Nebraska State Fair Takes Home 14 IAFE Awards, Including Seven First-Place Honors

The Nebraska State Fair announced this week that it has received 14 international awards from the International Association of Fairs and Expositions (IAFE), including seven first-place, five second-place, and two third-place recognitions for their 2025 event.

Competing against thousands of entries from fairs across the nation, and around the world, the Nebraska State Fair once again stood out as a leader in agriculture, guest experience, commercial exhibits, commercial marketing, and sponsorship innovation.

“I believe these awards speak to the creativity and dedication of our entire Nebraska State Fair team and even our partners,” said Executive Director Jaime Parr. “To compete on an international stage and come home with top honors in so many categories is an incredible reflection of the great year we’ve had – I really couldn’t be prouder of our team.”

First Place Awards
Agriculture: Livestock Photo
Agriculture: Crops Photo
Competitive Exhibits: Use of Theme
Competitive Exhibits: New Class
Competitive Exhibits: Creative Display (Earl May Fair Square)
Sponsorship: In-Kind / Trade Partnership
Commercial Exhibits: Vendor Communications

Second Place Awards
Agriculture: Exhibitor Participation Incentives / Retention Program (Bill Angel Award)
Competitive Exhibits: Special Contest (Puzzle Contest)
Non-Fair: Capital Improvement Plan & Execution
Commercial Exhibits: Innovative Layout Change
Commercial Exhibits: Marketing & Promotion

Third Place Awards
Agriculture: Rodeo Photo
Competitive Exhibits: Display Method (Gridwall)

The IAFE awards program recognizes fairs of all sizes for exceptional work and innovation on an annual basis. Fair entries are compared to one another by a panel of judges across the world. With thousands of competitive entries submitted globally, earning recognition—especially multiple first-place finishes—is considered one of the highest honors in the fair and expo industry.