Every summer, each of Iowa’s 99 counties

throws its own fair. Provincial and patriotic, with beauty pageants and

demolition derbies, polka dances and daredevil shows, these rural

exhibitions reflect the traditional values, and the countrified culture,

of America's Heartland. Though sparsely attended compared to the

better-known Iowa State Fair, these small-town gatherings are a source

of pride for many Iowans. The fairs run from June through early

September.
Photographer, Jim Lo Scalzo (EPA) shares a look.