State Contest Updates
Category Awards Results
Results will be posted after the State Contest, which will be held April 27, 2026.
Special Awards Results
Results will be posted after the State Contest, which will be held April 27, 2026.
Registration Information & Due Dates
The 2026 NHD in Iowa state contest will take place on Monday, April 27, 2026 at Scheman Building (1805 Center Dr) in Ames.
You can access the state zFairs site here using your regional login information.
Interested in judging at the state contest? Please go to the Iowa State Contest zFairs site and follow these sign-up instructions (120.12 KB) .pdf .
2026 National History Day in Iowa State Qualifier Guide & Timelines
The State Contest Qualifier Guide will be posted in early April 2026.
| Project/Event | Deadline |
|---|---|
| Documentary Projects Submit to zFairs: Written Materials (Title Page, Process Paper, Annotated Bibliography) and Link to Finalized Documentary Saved on Public Drive | April 13 at 11:59 p.m. CT |
| Exhibit Projects Submit to zFairs: Written Materials (Title Page, Process Paper, Annotated Bibliography) | April 13 at 11:59 p.m. CT |
| Paper Projects Submit to zFairs: Written Materials (Title Page, Process Paper, Annotated Bibliography) and Finalized Paper | April 13 at 11:59 p.m. CT |
| Performance Projects Submit to zFairs: Written Materials (Title Page, Process Paper, Annotated Bibliography) | April 13 at 11:59 p.m. CT |
| Website Projects Submit to zFairs: Written Materials (Title Page, Process Paper, Annotated Bibliography) and NHDWebCentral Key | April 13 at 11:59 p.m. CT |
| Tentative State Contest Judging Schedule Posted | April 20 |
| State Contest | April 27 |
| Websites Unlocked | April 28 |
| Comment Forms Released | April 30 |
State Contest Project Details At-a-Glance
| Read the State Contest Guide for Complete Information Before Attending the State Contest (Available March 2026) |
|---|
| Documentary Projects + Students will show the documentary and have an interview in the preliminary round + Students do not need to be present for the final round + Students do not need to bring extra copies of the written materials |
| Exhibit Projects + Students will bring their physical exhibit and have an interview in the preliminary round + Students do not need to be present for the final round + Students do not need to bring extra copies of the written materials |
| Paper Projects + Students will have an interview in the preliminary round + Students do not need to be present for the final round + Students do not need to bring extra copies of the written materials |
| Performance Projects + Students will perform and have an interview in the preliminary round + Students will perform in the final round without an interview + Students do not need to bring extra copies of the written materials |
| Website Projects + Students will have an interview in the preliminary round + Students do not need to be present for the final round + Students do not need to bring extra copies of the written materials |