(Radio Iowa) – A 25 million dollar project to restore the historic livestock barns Iowa State Fairgrounds is being celebrated on the first day of this year’s fair. Peter Cownie, executive director of Iowa State Fair Blue Ribbon Foundation, says work on the Sheep Barn is nearly complete and the Horse Barn is next on the list. “The livestock barns represent the culture and the agricultural heritage of the Iowa State Fair and we’re so proud to continue that, as that is the backbone of the Iowa State Fair,” Cownie said. The opening ceremonies for this year’s Iowa State Fair were staged in front of the Sheep Barn, where sheep shows were already underway. Iowa Agriculture Secretary Mike Naig wished the exhibitors who’ve brought their livestock to the fair good luck.

“There are so many life lessons that a young person especially can learn from planning and preparing and working hard and competing and then, well, you have to deal with the results of the competition and do so with grace and know that you put it all out there,” Naig said, “or maybe you didn’t and you can do better next year.”

Brick work on the east façade of the Iowa State Fair’s Sheep Barn to be finished after the 2024 Fair. (RI photo)

Darwin Gaudian, president of the Iowa State Fair Board, says this year’s Fair may provide a welcome distraction for Iowans who’ve been dealing with damage from this year’s severe storms. “With the tornadoes, the floods, so this Fair, I hope we can bring those people here,” he said, “and forget those problems at home and relax.”

The Big Boar competition at the State Fair is on today’s (Thursday) calendar. Last year’s winner weighed in at just over a thousand pounds.