Will you be one of the 1,776 people to get a free Pork Chop on a Stick at the Iowa State Fair? To show off their patriotic pride, the Iowa Pork Producers Association (IPPA) will present the 1776 Pork Chop Salute – A Taste of America 250 at the 2026 Iowa State Fair.
On Aug. 16, IPPA will give away 1,776 Pork Chops on a Stick, beginning at 11 a.m. in the Pork Tent building near the Animal Learning Center. The giveaway is limited to one pork chop per customer and will continue while supplies last. Fairgoers should enter from the north side of the building.
The promotion commemorates the nation’s semiquincentennial while recognizing the farm families who have helped feed America for generations, IPPA says. Just as the country reflects on 250 years of history, Iowa pig farmers continue a tradition of producing safe, wholesome pork while strengthening their local communities and supporting one of the state’s most important industries.
“The Pork Chop on a Stick has become one of the most iconic traditions at the Iowa State Fair, so it’s only fitting that we use it to help celebrate America’s 250th anniversary,” says longtime Pork Tent Committee member Dave Moody, a Story County pig farmer. “This is our way of thanking fairgoers while celebrating the farmers who raise high-quality pork every day. There’s nothing better than sharing a great Iowa pork chop, and I think the 1,776 people who receive one will remember this as a fun part of their State Fair experience.”
In addition to the 1776 Pork Chop Salute, the Iowa Pork Producers Association will be revealing an exciting new way to enjoy this classic Iowa State Fair tradition. Every Pork Chop on a Stick will be smoked over applewood, bringing the unmistakable aroma and flavor that only natural hardwood can provide, IPPA explains.
“It’s a return to authentic barbecue traditions while continuing our commitment to serving premium Iowa pork,” the organization notes.
If you can’t take advantage of the giveaway on Aug. 16 inside the Pork Tent, IPPA will feature the Pork Chop on a Stick for purchase at two locations during the entire Iowa State Fair: the Iowa Pork Producers’ Chop Shops. One Chop Shop is located right next to the Pork Tent on the east end of the Grand Concourse. The other will have a new, high-profile location on the Grand Avenue Concourse. The former “lower Chop Shop,” previously located near the Swine Barn, will now be situated next to Barksdale’s State Fair Cookies, just southwest of the Grandstand.
“We are sad to be further away from our exhibitors in the livestock barns, but we are excited to be able to offer our delicious pork products to more fairgoers with this new location,” says Hope Brecht, IPPA consumer outreach director.
Fairgoers can also snag a limited-edition America 250 pork-themed souvenir cup, available free with the first 6,500 drink purchases at the Pork Tent, beginning on Aug. 13.
