Yes, Iowa State Fair's Husband Calling Contest Is A Thing

Millions have seen a TikTok featuring the "husband calling" contest from the Iowa State Fair.

I was scrolling through my Instagram Reels and saw a video that claimed to be a "husband calling contest at the Iowa State Fair". I was intrigued so I did research. It's exactly what you would think it is- women onstage screeching out their husband's names like most wives have often done.

Guys, the Husband Calling Contest at the Iowa State Fair is real.

Iowa State Fair Marketing Director Mindy Williamson confirmed to The Des Moines Register that the husband calling contest happens as part of the Heritage competitions in Pioneer Hall at the fairgrounds and it garners anywhere from 12-15 entries every year.

It's footage from the 2017 contest that's going viral.

Check out the TikTok below:

@_rhinestonecowboy some good ol’ fashioned “husband calling” at the iowa state fair #iowastatefair #husbandcalling #yoohoo #idkidk #americana #fyp ♬ original sound - rhinestone cowboy

There's also mom calling (I bet I could win that one), hog calling, and more family-friendly competitions.

The TikTok comes from this Iowa PBS video about the contest.

You won't win a huge bank for having the loudest lungs though. The grand prize for husband calling (besides unlimited bragging rights, for sure) is just $5.

My favorite in the video is that year's first-place winner, Bonnie Swalwell Eilert, who begins by screeching her husband's name "ROYYYYY!" in a tone that I would not ignore if I were Roy.

This year the Iowa State Fair will be from August 10-20 in Des Moines.