Iowa State Fair To Add New Celebrity Butter Sculptures This Year

Iowa is honoring some celebs in the best Iowa way.

A butter cow is a staple for both Iowa and Illinois State Fairs. Last year, the internet had a collective meltdown over "Buttergate", when it was found out that not all of the Illinois State Fair's butter cow is indeed butter. The scandal.

This year, Iowa State Fair's butter cow is getting some celebrity buddies, specifically, characters well known in the late-night television world, who are also Iowans.

Joining the butter cow in her cooler will be Johnny Carson (the legendary TV host) and Steve Higgins (from the current "Late Night With Jimmy Fallon") and since Steve will be there, a Jimmy Fallon sculpture will be there too. There will also be a sky glider seat since it's the 50th year of the Main Sky Glider.

Sarah Pratt from West Des Moines is the butter artist making the cow and the sculptures. She's been doing it since 2006, according to the Iowa State Fair's website.

The butter cow (and probably it's celebrity friends this year) start with a frame consisting of wood, metal, wire and mesh. The cow takes on 600 pounds of butter. And that's just the cow. An actual dairy cow weighs about 1,000 pounds, so the butter cow isn't far off.

Companion sculptures are made for the cow every year. Last year it was, in true Iowa fashion, Caitlin Clark, along with legendary Iowa athletes Kurt Warner and Jack Trice.

Additional butter sculptures have featured characters from "Sesame Street", "Star Trek", "Peanuts", and more.

The Iowa State Fair will be from August 8th-18th.