28-P – “BAKING BLUE RIBBONS: Stories and Recipes from the Iowa State Fair Food Competitions”
At a Glance
Time
One week:
Wednesday, May 13, 2026
1 – 2:30 p.m. CT
Cost
$25.00
Location
In-person (Hybrid): Green Hills, Pine Room, 2205 Green Hills Dr, Ames
Class limit: 20
Course Description
Discover the rich tradition of food competitions at the Iowa State Fair (ISF) with authors Kay Fenton Smith and Carol McGarvey. Explore how recipes earn blue ribbons, what it takes to judge hundreds of entries, and the history of the ISF Food Department from 1854 to today. Through stories, recipes, and insights into culinary and women’s history, this engaging discussion offers inspiration for future generations while celebrating Iowa’s champion home cooks and bakers.
Instructors
Kay Fenton Smith is an avid state fair baker and guest judge. She spent her first career in strategic marketing before becoming an author and freelance writer.
Carol McGarvey has been a food judge for 38 years. She covered the food contests for the Des Moines Register during the 1970s, 80s, and 90s. Together they wrote “BAKING BLUE RIBBONS: Stories and Recipes from the Iowa State Fair Food Competitions,” the first book combining the history and stories of our #1-in-the-nation State Fair food contests with more than 160 winning recipes from 1854 to present day.