 per person/child however you can pick the butterflies up and hold them in your hand, and you can buy your very own Caterpiller to turn into a butterfly for $5 for two, includes the container and the food! ( ours are already in it's Crysalis) I thought this was totally worth it for a little girly that loves butterflies!

Don't forget to see the big Chocolate Moose in the Elwell Family Food Center- while there look for some coupons from food vendors, I didn't get lucky but others I talked to were!

We love the State Fair, of course we got in free on Thursday, (had a coupon from the Des Moines Register) We were all tiered out at  the end of the day! What is your favorite thing about the Iowa State Fair?