Much needed rain showers and a brief thunderstorm hit Marshalltown Saturday afternoon, leaving fair-goers at the Central Iowa Fair soaked.
The rain did push back some of the events and forced others inside like the famous ice cream eating competition, but Denny Grabenbauer, master of ceremonies, said that didn't stop people from attending.
"People are having a great time out here," Grabenbauer said.
Article Photos
T-R PHOTO BY LUKE STALZER
Isaac Bryant, 10, of Le Grand, demolishes his tub of ice cream at the Central Iowa Fair’s ice cream eating competition Saturday afternoon.
The ice cream competition got underway after the brief rain delay and around 20 people participated in the event. Competitors had to shovel the tub of vanilla ice cream down as quick as they could and then were awarded certificates to North Third Avenue Dairy Queen for competing.
Mark Williams competes in eating competitions all over the midwest and won Saturday's competition for the sixth straight year completing the whole tub of ice cream in under three minutes.
"I'm a little cold, and my stomach hurts," Williams said. "I do this all the time, though, so I'm used to it."
Isaac Bryant, 10, of Le Grand, was the winner of the children's category, and opted out of using a spoon by going in face-first.
"It was pretty fun," Bryant said. "It was the first time I could eat ice cream and get it all over me without getting in trouble."
The fair also held its Celebrity Swine Show Saturday afternoon featuring local politicians and business leaders. Shannon Espenscheid, director of the Marshalltown Convention and Visitors Bureau, walked away as the champion.
The Central Iowa wraps up its final day Sunday.