Every August, people descend on Des Moines for the Iowa State Fair, and let's be real, a whole lot of them are there for the food. The livestock shows are great. The butter cow is iconic. But the real draw is that somewhere, someone is deep-frying something that has no business being deep-fried, and we are all grateful for it.

A new guide from MSN rounds up everything worth eating at this year's fair, including the Best New Food finalists, new drinks, and the returning favorites that people wait in line for every single year. If you're planning a trip to Des Moines, this is the kind of list you want in your phone before you walk through the gates.

The Best New Food competition is always the thing to watch. Fair vendors spend all year dreaming up increasingly unhinged creations to compete for the title, and the finalists are usually a mix of genuinely delicious and gloriously absurd. That tension is what makes state fair food so great. You can eat a corn dog done perfectly, and then follow it with something wrapped in bacon and dipped in batter that you'd never find anywhere else.

New drinks are getting attention this year too, which I appreciate, because fair food is heavy and you need something to wash it down that isn't just lemonade. Though, I mean, the lemonade is also excellent. Get both.

My advice for anyone going: wear stretchy pants, bring cash, and don't fill up on the first thing you smell. Walk the grounds first. See what's out there. Share portions if you're with someone, or just commit to eating your way through solo with zero shame. I've done it. It's the only way.

Go hungry.