Dubuque’s Blue Ribbon Breakfast Fuels Residents and the Fairgrounds

Hundreds of hungry families and friends showed up to the Dubuque County Fairgrounds on Sunday, April 2nd for the annual Dubuque County Fair Association Blue Ribbon Breakfast. Every year, the fairgrounds holds the massive breakfast and subsequent auction.

Over the last two years, the breakfast and auction have helped raise money for a new roof for the fairgrounds. An event of this caliber wouldn't be possible without the 30+ volunteers who make it possible. They are folks who are all smiles, happy to help serve pancakes, collect tickets, and dispose of trash over the course of the morning.

The Blue Ribbon Breakfast is the largest fundraising event for the Dubuque County Fairgrounds. The 2023 event drew more than 700 people, and the funds will surely help ease the financial component of cosmetic and capital improvement projects the fairgrounds has planned.

Dubuque County Fair General Manager Kevin Kotz told the Telegraph Herald that the plan is to insulate and put new roofing on the Grand Ballroom building. The wait now is for the weather to settle. The roof project is set to cost around $250,000 and the additional 4-H building restroom upgrade will run about $100,000.

The 2022 Blue Ribbon Breakfast was one of the first large events I attended after moving to Dubuque. I'm happy to say that I can now call it an annual event for myself. I adore the fairgrounds staff: from Kevin to Mary Gansen, and everyone else who tirelessly works to conduct events so smoothly, they are immensely helpful and kind individuals.

I arrived just before 10am, and proceeded to fill my plate with a bevy of breakfast food: pancakes, sausages, hash browns, toast, and watermelon, topped off with chocolate milk and a dish of Culver's delicious custard. The food was terrific. With my early morning work schedule, I seldom get to enjoy a homemade breakfast like this one. I wish my father lived closer. These kind of events were staples of my childhood.

In addition to the bountiful meal, an auction was held after all the attendants had eaten. The auction had more than 130 items, which were provided by local Dubuque entities, such as the Fighting Saints and Q Casino, as well as residents themselves.

Some of the items available: an autographed framed photo of Baseball Hall of Famer Lou Brock; a Pseudo-Sue cooler; a set of screwdrivers; Three Dog Night concert tickets; Justin Moore concert tickets; gigantic LEGO sets; gift baskets; and much more.

The event itself is a beautiful reminder of the power of community. The fact that more than 700 people showed up to support the Fairgrounds and indulge in a communal breakfast is a heartwarming showcase of how tightknit and welcoming this area is when it comes to lending a hand to a pillar of the Tri-States.

The fairgrounds is going to once again be a hot-spot for events, with over 350 coming up in the near-future, with of course the Dubuque County Fair happening July 25-30th. The Dubuque County Fairgrounds and Event Center is located at 14569 Old Hwy Road in Dubuque.