(Radio Iowa) – Fans of the Iowa State Fair can pick up memorabilia or keepsakes in an auction that begins today (Thursday). The Blue Ribbon Foundation helps fund the upkeep of the fairgrounds and spokesperson Drew Sniezek says there’s plenty of items to bid on. “Folks can go online, take a look at over 300 different souvenirs that will be up for bid. And bidding takes place until Sunday evening, November 17th, at 8 p-m,” she says. Sniezek describes some of the items up for bid.

“The Blue Ribbon Foundation has had a pottery collection where we come out with a new one every year since 1997 so there’s pottery pieces, there’s Isabel Bloom sculptures, there’s lapel pins, there’s a few vintage T-shirts, just all kinds of Iowa State Fair memorabilia and souvenirs,” she says.  You can go to the website BlueRibbonFoundation.org to make your bid. “There’s pictures of all of the items. It gives you instructions on how to register to bid,” . There’s information if after Sunday evening, you’re the winning bidder, you can come out to the fairgrounds to pick up the item or make arrangements to have it shipped to you,” Sniezek. She says the money from the auction will go toward updating buildings.

Iowa State Fair items like these are up for auction. (Blue Ribbon Foundation photo)

“We’re focusing our dollars in fundraising right now to the livestock buildings and those barns renovations. It’s a 25 million-dollar project,” she says. The Sheep Barn was the first building to undergo renovation. “So we’ve got new restrooms, new offices, a new roof, replace that terra cotta that was beautiful on that sheet barn. So now we’re Turning our focus to look at plans for horse barn, cattle barn and swine barn,” Sniezek says. “We know that the Iowa State Fair agriculture is the heart of it, and that’s the tradition, and so we want to make sure we can upkeep these historic 100 year old barns.” Sniezek says buildings on the fairgrounds are used throughout the year and not just during the 11-day run of State Fair.

The online auction again runs from 10 a-m today (Thursday) until Sunday November 17th at 8 p-m.