Iowa State Fair 2015: Where Presidential Candidates, Butter Cows And Fried Foods Intersect

The sights, sounds and smells of a state fair make cherished memories for the countless people who have strolled the midway, ridden the Ferris wheel or indulged in all the fried edibles. This year's Iowa State Fair promises all those traditional pleasures -- and an extra attraction that turns every four years: presidential candidates. Several will be stopping by, as the state is a pivotal political stopover, and they'll be speaking at the Des Moines Register's Soapbox.

Iowa's a natural choice for candidates, as the first caucuses occur in the state. It's a key place for candidates to prove the viability of their bid for the Oval Office, and a good reception at the State Fair can help pave the campaign trail. Many candidates have already stepped up to the Soapbox, including Mike Huckabee and Martin O'Malley and, on Friday Jeb Bush, who not only shared his political positions but also revealed his weakness for fried Snickers.

Rick Santorum, Bernie Sanders, Ben Carson and George Pataki are just a few others who will speak at the Soapbox over the weekend. Carly Fiorina, Scott Walker, Marco Rubio, John Kaisch, Chris Christie and Bobby Jindal will appear in the course of the week.

No appearance would be complete without a trip to the Iowa State Fair. Two big names are missing from the Register's Soapbox, but they will making the rounds around the fairgrounds. Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump will be at the fair Saturday, and the latter included one "can't-miss" in his itinerary: the butter cow. It's exactly what it sounds like; a life-size statue of a cow made from butter. It's going to make for a great photo and headlines.

A day at the Iowa State Fair should be all about fun, but politicians have to be careful about what they say and what they wear. In 2008, Fred Thompson, a former U.S. senator from Tennessee, went to the fair prior to officially entering the Republican presidential race. He made quite the scene while walking around in his Gucci loafers, according to NPR. The fancy shoes made Thompson appear out of touch with the general public.

Here are just a few photos showing what the Iowa State Fair is all about.