Back at the Iowa State Fair After Pandemic Pause

While the August heat is ushering in lazy summer days in other parts of the country, Des Moines, Iowa, is abuzz with excitement at the return of its 11-day annual state fair.

On your way to see the Butter Cow, sample some of the 53 new foods or ride the classic Ye Old Mill, you may notice another pre-pandemic fixture is back on the sidewalks outside Gates 2 and 11 of the fairgrounds: smiling faces standing next to colorful carts featuring a positive message and free Bible-based literature.

Kim Steffen traveled from Centerville, Iowa, for the opportunity to be among the first volunteers at the carts this year. “This year is exciting because the pandemic restricted a lot of what we have been able to do in the past," he said. "It's nice to be able to get back out into the public and enjoy talking with people."

Jehovah’s Witnesses in Des Moines began offering a selection of Bible literature at these carts during the 2017 Fair and continued the tradition until 2020 when the Christian organization suspended all in-person forms of their volunteer work out of concern for the health and safety of the community. That year also marked the first time since World War II that the Fair was canceled.
A little over 24 months later, Witnesses all over the world recommenced their public preaching work.

“We believe that the early decision to shut down all in-person activities for more than two years has saved many lives,” said Robert Hendriks, U.S. spokesperson for Jehovah’s Witnesses. “We’re now ready and eager to reconnect with our neighbors once again – person-to-person, face-to-face. It’s not the only way that we preach, but it has historically been the most effective way to deliver our message of comfort and hope.”

In response to the global decision, over 200 Jehovah’s Witnesses from 22 area congregations are volunteering with two cart locations set up on E. Grand Avenue at E. 30th Street and E. University Avenue at E. 33rd Street almost every day of the Fair from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Des Moines resident Eric Hoyt has regularly visited the Fair since 1993 and said it is “incredible to be back” again this year, not only as a fairgoer, but as a volunteer at the literature carts. Though the variety of featured food is a personal highlight, Hoyt said the most enjoyable aspect of the Fair for him is engaging in conversations with others.

“The visitors come from many backgrounds, different states, sometimes even different countries,” he said. “Our website, jw.org, is in over 1,000 languages. So, being able to share that with people from different language groups is very encouraging."

The Witnesses will speak with hundreds, if not thousands, of visitors over the course of the Fair, Hoyt said. At times, people have even rolled down their car windows to request literature while waiting at a stoplight. “Anybody that's interested can approach and talk with us. We talk to anybody and everybody,” Hoyt said.

Mobile displays of Bible-based literature have been part of Jehovah’s Witnesses' public ministry in the U.S. since 2011. While “cart witnessing” began in large metropolitan areas around the world, the practice quickly spread to the tens of thousands of smaller communities, becoming a fixture in rail and bus stations, airports, harbors and main streets – and in Des Moines, the Iowa State Fair.

“We're here again because we love our neighbors, and we know that many have experienced so much turmoil over the past two and a half years,” Hoyt said. “Being able to offer that message of hope and peace is something that I personally benefit from, and that I really enjoy being able to share with people.”

To learn more about Jehovah’s Witnesses, their history, beliefs and activities, visit their official website jw.org, featuring content in more than 1,000 languages.