Restrooms. Shade. Seating.

Sure, the Iowa State Fair's Grandstand needs to run smoothly. And the butter cow cooler needs to stay at a brisk 40 degrees. And corn dogs must be fried and lemonade mixed and the Amish doughnuts glazed (more on that below).

But the real keys to a successful Iowa State Fair?

Restrooms. Shade. Seating.

“Managing a fair is pretty simple,” says Jeremy Parsons, Iowa State Fair CEO , with only a little jest. “People want bathrooms, shade and seating, and I really think everything else is extra.”

Since arriving in the CEO’s office about three years ago, improving guest services has been at the top of Parsons’ must-dos. Maybe not the most exciting set of tasks, certainly not the sort that gets the most coverage.

But when you’ve walked the hill and the Iowa hum

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