Minnesota State Fair – Happy Birthday, Minnesota!, Minneapolis, Minnesota, July 2008, all photos © 2007-2008 by QuoinMonkey. All rights reserved.
Let’s Talk History
Summer is winding down; it’s time for the Minnesota State Fair! After 4 years of territorial fairs, the first Minnesota State Fair was held in 1859 near downtown Minneapolis, one year after Minnesota was granted statehood (2008 is the Minnesota Sesquicentennial). The Minnesota State Fair found a permanent home midway between Minneapolis and St. Paul when Ramsey County donated its 210-acre poor farm to the governing body of the State Fair, the State Agricultural Society.
The Fairgrounds now cover 320 acres and contain a number of architecturally and historically significant structures. And this year, there are Sesquicentennial Celebration events taking place under the Big Top at the Great Minnesota Get-Together, including a 150th birthday cake and Minnesota Memories, conversations with some of Minnesota’s most colorful residents.
Many famous people have walked through these gates. It’s hard to believe it’s been 80 years since F. Scott Fitzgerald reminisced about the Minnesota State Fair in his book, A Night at the Fair. Since 1859, rain or shine, the Minnesota State Fair has been held every year except five:
- 1861 — the Civil War
- 1862 — the Dakota Indian Conflict
- 1893 — scheduling conflicts with the World’s Columbian Exposition in Chicago
- 1945 — war-time fuel shortages
- 1946 — polio epidemic
Grandstand Show, Minneapolis, Minnesota,
August 2007, photo © 2008 by QuoinMonkey.
All rights reserved.
Classic rides grace the Mighty Midway; a couple of new ones, too, like the Heartbreaker and the Wind Surf. I’m not much of ride person (I get too seasick!). I attend the State Fair for the tradition, the food, and the music (Alabama has performed 18 times in 13 years). This year, Liz and I have tickets to see Gnarls Barkley at the Grandstand. We plan to make a day of it. And if you’re into history, the Minnesota State Fair is full of odd and choice moments in time:
- 1887, 1888, 1889, 1898 – Battle Reenactments of Minnesota at Gettysburg
- 1906 – St. Paul Growers Association built a model of the new State Capitol out of onions
- 1915 – a Baby Contest pitted city babies vs. country babies, Minneapolis babies vs. St. Paul babies
- 1927 – John Phillip Sousa was the Fair’s first big name entertainer. He performed in the Plaza Park outside the Grandstand.
- 1938 – the last year the Fair started on the Saturday before Labor Day
- 1949 – the last year of horse races
- 2002 – the last year of Grandstand auto racing
Close Up Nightshot – Carousel, Minneapolis,
Minnesota, August 2007, photo © 2008 by
QuoinMonkey. All rights reserved.
I’m particularly fond of the carousel, and the tradition of outdoor sculptures at the Fair. Over the years, there have been many: the 36-foot-tall Pioneer Woman made of gold fiberglass erected in 1958 to commemorate the State’s Centennial (she’s 50 years old this year); the 1959 statue of Neptune (a tribute to the opening of the St. Lawrence Seaway); and my personal favorite, Fairchild the Gopher, a 24-foot fiberglass statue dressed as a Midway barker, complete with striped jacket and straw skimmer.
Stella Street, Minneapolis, Minnesota,
August 2007, photo © 2008 by QuoinMonkey.
All rights reserved.
In 1966, Fairchild the gopher became the official mascot of the State Fair and was joined by his nephew, Fairborne, in 1983. Fairchild (a play on the institution’s title) got his name after a state-wide naming contest. It is also a tribute to Henry S. Fairchild, the man who suggested the Ramsey County Poor Farm become the permanent site of the State Fair (more Fair photographs in my Flickr set Minnesota State Fair.)
You can learn more by visiting The State Fair History Museum in Heritage Square. The museum, open from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., showcases memorabilia and artifacts from the Fair’s past and admission is free. Or, for little known Minnesota State Fair trivia, visit the comment section of last year’s MN State Fair On-A-Stick where our friend Teri (who works at the Fair) knocks our socks off with her bounty of State Fair knowledge.
World’s Greatest, Dairy Barn, Minneapolis, Minnesota, August 2007, photo © 2007-2008 by QuoinMonkey. All rights reserved.
What’s New In Food at the Minnesota State Fair?
I’m going to wrap up with my favorite subject — FOOD! Corn fritters, fried green tomatoes, and blooming onions debuted 15 years ago (1993); nearly 500,000 corndogs are consumed at the Fair each year. This video of Minnesota State Fair food lovers snarfing Fair food on-a-stick is a must see. And there’s a breakdown below of all of this year’s foods on-a-stick, as well as what’s new in food at the Fair in 2008 (check out the Minnesota State Fair Food Finder).
I’ll come back after next week to give you a rundown on all the foods on-a-stick I ate (and let you know how Gnarls Barkley turned out). Oh, one more thing — if you want to save a little money, look for the Blue Ribbon Bargain Book Bonus Coupon. Liz just came home from Cub Foods with groceries, State Fair tickets for $8 each (Admission is $11 at the door), and our Blue Ribbon Bargain Book ($4 before August 20th). She’s a big Minnesota State Fair fan and early bird bargain shopper!
Ways To Save $$$ At The Minnesota State Fair
(BRBB) BONUS COUPON –
- The State Fair Blue Ribbon Bargain Book has 100 coupons worth over $500 in savings on food, merchandise and attractions. New this year, the book contains a bonus coupon good for a free ride or admission at one of the five favorite fair attractions, including the Butterfly House, Pirate Island Shootout, Space Tower, Sky Ride and Ye Old Mill.
- Blue Ribbon Bargain Books are available through August 20th for only $4 wherever pre-Fair discount admission tickets are sold. During the Fair, books may be purchased at State FairWear Gift Shops on the Fairgrounds for just $5.
SUNSET SUNDAY SAVINGS –
- On Sundays, August 24th and August 31st, this evening promotion will feature a minimum of 20% off at participating vendors from 8 p.m. until close.
Fried Fruit On-A-Stick Family, Minneapolis,
Minnesota, August 2007, photo © 2008 by
QuoinMonkey. All rights reserved.
MN State Fair – Foods On-A-Stick
- Alligator Sausage on-a-stick
- Bacon (Fried) on-a-stick
- Bananas (chocolate covered) on-a-stick
- Beef Kabobs on-a-stick
- Beer Battered Brats on-a-stick
- Bomb Pops on-a-stick
- Butterscotch Cake on-a-stick
- Candy Apples on-a-stick
- Candy Bars (deep fried) on-a-stick
- Caramel Apples on-a-stick
- Catfish on-a-stick
- Cheese on-a-stick
- Cheese (fried) on-a-stick
- Cheesecake (chocolate covered) on-a-stick
- Chicken on-a-stick
- Chicken Bites on-a-stick
- Chocolate Chip Cookies on-a-stick
- Coffee (frozen) on-a-stick
- Corndogs on-a-stick
- Corned Beef and Cabbage on-a-stick
- Cotton Candy on-a-stick
- Dessert Dumplings on-a-stick
- Dixie Wings on-a-stick
- Espresso (frozen) on-a-stick
- Fruit (fresh) on-a-stick
- Fruit (fried) on-a-stick
- Fudge Puppies on-a-stick
- Hot Dago on-a-stick
- Hot Dish on-a-stick
- Hot Dogs (wrap) on-a-stick
- Key Lime Pie Dipped in Chocolate (frozen) on-a-stick
- Lamb (leg of) on-a-stick
- Macaroni & Cheese on-a-stick
- Marshmallows (Chocolate-dipped) on-a-stick
- Meatballs (porcupine wild rice & ground pork) on-a-stick
- Meatballs (Scotch) on-a-stick
- Meat Kabobs on-a-stick
- Nut Roll (chocolate-dipped) on-a-stick
- Pickles on-a-stick
- Pickles (deep fried) on-a-stick
- Pizza on-a-stick
- Poncho Dogs on-a-stick
- Pork Chops on-a-stick
- Pronto Pups on-a-stick
- Rueben on-a-stick
- Sausage on-a-stick
- Scones on-a-stick
- Scotch Eggs on-a-stick
- Shrimp on-a-stick
- Shrimp (grilled) on-a-stick
- S’mores on-a-stick
- S’mores (deep-fried) on-a-stick
- Spaghetti & Meatballs on-a-stick
- Spudsters on-a-stick
- Steak on-a-stick
- Taffy Pops on-a-stick
- Tater Tots (deep-fried) on-a-stick
- Turkey Tenderloin (bacon-wrapped) on-a-stick
- Vegie Fries on-a-stick
- Vegetable Kabobs on-a-stick
- Waffle (Belgian) on-a-stick
- Walleye on-a-stick
- Wild Rice Corndog on-a-stick
Total Number of Foods-On-A-Stick: 63
Freshmade Nutrolls, Minneapolis, Minnesota,
August 2007, photo © 2008 by QuoinMonkey.
All rights reserved.
New Minnesota State Fair Foods In 2008
- • Chicken Bites on-a-stick (blackened chicken breast meat served with horseradish sauce)
@Axel’s, located on the outside southeast corner of the Food Building
• Deep-Fried Ice-Cream
@San Felipe Tacos, located in the Food Building
• Deep-Fried S’mores on-a-stick (marshmallow, chocolate and graham cracker, battered and deep-fried)
@Oodles of Noodles, located inside the Food Building
• Deep Fried Tater Tots on-a-stick (tater tots made with hashbrowns, cheese, bacon, onions and sour cream deep-fried)
@Axel’s, located on the southeast corner of the Food Building
• Dessert Chocolate Pizza
@Pizza Shoppe, located inside the Food Building
• Fish Tacos (southern California-style fish tacos)
@San Felipe Tacos, located in the Food Building
• Fried Bacon on-a-stick (Big Fat Bacon) (1/3 lb. slice of bacon fried and caramelized with maple syrup and served with dipping sauces)
@Big Fat Bacon, located on Carnes Avenue near Nelson Street in front of the DNR Building
• Grilled Shrimp on-a-stick
@Grilled Shrimp, located on Underwood Street near the Ye Old Mill
• Italian Breakfast Strata (layers of Italian sausage and cheese with Italian bread)
@Oodles of Noodles, located inside the Food Building
• Italian Ice (frozen non-dairy confections with up to 20 different flavors)
@Isabella’s Italian Ice, located on the corner of Liggett Street and Dan Patch Avenue
•Leprechaun Legs (lightly battered, deep-fried green beans with dipping sauce)
@O’Garas, located inside the Food Building
• Neapolitan Cream Puffs
@Cream Puffs, located on the corner of Liggett Street and Dan Patch Avenue
• Norwegian Style Cheese Curds (cheese curds battered in a Scandinavian batter, deep-fried and served with Lingonberry-flavored dipping sauce)
@Ole and Lena’s, located on Liggett near Carnes
• Pickle Pop (pickle juice frozen in a plastic push-up sleeve)
@Preferred Pickle, located inside the Food Building
• Pig Lickers (chocolate-covered crisp-fried bacon pieces)
@Famous Dave’s, located on Dan Patch Avenue near Liggett Street
• Walking Taco (taco ingredients served neatly in a Dorito bag)
@Church of the Epiphany, located on Underwood Street between Carnes Avenue and Judson Avenue
• Yaki-Soba Noodles (buckwheat style noodles, wok-fried with spices and vegetables)
@Island Noodles, located inside the International Bazaar
MN State Fair Poster 2008, Minneapolis, Minnesota, August 2008, all photos © 2007-2008 by QuoinMonkey. All rights reserved.
-posted on red Ravine, Tuesday, August 19th, 2008
Wow, those foods on a stick sound perfect for fair fare. I want to see pictures of some of those – close up and personal – please, pretty please!
Most sound great but I’m having a little trouble visualizing walleye or spaghetti and meatballs on a stick. The one I really would like to try is the wild rice corndog. Now that’s got to be an unusual combination – sounds like it’s an oxymoron.
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Bo, that’s the one I want to try, too – the wild rice corndog. It actually sounds good to me. I got a few food shots at the Fair last year, but not as many as I wanted. We ended up getting too full and we didn’t buy as many of the different foods as I had hoped! I’ll try for more food photos this year!
Last year, that Fried Fruit on-a-stick (see photo in post) was new and it was really great. It tasted like warm apple pie. The whole family is in on helping out with the booth. And they had a photo of the family right outside it. Kind of cool. I hope to taste that one again. Yum.
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Hey, Bo, do you have a big State Fair in Wisconsin? I’m always curious about other states where Fairs are a big deal like they are in Minnesota.
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Sure, big doings. Just ended 2 weekends ago. We were planning on going – and taking my daughter and her partner from NYC who were visiting – on one of the Saturday nights, but we luckily checked weather just before we were to leave for Milwaukee. There were reports of thunderstorms with sky to ground lightning strikes, and the lightning reports made us change our mind.
We used to go every year when we lived in Milwaukee – that was about 1977 through 1985. The big food draw there are the cream puffs – real cream of course – but nothing as elaborate as all that stick food you have. We’d go to a grandstand show, do a lot of the gardening exhibits, and of course go through ALL the animal barns – my favorite were the bantam chickens, my husband liked the bulls, and my kids always begged to see the rabbits and guinea pigs.
My husband was going to sign up for the moo-ing contest this year. Missed his big chance to be King of the Moo. 🙂
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LOL. Yeah, I love the gardening exhibits. Last year we went to see the topiaries, too. Not the real thing, but kind of pseudo-tope. Last year was the first time I saw the chickens, roosters, and hens, too. I had just never wandered into the barns before. I never knew a chicken could be so beautiful. (But, of course, Flannery O’Connor knew their beauty all along when she was raising her chickens and peacocks!)
Your husband sounds like a character. King of the Moo. 8) Last year we saw the biggest hog I’d ever seen. I don’t remember the bulls. But you know, Liz and I watched a movie last weekend with the Bull Run in Spain in it. That was amazing.
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OK… I have not stopped laughing at the “Leprechaun Legs”.
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QM, I’ve been waiting for your fair post! Sounds like you & Liz are prepared with all of the discount coupons!
The food sounds delightful!
I suppose if you’re Irish the Corned Beef & Cabbage on-a-stick with a side of Leprechaun Legs would be the food of choice. I think I’d be tempted to try the Pig Lickers, just to say that I did!:)
Have a great time! D
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leslie, ditto. LOL. I should have made the typeface on that one green. 8)
diddy, you and leslie were thinking along the same terms. Well, I guess I am part Irish. 8)
I’ll try to get a photo of the Leprechaun Legs and the Pig Lickers. Is there anything else on the list you want Liz and me to try next week and report back?
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Hmmm, How about the Pickle Pop? That sounds interesting! D
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Good idea. I at least have to try the Pickly Pop (I hope they are sweet pickles) 😦 And after ybonesy’s mint Popsicle post, it goes without saying — we’ve got the strangest food posts on red Ravine!
I didn’t know what a Scotch Egg was. And there’s a Scotch Meatball on a stick, too. Liz told me the Scotch Egg is a hardboiled egg, wrapped in sausage, rolled in breadcrumbs and deep-fried. Actually, that sounds kind of good. So would they take a meatball and do the same thing for a Scotch meatball on-a-stick?
Liz said we should take donations to try certain MN State Fair foods, take photographs, and do a lengthy review. I’m thinking about adding a widget for it, ybonesy. Hmmmm….well, I don’t know. I’d probably turn as green as the Leprechaun Legs before it was all over. 8)
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Yeah, the ’08 MN State Fair (and food-on-a-stick) post has arrived. Right on!
QM, this word is wonderful: Sesquicentennial.
The blackened chicken on a stick with horseradish dippin’ sounds yummy. Choc covered marshmallows for dessert, or anything nutty.
I thought Gnarles Barkley was a basketball player. 8)
The family with foods-on-sticks — are these from your extended family? There’s one fellow there who I swear resembles you.
OK, going back to read it again. ALOT here. Kudos for doing such a thorough job and doing your state fair proud!
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ybonesy, LOL, which one resembles me? Thanks (I think). 8) Yeah, that blackened chicken on-a-stick with horseradish dippin’ does sound yummy, doesn’t it? Maybe we’ll have that for lunch the day we go.
Yeah, it took me a lot longer to do this post than I thought it was going to. I had a lot of photos to choose from from last year. And it was a lot of research. I sure hope I did Minnesota proud! (I was afraid I might get in trouble with our Fair friend, Teri, if I didn’t!) I might not have been born here, but, well, you know how it goes with the places we call “home.”
I do love this place now. You’ve just got to love a place that has that much diversity with food and that many foods on-a-stick. 8)
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The one all the way to our right, next to the little towhead. Might even have the same hair, albeit a bit shorter.
I think Teri will be quite pleased. Oh, btw, I loved reading about when and why the fair wasn’t held. Also, no horse racing since 1949?? That stood out, being as how the main reason my parents used to go to the fair was for the horse races. (In fact, I took my dad to the horse races last year at the NM State Fair.)
QM, it’s probably a good thing you don’t do fair rides. I’ve heard that they’re less safe than rides at amusement parks in that the latter stay up permanently whereas the fair rides are erected so fast and temporarily that there can be more structural misses.
BTW, does Liz like rides? I like a few but I rarely ride at the fair.
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ybonesy, oh my gosh — I think he has my smile. 8) That might be Liz’s hand holding that Fried Fruit on-a-stick.
Those were some of the same facts I found interesting, too. I was going to ask Teri why they ended the horseracing and the car races in the Grandstand. It seems like those would have been HUGE draws here. I also liked learning about why they cancelled the MN State Fair in certain years. Fun facts.
If I remember correctly, Liz likes some of the rides. But she’s afraid of heights, so that eliminates quite a few. When my Mom was in Minnesota many years ago, we went up in the Space Tower ride with her — I think that was the name. It’s a calm ride. And you can see out over the Twin Cities. Kind of cool.
Sesquicentennial is a wonderful word, isn’t it? I kept misspelling it. If you see any typos, let me know. 8) I think there is an exhibit at the MN Historical Society about the 150 years of MN’s history. I haven’t been yet but I’ve been wanting to go. I hope it’s still there.
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ybonesy, I was going to ask — do you bet on the horses with your parents? Or just watch? I have no idea whatsoever what I’m doing when it comes to horseraces.
BTW, Liz and I do ride the carousel and the Ferris Wheel. There is something about the Ferris Wheel that I like — even though I’m afraid of heights, too (I didn’t used to be, BTW). I think the last time we rode it was with my niece at Ocean City, MD.
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Yeah, maybe that’s it. The smile. So they’re the owners of the Fried Fruit place, is that it? See, I was thinking maybe it was a family that loved fried fruit on-a-stick so much that they had their portrait done with the goods. Ha! I should have read all the comments first; then I would have seen where you found that photo.
Hey, so last year was your first visit to the chickens? Aren’t the exotics amazing? Did you also make it to the rabbits? Those are among my favorite stops.
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Yes, they are the family owners of the Fried Fruit on-a-stick. The woman in the top right of the photo was actually outside their little booth last year at a makeshift table, personally meeting everyone who was buying their goods. She was really great. They were into it!
I’ve never seen the rabbits. But Liz mentioned that she wants to see them this year. Yeah, those exotic chickens are all dolled up. Whew. I’d never seen a chicken look so good. And the time that must go into that for the people who prepare them for shows. Wow.
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I’m here; this is a message from the field. I am sitting at a computer at the famous Minnesota State Fair.
Great post, QM! You’ve outdone yourself this time. If I didn’t know, I’d swear you were a Minnesota native. You’ve got the home-town pride going on!
I think you should bring an extra $20 to the Fair for the new t-shirt. When I walked by the State Fair store and saw the carousel on the front of the shirt, I had one thought: QuoinMonkey. I’m not sure it passes your 100% cotton test, but you’ll l-o-v-e the design.
Gotta run. I’ve miles to go before I sleep.
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Teri, our MN State Fair correspondent from the field — so great to hear from you! (And is that Robert Frost I hear being channeled through from the Fair?) 8)
Thanks for the kudos. (I’m blushing.) I guess after 24 years in MN, I’m as close as I may get to homegrown. I feel like a person from so many places. I do have the MN pride though. I think it just grows on you.
I bet you are working your butt off in preparation for August 21st. We appreciate all of you out there getting the grounds ready, staffing the campgrounds, building the rides — in whatever capacity — our deepest appreciation.
Can’t wait to see the T-shirt. I’ll bring a little extra along. We went to the State Fairwear Gift Shop last year and Liz bought a State Fair sweatshirt that was all cotton. So I’m hopeful I’ll find a soft cotton T.
Hey, thanks for taking the time to check in. And hang in there. It’s going to be a busy few weeks. Will look to hear from you as you are able. We’ll let you know when we are strolling the Fair Grounds next week.
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Look at all those foods on a stick! It never ceases to amaze me how many things the fair folks can put on a stick. I’d really like to see the spaghetti and meatballs on a stick. I wonder how they do it?
Our county fair started yesterday. (I entered a jar of my pickled hot cherry peppers.) It’s the big “to-do” around here. They’re celebrating 150 years, too.
http://www.randolphfair.com/
I’m looking forward to seeing more photos from your fair. It sounds like fun.
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QM, I fear I have gained ten pounds just from reading this post, (burp.) But, how do you get cabbage to stay on a stick, or mac & cheese? My inquiring mind wants to know. I would have loved to see a photo of the renering of the capitol in onions! Another burning question: what happened to the poor souls in the poor farm? Were there none left?
I remember a few kids I grew up with that had polio; I felt so sorry for them! My work partner took a day off to go to the MT State Fair, even though she has already used up all her vacation days for the year. Of course, the next day she was sick and couldn’t work. (She loves the Fair food.) She is a MT native.
I may be the only American who has never eaten a corn dog. Bush would probably say I’m unpatriotic, but I don’t care. You & Liz have a great time and let us know what exotic fare you sampled.
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Robin, that’s a great link to the Randolph Fair. I love the History of the Fair tab on the site. I just read it. Amazing about the September 11, 1959 first tractor pull (including a “powder-puff” pull). And I love this about the Randolph Fair:
Little did Bela Hubbard know what was to come. Hey, good luck with your pickled hot cherry peppers. Yum. They sound delicious.
I have a fondness for country fairs, BTW. I used to go to a really small one up near Deer Lake and Taylor’s Falls in the summer. A friend’s family had a cabin up there. It was a lot of fun. Let us know what happens with your pickled hot cherry peppers!
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oliverowl, I was just about to go eat dinner (nothing on-a-stick!) when I saw your comment. We must have been leaving the last two at the same time.
But first — I’m so shocked — you’ve NEVER eaten a corn dog? Wow. That’s really something. Is there some reason for that? And does the Wild Rice Corndog on-a-stick appeal to you to try?
I had some of the same questions you did about the Ramsey County Poor Farm and what became of it. I tried to do a little research on it but haven’t found much so far. I’ll keep looking and maybe update you on that later. (Is there an equivalent to the poor farm today, I wonder?)
Where does the Montana State Fair take place? Is it Bozeman, Helena, Missoula? I can’t remember. I used to go to the Missoula Fair when I lived there. But I can’t remember if that was the State Fair or not.
I’m making a list of all the foods on-a-stick that people are curious about, like the cabbage and mac & cheese. Liz and I will try to get photos of what we can. Though I dare say, I sure can’t eat all that food! I’ll have to sneak a few photos of others eating it. 8)
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QM, that story about the traffic jam always cracks me up. You should see the traffic jam these days! Our road is normally very quiet, but you can always tell it’s fair time because the traffic suddenly picks up with people trying to find a back way to the fairgrounds (they end up right back in the thick of it no matter which way they go).
Add to that the demolition derby folks. About a 1/4 mile down the road we have neighbors who participate in the demolition derby. A week or two before the fair starts we can hear them pounding on metal (working out the dents, perhaps?) and/or revving up their engines a few times a day. During the week of the fair it goes on pretty much all day.
I’ll post something about the peppers as soon as I have news. 🙂
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Wow this year went fast. I was trying to spot if there were new ‘on-a-stick’ foods from last year, but I couldn’t quite remember.
The flyer/brochure is lovely. Those vivid colors.
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what a great post! (sorry for the lack of commenting lately, i’ve been crazy busy.) wish i had time for a fair like this! i would so eat the leprechaun legs, no doubt.
sounds like a great time, i really enjoyed reading and living vicariously through you!
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Damn I want to go to that!
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p.s. what is a poncho dog?
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OK, let’s get back to the food-on-a-stick for a minute. I’m bursting with questions for in the field reporting and photographing. First, ummm – real alligator in alligator sausage? Eww! I eat ostrich and I eat buffalo, but don’t think I’ve ever eaten alligator. And alligators in MN. I’m very confused. Now I could understand in Louisiana or Florida. Second, hot dago-on-a-stick? Do I really want to go there? Third, Poncho Dog? I’m really trying here. A hot dog still in it’s plastic wrapper? And finally a pickle pop? As in pickle juice? I don’t know about that.
Are you making a list? You and Liz will each gain 10 pounds! Sounds so yummy! I am so jealous.
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QM, Corn dogs just looked so fattening, and I’ve tried, all my chubby life, to stay away from extra calories. They don’t look all that exciting…didn’t have a visual appeal to me.
I believe the Social Security Retirement program was FDR’s solution to poor farms. Most of the residents were older and didn’t have the savings to retire on.
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QM, just finished cleaning up the kitchen before hitting the sack, and I’m reading the comments that have come in since this afternoon. Such curiosity about food on a stick!!
I was at a party tonight that served stuffed and deep-fried jalapenos, I ate a few and worry that I might get indigestion (oh well) and am now wondering, what’s up with no stuffed jalapenos on a stick? Or maybe that is what the poncho dog is?
oliverowl, amazing that you haven’t ever had a corn dog. I haven’t had one for about two decades, although my girl loves them. Well, to tell the truth, ever since Matthew Martinez threw up hot dog in the fifth grade, I struggle with any dogs. (sorry)
Good luck on the hot peppers, Robin. I’m more and more intrigued by your town the more I read about it. Sounds so very charming.
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When we lived in MN, we spent a wonderful day at the fair. My favorite part was the giant milk truck. Free milk all day long . . .
And corn dogs. Yummy!
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Just checking in this morning on my way out the door. And, Bo, your comment cracked me up. I’ll respond later to other comments (time to fly!) but I did want to address the hotdogs.
PRONTO PUP vs CORN DOG vs PONCHO DOG on-a-stick
Well, Liz actually did some research on it this morning. Nothing here is definitive but here’s what she found:
The batter on a Pronto Pup is made with flour and a Corn Dog is made with corn meal. The flour in the Pronto Pup batter makes it not quite as sweet as the corn meal batter (and, of course, not as grainy, more floury).
It seems that many people prefer the Pronto Pup (according to an informal survey). I’ve only ever seen the Pronto Pups at the State Fair (whereas you can buy MN State Fair Corn Dogs in the frozen section of the grocery store most of the year).
A Poncho Dog on-a-stick is a type of Corn Dog — a 6″ corn meal battered, deep fried hot dog. (You can get them at the Poncho Dog stand on the corner of Carnes and Nelson or the Poncho Dog stand on Judson near Nelson by River Ride.) The best we can figure, Poncho Dog has branded their cornmeal batter. But we don’t know for sure.
We saw one tidbit that said when the Food Network was filming at the Mall of American, they did an informal tasting on which is better, Corn Dog or Pronto Pup. The Corn Dog won because of bread thickness to hot dog ratio.
So what this all comes down to is PERSONAL TASTE in what you want in a DEEP FRIED HOT DOG ON-A STICK! More later! NO DOGS HAVE BEEN HARMED IN THIS COMMENT. 8)
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ybonesy, we did find some Jalapeno Poppers at the Ball Park Cafe located on Underwood St. between the Food Building and The Garden. There are about 4 other jalapeno things but I’ll have to do more research later!
Oh, if people want to know where to actualy find their favorite foods at the Minnesota State Fair, go to the Food Finder link in this post (under What’s New In Food) and the State Fair breaks the locations all down for you (including maps)!
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QM, I’m with some of the others in that corn dogs just don’t appeal to my taste buds. I assumed that the difference in dogs might be unusual contents added, well like maybe cheese or hot peppers.And I pictured the poncho dog to be wrapped in bacon. Thanks for clearing that up! And as a pet lover, I was glad to read that no dogs were harmed in your comment! Way too funny!:)
Anyhow, I am interested in the mac-n-cheese & spaghetti & meatballs on-a-stick also, but what the heck is a bomb pop? Sounds dangerous if you ask me.Could that be the Jalapeno Peppers on-a-stick? If so, I’d eat a bunch! D
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Is there a “Butter Cow” in the dairy section of the Minnesota State Fair?
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Bob, we’ve got one better (maybe crazier?) than the butter cows! We’ve got the crowning of the Butter Queen (well, she’s really a Princess.) Midwest Dairy Association’s Princess Kay of the Milky Way has her likeness carved out of butter. It’s one of the main attractions. This is sculptor Linda Christensen’s 37th year of sculpting at the MN State Fair!
The Minnesota state dairy princess wears the title of Princess Kay of the Milky Way (the name was selected in a Department of Agriculture contest over fifty years ago). Princess Kay is crowned each August, the night before the opening of the Minnesota State Fair.
Then, on opening day of the Fair, the newly crowned Princess Kay of the Milky Way poses for 6 to 8 hours in the slowly rotating, refrigerated Butter Booth to have her head and shoulders sculpted from a 90-pound block of butter. Then the procedure continues each of the remaining days of the Fair with the 11 other Princess Kay candidates.
It’s really worth seeing, quite the attraction. Thousands of people show up to watch. It’s a lot of fun.
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Awwwwww! Princess Kay of the Milky Way. Makes me want to weep with laughter. Though I should talk. In Wisconsin, we have Alice in Dairyland. Ya gotta love the Midwest style!
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Hey, QM, just logging in after a long day off. (I wasn’t nearly as productive as I’d hoped to be, although I did get a lot of work-work done.)
I was noticing the number of hits today and the past few days on this post, your last year’s MN State Fair post, and the food-on-a-stick video post (all of which you linked to above, so I won’t do so here). There are a lot of folks out there searching for information on MN State Fair happenings these days. It’s a popular event!
(I also wanted to give kudos to QM for having her first MN State Fair post picked up by several other sites over the year; the latest was a NY Times blog that picked it up last week, I believe. Lots of hits from that source and the several others over the past year.)
I was curious, do families come to the fair from all over the state? How about surrounding states? I just remember how all my cousins in Raton, NM used to come to Albuquerque for the State Fair. It was a big deal.
Looking forward to photos of Princess Kay of the Milky Way. 8)
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OK, Brian (tysdaddy) — Comment #32…milk and corn dogs?!? It’s Matthew Martinez all over again.
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Ok, forgive me but isn’t a potato already a vegetable…
Tubular, yes…but still a starchy veggie alotted two g’s
If I ask why putting them on sticks makes them “vegie fries”…
Does that make me crazy?… (forgive me Gnarles, I couldn’t resist) QM…don’t forget your pilot hat!
😉 H
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Tonight is the crowning of the Princess Kay of the Milky Way at the bandshell; all young women from dairy farms. “Princess Kay” will be the first to have her head carved in butter tomorrow, and she will ride on a float during the daily parade.
Yes, ybonesy, people come from all over Minnesota (and the upper midwest) for the Fair. We have a huge showing from Wisconsin, as St. Paul is only a short drive from the state border.
Our vendors come from all over the country. I spoke with several who are staying in the Fair campgrounds yesterday and they all concur: the Minnesota State Fair is their favorite gig all summer.
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ybonesy, I took last evening off. So we are on par. Some great comments on this post (I’m on my way out the door again, so I’ll have to come back later and answer some of these questions for all of you!).
Teri, thanks for the report in on Princess Kay of the Milky Way. Maybe some time I’ll make it to the Fair the first day for the kick-off. It’s always so fresh and clean on Day 1!
Liz printed off a couple of things off the MN State Fair website this morning that we’ll be taking to the Fair.
One is the brochure for Deals Drawings & Giveaways (a must have). It tells you EVERYTHING FREE that is given away at the Minnesota State Fair. (And we noticed there are Princess Kay of the Milky Way Trading Cards in the Dairy Building.)
The second thing we are excited about is the brochure for Tree Sculptures By Name. It’s got a little map of the locations and names of all the Tree Sculptures. (We like to notice these things!)
Here are the links for those on the MN State Fair website. Have fun!:
DEALS, DRAWINGS & GIVEAWAYS GUIDE (LINK)
TREE SCULPTURES BY NAME (LINK)
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Okay, I’m playing catch-up here. What great comments.
oliverowl, that’s interesting about FDR’s Social Security being a solution to the poor farms. And it worked for a long time, until the U.S. government started borrowing against it. I fear for the future of retirement-aged people in this country (especially women who weren’t wage earners but were raising their kids in their prime). I know many who are really struggling to make ends meet in their later years.
I’m thinking now the Montana State Fair must be in Billings? I’m still curious about that. I’m still researching the poor farms here, and particularly what happened to the Ramsey County Poor Farm that eventually became the Fairgrounds. And isn’t it interesting how Fairchild got his name after Henry S. Fairchild and how that’s all connected to the poor farm? Who would have thought?
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diddy, a Bomb Pop — I was watching the video I linked to in this post yesterday (and cracking up all over again; it’s hilarious) and saw that there was a Bomb Pop on-a-stick in it. You can see one up close and personal there and maybe get a few laughs, too.
Bo, the alligator — yeah, that is a curious one. And in Minnesota? It’s strange because we were talking so much about alligators when I was in Georgia and South Carolina a few weeks ago. But, yeah, in the Midwest, it’s just not heard of very much. We’ll add it to our list of things to check out next week at the Fair.
Scaramastra, hope I answered your question about the Poncho Dog. 8)
oliverowl, I think you should definitely try a corn dog at least once, just to say you did.
heather, isn’t it funny about the Vegie Fries? I thought it was a typo but then I was watching the food-on-a-stick video (again, linked to in this post) and there in the backgroud was the Vegie Fries place with Vegie spelled V-e-g-i-e. I have no idea what the history is about that.
kaylee and brian, thanks for stopping by.
amuirin, I’ll have to go back in and star the new foods on-a-stick in 2008. A couple have dropped off from last year, too. I’ll make a note to do that when I have more time! It is amazing how fast a year can fly by. Hard to believe the Fair is here again!
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QM, thanks, I overlooked that link, but it is hilarious! I don’t know what I enjoyed most, the people eating the foods on-a-stick or the background music!
I’ve just been reading the comments about Princess Kay of the Milky Way. Lol! I’m picturing a group of breast feeding mothers vying for the crown!:) The county I grew up in has a Dairy Queen & Maple Princess at their county fair, but Princess Kay of the Milky Way is way funnier, although having her head carved in butter is quite an honor, I’m sure!
I guess our big thing is the Farm Show, which is held in Harrisburg in the winter here. Quite the big to do! Did you ever visit it when you lived here? My favorite are the horses & pigs; in addition to the Sheep to Shawl competition. The sheep are shaved & then groups of folks spin the wool & finally the yarn is turned into a shawl. The shawls are then auctioned off & usually are quite expensive. D
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LOL. So from Bo in Wisconsin, we’ve got Alice in Dairyland (Comment #38). And now from diddy (#46), a Dairy Queen & Maple Princess at their county fair in Pennsylvania. And then, of course, Princess Kay of the Milky Way. You have to love it.
It points out how much county and state fairs grew up around the dairy and farming traditions in this country, many of them brought along from other countries and from European traditions. I always find it amazing which rituals survive over time. I find it kind of comforting in our crazy and fast-paced world that we are still slowing down enough to do some of these Fair traditions over 150 years later.
diddy, I’m glad you watched the video in the link. Isn’t it amazing? I think it was Heather last year that was cracking up at it when I did that after-Fair post and included the video. The background music is great, kind of polka-like. And then the expressions on people’s faces when they try to keep the food on the stick while saying the name of it. It’s great. 8)
I never have been to the Farm Show in Harrisburg. Do you know why they have it in winter rather than summer? And where is it held there?
I love the Sheep to Shawl competition. That sounds amazing. The woman who moved out of our art studio before we moved in had, I think, 3 looms set up and was a weaver. Such patience and great effort.
I did hear that there was a hands-on sheep shearing at the MN State Fair today. You could actually get to do some shearing yourself, something I bet many people have never done. Thanks for the great comment, diddy.
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Ya know QM…I’ve put some thought into those “Vegie” Fries on a stick and I get the feeling that some “other” unsuspecting veggie, maybe a whole innocent, healthy group of veggies are being skewered and fried…(not unlike some of Henry’s wives…)
And yep, great old tune “who stole the Kishka” …everyone should polka at least once…except maybe my husband… yeah..that wouldn’t be pretty…
cheers to all those happy sticks gnawer’s
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QM, The Farm Show is at the PA Farm Show Complex on Cameron St. In Harrisburg PA. I believe it the the largest agriculture show in the country. I would imagine it is held in January as winter is the least busy season for the farmers (though they are still mighty busy). I don’t really know for sure, just a guess. I can’t believe you’ve never heard of it! It is a huge event for this area. D
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heather, I think you might be right. Henry’s got nothing on these poor deep-fried veggies! 8)
diddy, I probably have heard of it, but just don’t remember. The last time I lived in Pennsylvania was in the mid-70’s. I guess too much time has passed. I was also quite a young one back then, probably not paying much attention to the Farm Show. When’s the last time you and J. went? Truthfully, though, I have no idea where that Farm Show Complex is in Harrisburg. You’ll have to show me next time I’m there. 8)
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Aw, QM, I think you have just forgotten. The Farm Show Complex is home to many happenings. It used to be a place that even had live concerts. J remembers seeing Fleetwood Mac there many years ago. Today the biggest events are the Auto Show, Arts & Craft Show (The Mother of all & my very favorite to attend!), The Sportmans Show, but the Farm Show is the Big One! We last attended 2 years ago when we met A.,M., & Brant there. I remember that Brant thought he could converse with the animals. Well, he was gobbling to a turkey & I’m not sure what he said in turkey talk, but the turkey didn’t take too kindly to his gobbling & attacked through his cage & Brant was covered with straw!
Dr. Doolittle, Brant is not!
The Food Court is a must! I really should have paid more attention to the different foods available, but I go for the milkshakes! I think the MN State Fair has more to offer though.
I could google the Farm Show Complex, but J & I have a busy day planned, so gotta go. I hope this juggles your memory some, I tend to think you must have attended the Farm Show at least once. I’m sure it has existed for at least 90 plus years. D
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diddy, I wonder if that’s where I saw Elton John perform when I was in high school? That was a rockin’ concert (back during his wild days). I’ll never forget it. I think I might have gone to a high school graduation there at the Farm Show Arena, too. Someone I knew who went to school in the city limits of Harrisburg. Yeah, it’s coming back to me. It would be fun to attend an arts and crafts show there. You and J. have a good Friday. Still sending good energy your way (every day). 8)
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diddy, BTW, about the turkey talk, they had a special on the turkeys at the MN State Fair on the news last night. I’ll have to pay attention to their conversations at the Fair next week. Maybe I’ll be able to give Brant some turkey talk pointers! 8) I do think ybonesy talks turkey though. They’ve had a lot of gobblers at their home over the last few years.
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I’ve been watching for news from the Minnesota State Fair. So far the weather seems to be cooperating, though it was quite humid and hot yesterday (it’s much cooler and windy today)!
Heard a tidbit on the news a few nights ago. The food on-a-stick has been around at the MN State Fair for at least 60 years — the first Pronto Pup was introduced in 1947. There was an interview with David Larson (hope I’m spelling his name right) who is in charge of the many foods on-a-stick at the Fair. He said a whole sub-culture has formed around them in the last 5 or 10 years since the introduction of the deep-fried candy bar on-a-stick. And now vendors try to come up with a new food items that are good to eat, and hang well on-a-stick! I’ll keep you posted!
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At the end of my work at the Fair today, I went to a birthday party being held in one of the parking lots. It was a party the news media would never hear about, though a classic Fair story worth being told.
A group of 4-H families have been coming to the Fair together for over a decade; they park their campers together for four days while their kids show horses, sheep, and rabbits. They’ve grown attached to one of the State Fair parking lot attendants, an older gentleman named Elmo. This group of three dozen had t-shirts made for the 2008 Fair imprinted with “I Love Elmo.” It was his birthday tonight, and they made burgers and potato salad in his honor. Actually we all had burgers, Elmo got a steak.
So tonight, while hoards walked the Fairgrounds, across the street in a parking lot we sat together: farmers from Ottertail County wearing matching t-shirts, a few State Fair employees from the city, and Elmo. Glowing in the love.
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Teri, I love hearing about Elmo (#55) and his birthday celebration with the farmers of Ottertail County. Now that’s one of the “real” stories behind the MN State Fair. That of relationships between the farm families that attend year after year, and the people working at the Fair. Really touching. Grateful for your check-in’s from behind-the-scenes. Very rich. I imagine you will be another one of the Fair workers remembered over time.
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With any luck, tomorrow I will have time to officially begin documenting stories of people at the Fair: more Elmo-like stories. I’ve got new batteries in my digital camera and recorder, and my laptop is juiced up and ready to go.
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Elmo! What a touching fair story! Can’t wait to hear some more like it! D
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Teri, me, too. I’m with diddy. Would love to hear more about your Fair stories (#57). I’m thinking about you today at the MN State Fair, documenting the “stories behind the stories.” Sounds like you’ve got all your tools ready to go and charged.
I’m at the studio today. And I was telling a friend on Sunday, that she needed to get a voice recorder for her coming trip to the country, Colombia in January 2009. I have found mine to be an invaluable tool for a writer out there in the field.
You have the insider edge, insights, and means to really document some of this invaluable Fair history so these stories aren’t lost. And that’s part of what writers do! It’s beautiful today, perfect Fair weather. I hope it holds until Wednesday when Liz and I will be at the Fair. 8)
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Hey, we’re off to the MN State Fair this afternoon. I’ve got all these great foods I want to try highlighted. I’ll report in later when I get a chance. Hmmm. HUNGRY!
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QM, Have a great time! Can’t wait to read all about the goings on there & of course the food! D
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Hi all! Liz and I survived the Fair yesterday. It was delightful, even though we had a little rain during the Gnarls Barkley Grandstand show, it still rocked! We visited many of the historic areas and exhibits. And watched the State Fair parade with our friend.
But we ran out of time and didn’t make it to all the exotic foods on a stick we wanted to eat (we did get photos of the ones we did). We are thinking of going back on Friday to lounge around and take our time, grazing through the different food stands and barns.
I’ve never been to the Fair more than once in one year. But this year, I’m tempted! I did hear one man say he was on his 4th day at the Fair. Wow. More over the coming days!
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BTW, these tater tots on-a-stick were really good! And come with their own dipping sauce!
Deep Fried Tater Tots on-a-stick (tater tots made with hashbrowns, cheese, bacon, onions and sour cream deep-fried)
@Axel’s, located on the southeast corner of the Food Building
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QM – you reminded me. When I was in my early grade school years, by grandparents would go to the State fair in Springfield (Illinois) every summer. I think it was a 10 day fair.
I always begged to go with them – they always kindly refused. But their reasoning made a lot of sense to me, and though I was sad, I did understand. They, BTW, had a small 1960 Ford.
And so my grandmother explained: “Grandpa sleeps in the front seat. I sleep in the back seat. And all the food and clothes are in the trunk. You would have to sleep UNDER the car!”
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[…] -related to post: haiku (one-a-day), MN State Fair On-A-Stick (Happy B’Day MN!) […]
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Bo, that’s quite a story. Did they go to the Springfield Fair for the whole 10 days? Those are some small quarters for sleeping. They must have loved it. So sad they couldn’t take you though. Did they ever tell you what it was like? I think your memory would make the beginning of a great fiction story. The whole things unfolding with what they experienced once they were there. Or maybe it’s non-fiction and part of your memoir.
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QM,
A second day at the Fair for you, hmmmm? Liz must be thrilled that you’re even considering it. How could she lure you in?
Tomorrow will be my one and only day to attend the Fair as a “normal” citizen. I’m going with my niece, and we’ll be finishing off our night at the Grandstand show: Garrison Keillor and the live broadcast of a Prairie Home Companion. I’ve been to lots of concerts at the Grandstand over the years, and I think I’m more excited to see PHC than Bonnie Raitt, Lyle Lovett, or B.B. King! And they were sensational!
Did you get to the Fine Arts Show?
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Teri, I think you’ll have a great time at the Prairie Home Companion Show. Some day I want to go to one. Still haven’t seen one in person.
Hmmm. How DID Liz lure me back for another day?! Part of the reason we want to go back is because we didn’t get to see everything we wanted to. We never made it to the Fine Arts show. Though we did go to see the Crop Art and Linda Paulsen, daughter of the famous Crop artist, Lillian Colton, was there doing her art. It was really amazing to see. And she talked about the history of Crop Art. Liz got some of it on video. Really cool.
Anyway, we ran out of time before we had to head over to Gnarls Barkley. So we are considering heading back tomorrow after work. Not for sure yet, but leaning that way. We’ll keep you posted. If we do go, we should meet up for an ice cream cone with you and super niece. That might be fun. Hope the weather holds out for tomorrow. I’m glad you get one day at the Fair as a normal person. 8)
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[…] to posts: haiku (one-a-day), MN State Fair On-A-Stick (Happy B’Day MN!), MN State Fair On-A-Stick, Blogger In Vietnam — Is Speaking Your Mind So […]
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QM – yes, they would leave the night before the fair opened and come home the day after it closed – so they stayed 12 days in all. I lived with my grandparents (and great-grandmother) and missed them terribly while I envisioned them seeing everything I wanted to be seeing.
My grandfather was a farm boy and a vegetable truck farmer, so they would explore each and every livestock barn and harvest tent. My grandmother was a seamstress (her stay-at-home job) and baker, so they would do all the 4-H areas. She always entered her strawberry jam, canned ham and green beans, and in her younger days, a stylish suit or dress she designed and sewed. She amassed probably 80 ribbons in her decades of state fair visits. I used to play with the different colored ribbons. Of course, the blue were my favorite!
Wish I had either of them still around. An interview would be the icing on the cake for that kind of story. Another lesson on getting material while you can. You are very wise, QM, to be doing your research while the people are still available to you.
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Bo, those are amazing memories. It sounds like you remember tons of details, way enough to write your story. The rest you will fill in with your imagination and your own entry into their story. I think that’s the way writers preserve and document history. Even the history that may not want to be told. Just start writing all this down. I believe it will take you where you need to go.
Your grandmother sounds like quite the woman. I love all her ribbons from the Fair. What happened to them? Did someone save them? When Liz and I were walking about the Bailey House at the MN State Fair, there was an original ribbon hanging on one of the walls. And it was kind of like a cloth banner, quite an eloquent ribbon. It would be interesting to research the history of ribbon giving at fairs. There is so much to write about, so little time!
Hey, you know what else was kind of cool at the Bailey House — they had two computers set up where they were collecting State Fair stories. You could sit down and type in your stories of the Fair. I thought it was a great idea. It was kind of quiet when you entered the house and out of the hubbub of the rest of the Fair. It’s one of the last original houses left on the Fairgrounds. Teri, probably knows more about the history, but that’s what I know. Bo, your Fair story made me think of that.
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The Bailey House was occupied for years by the Greenhouse Superintendent. You’ll notice all the greenhouses are behind the big yellow house. The second floor of the newly-renovated Bailey House houses the offices of the Minnesota State Fair Foundation–the group dedicated to preserving the history of the Fair. It’s a very appropriate group to work in the house!
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Teri, I didn’t know those were offices in the Bailey House for the MN State Fair Foundation. Very appropriate. There is a quiet sense of calm inside, kind of like stepping back in history. I like all the history and old black and white photos of the MN State Fair in past years, too, and the history of Bailey himself in the hallway.
You know those really long black and white photographs of the Grandstand and the Christian Science Reading Room and the Pioneer Cabin are really cool, too. And you can walk right by those places again in 2008. Amazing, when you think about it.
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Hey, Ya’ll, well we just decided and we are heading back to the MN State Fair for Round Two. It won’t be as long as Wednesday. But, for sure, it will be more crowded. The weather is PERFECT FAIR WEATHER. Will check in when we return. Wagons Ho!
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Just returning from day 9 of the Minnesota State Fair. I got to hear Al Franken speak (I shook his hand and told him I hoped he’d win), had another blackberry sundae in the dairy building, and listened to Garrison Keillor and the news from Lake Wobegon. Since the Republican National Convention begins on Monday in St. Paul (and since Garrison is a Democrat in every cell of his body), he couldn’t resist a few John McCain skits.
I’ll be back to work tomorrow–three more days and then we’ll all collapse on Tuesday.
How was Day 2, QM?
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Teri, sounds like you had a great time and a full evening. Was beautiful at the Fair last night (and another gorgeous day today for all the Fair-goers out there). They had already closed off some of the roads in St. Paul for the RNC. But we made our way around. (Did you hear about that St. Paul police raid on some peaceful protesters?)
Last night, we went back to the Fair with some friends and ate our way through many more foods on-a-stick. We did get to some of the art and education buildings and generally walked around enjoying the evening. At the end, we walked down the Midway and took nightshots of the sky and lights. It was really bustling down there. Lots of crazy energy!
Dead tired today, but I’m glad we went back. It was fun. Just a few more days for all of you working at the Fair. I was really watching all the vendors in those hot, stuffy booths, heating up with the deep fryers and serving to the 1000’s of people passing by. We had the fried fruit on-a-stick again. And ended with Hawaiian Ice. Hmmmm.
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[…] It’s Labor Day weekend and we’re recovering from our second day at the Minnesota State Fair. For me, the Fair is about photography, food, and history. On Wednesday, we checked out the State Fair and Sesquicentennial history exhibits and enjoyed a Gnarls Barkley con… […]
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Hey, ybonesy, I wanted to add one more thing to this post. Tell Jim he should enter his Man-Made Minty Grape Odd Pops On-a-Stick in the MN State Fair next year. I mean how can you go wrong with handgrown mint in your popsicles? He could do a slight variation and have a tasty treat for a new booth in 2009. Yum. 8) Is your freezer still stocked with Odd Pops?
Man-made Popsicles (aka Tales Of An Odd Pop) (LINK)
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Last night I attended the annual volunteer banquet at the Minnesota State Fair. For rolling posters and stuffing envelopes each summer for two hours, I get treated every Fall to a great lasagna dinner and door prizes (I won 10 State Fair postcards).
The speaker was the man who runs the *highly* successful Corn Roast booth. As it turns out, he wrote his master’s thesis about a fictitious enterprise at the State Fair that would sell cobs of corn roasted over an open flame. Three years after he completed his M.A. in business, he was accepted as a vendor to the Fair.
One of the questions during the Q & A was about his staff…how does he find so many good kids with good attitudes? His answer? He hires kids from his church youth group, and they can invite their friends to apply. His goes out of his way to over-staff so the kids gets lots of breaks from the heat of the flame. He said it keeps morale high. Isn’t that refreshing?
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Teri, how FUN! And you won 10 State Fair postcards? That rocks. Fascinating about the Corn Roast Booth and his master’s thesis. I never would have imagined. His story kind of reminds me of that photographer you covered and wrote a print story about (you know the one I mean? I can’t remember his name).
The Corn Roast Booth speaker sounds like a person that really cares about other people, especially about his employees. You just don’t see that as much these days. It’s good for the heart. His story also sounds like one of Providence and Faith. You know how much I like to write about that!
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Can someone please tell me how they make those wonderful cheese on a stick?
lmbennett1@hotmail.com
Thank you!!!!
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Lindsey, I have to say, I’m clueless. It seems to be an art form known only to the few who create these great food concoctions. 8)
Last night at poetry group, we were already talking about his year’s Minnesota State Fair. Last year was the state of MN’s 150th birthday. But this year is the MN State Fair’s 150th birthday!
One of our poetry group members works at the Fair. And did you know when the Fair started back in 1859 they used to sit in wooden chairs for the Grand Stand shows? A lot of history there — food and otherwise!
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I caught a glimpse of the new artwork for the 2009 Minnesota State Fair last week. For six years, a Minnesota artist has been commissioned to create a commemorative painting that’s turned into posters, mugs, etc. The painting hasn’t been officially unveiled to the general public yet…it’s a little perk I get for working there.
But I assure you…it’s is a winner.
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Teri, that’s great. Another Minnesota artist. Can’t wait to see/hear who it is. Already the Fair is gearing up for a good year! Keep us posted. When is the artist officially unveiled?
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The artwork is unveiled June 11th. Last year they served root beer floats at the event. Will I be there? Yes.
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Sounds fun, Teri. I think I remember you went last year and had a great time. I love having an insider at the MN State Fair!
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[…] MN State Fair On-A-Stick (Happy B’Day MN!) […]
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[…] my God, I thought. I’ve got to show these to the Queen of Foods on-a-Stick—my very own blog partner, QuoinMonkey! So here you go, QM. I’m hoping you can pass these […]
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I treated myself to F. Scott Fitzgerald’s poem “A Night at the Fair” today–15 pages of a young boy’s night in the midway, Grandstand, and Penny Arcade.
There’s quite a lot (in the poem) about his friends and him being in the Ye Old Mill ride. I’m quite thrilled to think of Fitz going through that water ride on one of the little boats, just as I have. By the way it’s described, I know he went on it. Even though I’ve seen his birthplace and a dozen other places of significance of his life in St. Paul, it’s Ye Old Mill that makes him seem a little like mine. Another Minnesotan.
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Teri, you make me want to read Fitzgerald’s “A Night at the Fair.” I think 15 pages seems doable. Where did you find it? A book or somewhere online? I was telling ybonesy at our last meeting that I had listened to an MPR segment on what gives us pleasure [LINK to Listen for those who are interested: Paul Bloom: Yale psychology professor and author of “How Pleasure Works: The New Science of why we Like What we Like.”] and one of the things the author talks about is that when objects or experiences or stories have history and meaning for us — i.e. imagining F. Scott Fitzgerald riding down Ye Old Mill at the Minnesota State Fair, the same way that we’ve ridden down Ye Old Mill — that brings us great pleasure. What brings pleasure is complex, but there were some simple truths he mentioned that stuck with me. Another was that romance builds when we stay with another person for a long time. However, for men, it’s different with sex. New partners bring more pleasure (at least, that’s what I took away from the discussion). Don’t quote me. Listen for yourself if interested!
Teri, I always appreciate your comments leading up to the Fair. Any new trivia this year? I’ve been debating which aspect to concentrate on when I do my post. I’ve written a lot of history on red Ravine about the MN State Fair. I’m tempted to take a different angle. Maybe reading Scott’s poem is just the ticket.
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Quoin,
I Googled the poem’s title+ Fitz’s name. It’s not the top entry; I had to scroll through quite a few to find the actual poem. I downloaded it, and read most of it slowly and out loud.
Yes! Fitz and the Fair! I like it, especially since you’ve just been on the walking tour.
When you’re on the Ye Old Mill ride, the bumping of the boats against the wall or other boats is a deep sensation. Fitz talks about that. That’s what got to me. *He felt this, too.* I will go on the ride again this year, just to feel it.
The new thing at the Fair that I most anticipate is that we are having an author-in-residence for the first time. Debra Frasier has written a new book about the Fair, and she’s going to be camping in our campground and doing daily book signings. I’ve gotten to talk to her many times. I’ll meet her today when she brings her camper in.
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Teri, I just read Fitzgerald’s A Night at the Fair. I can feel his footsteps pattering down the Midway. I like knowing that history, a connection to a local writer. I am also looking forward to Debra Frasier. I marked it in our calendars to go and see her at one of her daily book signings when I’m at the Fair next week. I can’t wait to see her book and possibly talk to her a bit about it. I’m looking forward to our two days at the Fair next weekend. (I’m squirreling away time alone so I can actually handle the crowds over two days! Not easy for such an introvert!) I should be finishing up my annual MN State Fair post later today. It’s getting me in the mood for FAIR!
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If you feel like it, when you talk to Debra you can tell her you are a friend of Teri-In-The-Campground. You’ll get extra attention.
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QM,
I’m interested how the Midway section of “Night at the Fair” struck you. For me it was all Ye Old Mill.
The Fair isn’t an easy place for an introvert. When I walk on the fairgrounds, I keep my eyes downward to limit the stimulation.
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[…] Kay of the Milky Way (and the Butter Queens), Minnesota State Fair poster artists, the history of Fairborne and Fairchild, and the tradition of Tom Thumb […]
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[…] to these post with tons of history about the MN State Fair: MN State Fair On-A-Stick, MN State Fair On-A-Stick (Happy B’Day MN!), On-The-Go List Of Must-Haves (MN State Fair), Nightshot – Carousel, MN State Fair On-A-Stick II […]
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[…] has carved their likenesses out of butter); Minnesota State Fair poster artists; mascots Fairborne and Fairchild; and the tradition of Tom Thumb Donuts. To change it up this year, I’m going to focus on the […]
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