Ah, the twelve days leading up to Labor Day: A magical time when Minnesotans drop everything and flock to St. Paul in droves for limitless food, drink, farm, and excitement.
Nothing beats the smell of fried food in the morning.
Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the Minnesota State Fair.
In Minnesota, the State Fair is THE event of the year. Businesses eagerly await the captive audience the fair promises to attract, food vendors prep 24/7 to create a new, one-of-a-kind fair offering, and the local news even broadcasts from the fairgrounds daily. Indeed, the Minnesota State Fair isn’t so much an event as it is an experience, a cultural phenomenon so heavily woven into the fabric of our state that it is impossible to tell where one ends and the other begins. Visit the Fair, and you will encounter a cross-section of everything Minnesota has to offer: Savory food, a vibrant craft beer scene, an innovative agricultural presence, and a diverse, welcoming group of people who want nothing more than to come together to celebrate it all.
Now impossibly popular, the Fair rose from humble origins. In 1854 the Minnesota Agricultural Society was founded with the objective of promoting state offerings by organizing an annual fair that would garner attention and generate revenue. As a result, Minneapolis welcomed the first fair one year later (1855). Notably, the Fair’s origins pre-date Minnesota’s statehood (1858), and, keeping up the tradition, the first Minnesota State Fair was held the summer of 1859.
Location was in flux during the Fair’s inaugural years: Locations varied from St. Paul to Rochester to Red Wing to Winona. However, in 1885 Ramsey County donated 210 acres so the Fair could have a permanent home in St. Paul. With newly permanent digs, the State Fair really began to thrive, rapidly expanding to take on a life of its own.
The country took notice, and Americans flocked to the Midwest to visit this rapidly expanding Midwest phenomenon. The Fair even hosted historical icons such as President Teddy Roosevelt—who gave his famous “Speak Softly and Carry a Big Stick” speech in 1901—and F. Scott Fitzgerald—who used the Fair as inspiration in his 1928 writing titled “A Night at the Fair[1].” To accommodate the attention, the original 210 acres has since expanded to 322 acres, allowing ample room for fun-seekers of all ages to get their fix and indulge in everything the Minnesota State Fair has to offer.
Popularity has only continued to grow with the arrival of new attractions, diverse food offerings, and an increasing focus on multiples forms of entertainment. Attendance reached an all-time single-day high in 2018 when 270,426 people converged on St. Paul. Stats have only continued to spike, and 2019 marks the all-time record for total Fair attendance with 2,126,551 people over the course of twelve days.
So what do 2,126,551 people do at the Fair? Well, for starters, they certainly know how to eat. According to findings released by CBS Minnesota, 2018’s Top 10 Bestselling Fair Foods certainly did some damage[2].
10. Giggles’ Campfire Grill (Home of the Duck Drummies): $555,611
9. Miller’s Flavored Cheese Curds: $613,449
8. Carousel Barbeque: $654,288
7. The Blue Barn: $687,610
6. Preferred Pickle: $750,937
5. Fresh French Fries: $1,022,857
4. The Corn Roast: 1,041,010
3. The Midwest Dairy Association’s All You Can Drink Milk Booth: $1,080,042
2. Mouth Trap Cheese Curds: $1,355,024
1. Sweet Martha’s Cookies: $4,734,587
That’s a lot of indigestion.
Clearly food is one of the Fair’s main attractions, and approximately 300 food concessions offer nearly 500 different mouth-watering options. So do I stuff myself with Sweet Martha’s Cookies, or nom down on cheese curds until I burst? With such a plethora of options, navigating the Fair’s culinary terrain is certainly daunting. Ask any experienced fair-goer, and they will tell you strategy is of the upmost importance if you are serious about maximizing your exposure and widening your Fair food palate. When in doubt, plan it out!
Last year Cam and I attended the Fair with no such plan in hand. Newly moved to Minnesota, we had experienced the hype and were ready to taste our own slice of State Fair madness. Blinded by our ambitions we attended the Fair assuming we would meander around until we stumbled upon something that tickled our taste buds. In this ignorantly misinformed fantasy we would make our selection and sidle up to a window free from lines and crowds, place our order, and then wait only a matter of seconds before leisurely enjoying the morsels at the spot of our choosing.
Really?
What a couple of sweet, sweet dumdums.
Not only was it difficult to navigate the wide array of indulgent options, but once we had made our selections the lines were ambiguously placed and impossibly long: The crowds were downright wicked[3]. Once[4] we had finally conquered the seemingly insuperable feat of acquiring our food it became painfully evident that finding a location to enjoy said food would be equally daunting and excruciatingly laborious. Needless to say, we had not planned for this.
Recovering from our scars, Cam and I promised each other 2019 would be different: Not only would we have a plan, but our plan would consist “of such stuff as dreams are made on”[5] and would thus yield unfathomable State Fair success.
While our plan certainly didn’t live up to our unreasonably lofty expectations, we did fare pretty well[6]. Inspired by our successes and buoyed by our planning-high, I thought I would compile a list of recommendations intended to maximize Fair day. While these observations aren’t inherently revolutionary, they certainly made for a more enjoyable 2019 Fair experience.
8 Tips for the Minnesota State Fair:
1. Arrive early: I cannot stress this enough. There is a certain bliss that comes with navigating the fairgrounds when there aren’t a billion and a half people breathing down your neck. While the Fair technically opens daily at 6:00AM, most shops, attractions, and food vendors don’t get going until 9:00AM. Still sore from 2018’s mistakes, this year Cam and I arrived at 9:00AM on the dot. We had the opportunity to revel in our well-caffeinated good decisions and casually peruse the fairgrounds before the exponentially evolving crowd threatened to swallow us whole.
Don’t believe me? Check out these “before” and “after” photos for yourself and program your alarm clocks accordingly: You won’t be sorry.
2. Scope out food offerings and create your gastronomical plan of attack: In this technologically nimble day and age it is easy to do some quick preliminary food research and sift out the “OMG! this is delicious” from the “Meh!”. Cam and I utilized local resources like Mpls.St.Paul Magazine, City Pages, and Kare 11 to craft our list of must-do food stops. We culled through what others had sampled before us to create a plan of attack on Google Docs that we could easily access in case of Fair emergency.
While we didn’t make it to every location, we navigated the Fair with confidence and ease, knowing we could successfully locate delicious finds as soon as our stomachs began to rumble. Here’s what we were able to drum up:
Food![7]
-Blueberry Key Lime Pie & Lavender Lemonade (Farmer’s Union Coffee Shop, North side of Dan Patch Ave)
-Grilled Sota Sandwich (Brim, North End)
-Dole Whip (Dole Whip, on Carnes Avenue, between Liggett Street and Nelson Street, in front of the DNR Building)
-First Kiss apple (Agriculture/Horticulture building)
For Cam[8]
-The Hot Hen (RC’s BBQ, located east of West End Market, top of Adventure Park)
-Cuban Fusion Fajita (Juanitia’s located in front of the Grandstand)
-Turkish Pizza (Blue Moon, located at the NE corner of Carnes Ave. & Chambers St)
-BF: Tacos Al Pastor (Manny’s Tortas, located in the Food Building, at the east wall)
-Breakfast Potato Skins (The Blue Barn, located at West End Market, center section)
3. Prepare to be flexible: Maximizing your State Fair fun involves a naturally ability to go with the flow and adapt to the unexpected. Do this, and you might even stand tobesurprised.com. For example, while I might not typically plan to eat a Dole Whip at 9:30AM, if I am in front of a line-free Dole Whip stand at this uncharacteristically dessert-early hour, then I need to adopt a carpe diem mentality and seize the freeze[9]!
If you allow yourself to stray from the trodden turf you just might encounter the unexpected, as is what occurred when Cam and I sacrificed food to encounter a LLBean pop-up shop. We also had a delightful opportunity to meet Rumor, winner of the illustrious “Best In Show” title at the 2017 Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show.
4. Indulge in a University of Minnesota apple: The University of Minnesota knows its fruit. In fact, the U is famous for developing a variety of apple types, including the world-famous Honeycrisp. While Honeycrisp is certainly the star of the show, the State Fair is a great place to learn more about Minnesota’s local offerings, including Beacon, Zestar!, and Sweet Sixteen.
The Fair has long served as the perfect place to introduce new apple varieties, and this year’s focus was the University of Minnesota’s “First Kiss,” an extremely juicy, crisp balance of tart and sweet flavor. Because we failed to sample apples last year, we made a point of rectifying our mistake. While State Fair apple-tasting certainly isn’t cheap—$3 per apple is certainly a steep premium—we enjoyed the opportunity to savor a new type of fruit. In fact, as we made our way to the car we even agreed that our “First Kiss(es)” were the tastiest morsels we had all day!
5. Bring a snack[10]: Okay, you may be booing and shaking your head at me for this, but it never hurts to be prepared. Fair days can be notoriously lengthy, and sometimes it’s nice to get a quick, healthy refuel without busting your gut or breaking the bank. I carried a bag of trail mix in my fanny pack throughout the day[11] and was able to conveniently reach for a little nutty revival whenever I was starting to feel hangry and didn’t want to give myself over to the grease.
6. Find a place to escape the crowds: Everyone needs downtime, particularly when surrounded by thousands of people. Be strategic in planning periods of rest away from the hustle and bustle of the bloodthirsty beer-thirsty crowds by finding locations that stray from the road most traveled. One particularly great place to crash is the Lee & Rose Warner Coliseum, which houses day-long events, ample seating, and dim lighting perfect for taking a well-timed nap. Cam and I even stumbled upon a youth barrel racing competition while seeking respite in the Coliseum, and we thoroughly enjoyed watching the riders whip around tight turns from the comfort of shaded, crowd-free seating.
7. Formulate a rain contingency plan: When it rains it pours[12], so it is important to have a back up plan. Luckily, we packed ponchos[13], so we were able to agilely respond to unexpected shifts in weather. Ponchos aside, it rained pretty hard, so we decided to table our plans and spend time indoors. As a result, we had the unexpected opportunity to explore the Department of Natural Resources exhibit where we encountered native fish and even received free swag. Not too shabby for a rainy day!
8. Create a budget…and stick to it!: The State Fair can quickly become a financial black hole, but only if you let it! One of the beautiful aspects about having a plan in place includes having a budget in place to go with it. Cam and I wanted to be thrifty, and we planned on making it through the day on $50. Having mapped out our food vendors of choice, we said “yes” when our stomachs and wallets allowed and “no” when they didn’t. It honestly made for a more concentrated, enjoyable food-tasting experience, as we were able to really savor and appreciate the food we decided to sample. All in all, we made it through the day below budget, spending $45 (including price of entrance)[14] sampling chicken on a stick, a breakfast potato skin, a Dole Whip, a grilled “Sot” sandwich, and beer. Yum!
I considered creating a list of things to avoid at the Fair but decided against it. Life is too short to focus on the negatives: Do what you want! That said, do be mindful of your choices and make decisions based on your actual preferences[15]. For example, I personally don’t have a taste for cotton candy beer, and the “Cotton Candy Cream Ale” that made 2019’s tap list sounded like something out of a personal nightmare[16]. But, if Cotton Candy Cream Ale is the beer you have been waiting your whole life to try, then, by all means, go for it! You do you! That feeling of unfettered freedom is part of the Fair’s fun, after all.
_________
It shouldn’t go unmentioned that Minnesotans affectionately refer to the State Fair as the “Great Minnesota Get-Together.” And for good reason: The Fair’s diverse offerings cater to all demographics, whether young or old, rich or poor, Twin Cities urban or Northwood recluse. This colorful cross-section comes together to form a plurality of backgrounds and perspectives that ultimately shape and define our state.
The State Fair is a unifying shared experience everyone can partake in regardless of background, opinion, or bad taste in beer: No wonder it has exploded into a cultural phenomenon. So raise your fried pickles, cheese curds, and pronto pups: Because that is certainly something worth celebrating.
Only 356 days, 11 hours, and 20 minutes to go[17].
[1] “The two cities were separated only by a thin well-bridged river; their tails curling over the banks met and mingled, and at the juncture, under the jealous eye of each, lay, every fall, the State Fair. Because of this advantageous position, and because of the agricultural eminence of the state, the fair was one of the most magnificent in America. There were immense exhibits of grain, livestock and farming machinery; there were horse races and automobile races and, lately, aeroplanes that really left the ground; there was a tumultuous Midway with Coney Island thrillers to whirl you through space, and a whining, tinkling hoochie-coochie show. As a compromise between the serious and the trivial, a grand exhibition of fireworks, culminating in a representation of the Battle of Gettysburg, took place in the Grand Concourse every night.” What a great opening paragraph.
[2] Stats reflect total gross revenue before expenses.
[3] Waiting in a steaming mass of sweaty, hangry bodies, I now fully understand the true definition of “cruel and unusual punishment.”
[4] In the words of Spongebob, “Threeeee hoursss laterrrr…”
[5] Prospero’s words certainly rang true as we fought to avoid reliving our own personal version of The Tempest.
[6] See what I did there?
[7] What a great title for this list. Notice the exclamation point: Isn’t my enthusiasm palpable?!
[8] Because vegetarian haters gunna hate.
[9] Doubling back on our initial route and witnessing the line later (read: At a more traditionally dessert-appropriate hour) only affirmed this flexible decision making.
[10] Notice the last several “Do’s” have all been food-centered. What can I say, I know what motivates me!
[11] Yeah. That happened. What of it?
[12] …and opens doors and floods the floors we thought would always keep us safe and dry. Next time, “When I Look To The Sky” and see storm crowds a-brewing, I’m going to take my own advice and head to the DNR exhibit sooner rather than later!
[13] Another win for the fanny pack!
[14] It certainly helps when your boyfriend earns free admission for volunteering!
[15] As opposed to some crazy, alternate-reality Fair fantasy world in which you convince yourself “I could like that food,” even when we all know you most certainly could never and will never like that food.
[16] I think I just threw up in my mouth a little bit. What an artificially disastrous blending of flavors. Those poor, poor hops never stood a chance.
[17] The The Minnesota State Fair’s Website features a live countdown that faithfully ticks away the days, hours, and minutes until you can enjoy your next round of Sweet Martha’s Cookies. Buckle up for another cold winter as you wistfully dream of fried foods to come!
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