DES MOINES, Iowa — The Iowa State Fair Campgrounds are a special place with connections and traditions running deep. Some of the traditions have been around for a while, while some campers are still finding ways to make new traditions.
Just up the road from all the fair action, the campgrounds sit full of passionate Iowans.
"We've been on the fairgrounds since I was probably four years old, so that's a long time," said Colleen Adkins, who is camping alongside four generations of family.
It's a place where traditions are built and continued.
"This is a good time we all get together, because I have 15 grandkids and 15 great-grandkids this year," Adkins said.
Memories at the campgrounds are made along the way.
"Since everyone is here to have a good time and a lot of people share the same story, it's a family tradition, and they've been here for many years," said Crystal Hammes, a camper at the Iowa State Fair.
Campers pack the campgrounds every year. Some campers told Local 5 the waitlist to get a spot to camp is 18 years long.
"We come in the first day possible, we're here 21 days," Adkins said. "It takes the guys about all day on Saturday to put the campers in."
While traditions grow over many years, it's also a place for new traditions to spark.
This year marked the second annual 'camper crawl.'
The crawl began with two friends who have been coming to the fair nearly their entire life.
"We were just sitting around a couple of years ago talking about how fun it would be to see the campground and mingle and meet friends, so we're like 'hey let's try a camper crawl,'" said Heather Mercer, a camper at the Iowa State Fair.
Over 100 people got together Wednesday night to walk around the campground and meet new people.
"It just really brought the campgrounds together for those of us that have gotten together," Hammes said.
While the fair is bringing thousands together, the memories for the campers on the hill last a lifetime.