DES MOINES, Iowa — Fairgoers packed the Iowa State Fairgrounds for the first Friday of the fair.

The first Friday of the fair is unofficially known as East Side Night, a tradition where residents from Des Moines’ east side go to the fair.

Valerie Kripal, an east side Des Moines resident, said she has been going to East Side Night at the fair for years.

“Emily and I have actually came for, what, maybe 15, 20 years now. We actually are up in the museum with a picture of us from when we were in high school on East Side Night many, many years ago. So we just I grew up on the east side and now I get to bring my girls to East Side Night,” Kripal said.

Alyssa Stewart, a former graduate of East High School in Des Moines, said she looks forward to seeing other East High alumni at East Side Night.

“One of those events and one of those nights that we can go and see all of our friends every East high graduate that we graduated with. It’s a fun night,” Stewart said.