It’s almost that time of year again. One can practically smell the corn dogs, hear the buzzes, beeps and screams from the midway and see the awesome sight of the butter cow. That’s right, the butter cow can only mean one thing, it’s Iowa State Fair time!

To commemorate the Iowa State Fair, the Civic Center of Greater Des Moines will premiere the Rodgers and Hammerstein musical State Fair on August 12.

Based in Iowan Phil Stong’s 1932 novel of the same name, State Fair tells the tale of the Frakes family and their pilgrimage to the 1946 Iowa State Fair.

Father Frakes, played by John Davidson, has blue-ribbon dreams for his Hampshire Boar, Blue Boy. Mother Frakes, portrayed by Kathryn Crosby, who has starred in Guys and Dolls and I Do, I Do, is also seeing blue. She is determined to win ribbons for her mincemeat and pickles.

But the true action of State Fair centers around the Frakes children. The son, Wayne, played by Ben Wright, finds love among the midway and jarred preservatives when he meets big band singer Emily Edwards. Emily is brought to life by Donna McKechnie, winner of a Tony Award for her performance in A Chorus Line.

Andrea McArdle, who debuted on Broadway as the lead in Annie at the age of 13, plays the Frakes’ daughter Margy. Margy also finds romance in the Register reporter, Pat, (played by Scott Wise, also a Tony winner), who is covering the fair.

State Fair, which features such songs as “It’s a Grand Night for Singing,” “Our State Fair,” “All I Owe Ioway,” and the Academy Award-winning “It Might As Well Be Spring” is the only Rodgers and Hammerstein production that hasn’t been on Broadway. It was first scored as a 1933 movie which starred Will Rogers, and then later became a musical.

“The score is full of a lot of songs about Iowa,” Brenda Mickle, publicity and public relations director of the Civic Center, said. “It takes you back to a nostalgic place. It’s just really a good feeling musical.”

And since the musical centers around an Iowa family, is it a show Iowa families should see together? ” It’s definitely a family show,” Mickle said.

Adding to the family atmosphere, State Fair is co-directed by James Hammerstein, son of lyricist Oscar Hammerstein, Jr. Randy Skinner also co-directs as well as choreographing. Some added notes about State Fair: two preview performances have been added on August 11 at 8 p.m. and Aug. 12 at 2 p.m. State Fair runs August 12 through August 20.

Tickets are available at the Civic Center Box Office, at all Ticketmaster outlets or charge by phone at 233-1888 in Ames and 243-1888 in Des Moines.