Photo: Zigmunds Dizgalvis / iStock / Getty Images
(Des Moines, IA) -- Big changes are coming to parking at the 2026 Iowa State Fair.
The fair is rolling out a new free Park and Ride from Southridge Mall, replacing the old site at Southeast Polk High School.
There’s also a new entrance going in along University Avenue to help move traffic more smoothly into the grounds.
And to improve safety, the fair will be reducing on-grounds parking, shifting more fair‑related parking to expanded lots south of Dean Avenue.