State fairs are one of the great U.S. summertime traditions. Just ask Don Greiman. He has been going to the Iowa State Fair since just after he was born 89 years ago. Greiman said state fairs started in the mid-1800s because farmers wanted to have a gathering to show off their produce each year. For example, farmers that raised cows wanted to see how their cows compared to the cows of their neighbors. Over time, state fairs evolved into bigger events. Much bigger events. “The women thought, say, you know, our husbands are proud of their livestock. We’re sort of proud of our baking and cooking and maybe garment-making. So we ought to have a little fair, too. And that’s how fairs started. And then somebody could maybe play a fiddle or a little entertainment with it. And that’s how it sort of evolved. And they decided, ‘Well, hey, let’s make this an annual event.” Today, some state fairs average over 100,000 visitors per day.