State Fair-on-a-stick

As you can see from the above picture, Minnesotans love, love, love their State Fair. The Minnesota State Fair claims to be the largest 12-day event in North America that attracts nearly 2 million visitors every year. This year, the Fair broke attendance records nearly every day. It also claims to be the second largest State Fair in the country. I've been to State Fairs in Arkansas, Louisiana, and New York and I wholeheartedly admit, this one takes the cake.

One of the reasons why is the food. More than 450 foods are available at 300 food concessions, and a majority of them are served up on a stick. I know people who go to the fair to eat and just keep walking around. With so many people there, there's nowhere to sit, so I guess it makes sense. Still, the range of things on a stick can be quite baffling. Above, you'll see bacon on a stick. Here's several of the pictures I took of items on a stick. Trust me, I could've come up with dozens more.

If something on a stick wasn't your speed, there are french fry shacks, cookie shacks, cheese curds galore, and even pot roast sundae. You can get a malt at the dairy barn, all-you-can-drink milk at another dairy barn.... and then, there are church kitchens that serve up meatloaf and Sunday suppers. One girl I know did a blog entry on nothing but the food she ate at the Fair.

Besides the food, everyone who is anyone is there. Of course, there are dairy cows, beef cows, horses, goats, pigs, cowboys, cotton candy, carnies, and normal fair stuff. But then, there's much more on the 300 plus acre campus that has its own water tower. The Dept of Natural Resources has a large fish exhibit. There's Robotics compeitions. Art Galleries. Heritage Square with log cabins. Princess Kay of the Milky Way (State Fair queens) have their pictures carved in butter. Cheese competitions. Wineries. All the TV Stations have permanent areas with studios that people pack to see at news time. Politicans have front porches to sit out and listen to their public. All the radio stations are there. Trust me, when it's State Fair time in Minnesota, you know because everyone is talking about it.

Several people wondered how in the world I existed in this State for two plus years without visiting the State Fair. This year, I couldn't let the third State Fair pass without a visit. Since my grandparents were visiting, they tagged along too.

Shuttles transport people from as far as 50 miles away to the Fair, but we decided to go early to beat the rush. We caught the shuttle at the University of Minnesota and arrived in record time--why? Because there's a straight road with bus-only access and no red lights.

We started shortly after 9 am. By 1pm and the time we were looking for food, the place had gotten so crowded that it became too uncomfortable. We'd hardly seen half of the place. But I knew it was time to go when we went through the Horticulture building and Pop said, "those vegetables look good. I wish we could eat some."

So, we left the Fair and went to a restaurant to sit down and eat in peace, quiet, and air conditioning. That's when we became the first people in the history of the Minnesota State Fair to actually leave without eating anything.