For anyone unfamiliar with the Minnesota State Fair, it’s their annual fair that runs for 12 days at the end of August and is filled with rides, farm animals, agriculture and of course, food. But unlike most state fairs, the food at the Minnesota State Fair goes above and beyond corndog and cheese curds (although you can still find those there too).
Starting in 1859, the Great Minnesota Get Together has been held every year since (with only 5 exceptions) and sits on a 320-acre permanent grounds. Outside of the fair’s reputation for food, it has also gained a reputation for being the biggest fair event in the country. This year, the fair set new attendance records of nearly 2 million people…. yes, 2 million people who attend a state fair which is more than a third of the state’s population. And while dealing with crowds of 187,000 might not seem worth it, the state fair and its food is truly an event that brings together the community, family and friends, and makes it all worth it.
In a world where we’re inundated with the seriousness of food… organic, food safety, no-carb, gluten-free, dairy-free, and so on, we sometimes forget that food doesn’t always have to be so serious. Which is exactly what the fair does, and why I love it attending it each year. And even though fresh produce has been making a small appearance on the fairgrounds as a food option over the past few year (backed by bigger names like Stemilt this year who have recognized the power of the state fair), over-the-top, outrageous and definitely not healthy foods are what make this fair the event it is and give it.
Mini Sconuts (donut holes made with scone batter)
Brown Ale, Gouda and Caramelized Onions Hand Pie
Every year, food vendors who wait years to get a spot and chance at the fair, publish their new food items a few months before the fair, which becomes the biggest thing to talk about in Minnesota during the summer…it even makes national online media platforms now. For myself, it involves reviewing the list, see what everyone is getting excited about and then planning out which items we’re going to hunt down and try. And I know I am not alone.
Wild Bill’s Breakfast Bake (corn tortillas, scrambled eggs, lettuce, cotija cheese and pickled onions) paired with Caramel Apple Cider Beer.
Each year, the vendors try to become even more creative and innovative than previous years with their new foods with hopes of becoming the “it” item that people wait 45 minutes in line for (this is no joke). This year, some of the new foods included:
- Bacon Fluffernutter (grilled cinnamon bun sandwich with a bacon, peanut butter and marshmallow cream filling)
- Chocolate Popover with Peanut Butter Spread
- Duck Bacon Wontons
- Memphis Totchos (sliced bananas and sautéed bacon over tater tots and topped with peanut sauce)
- Pizzarito
- Sweet Corn Blueberry Éclair
- Pickle Beer
As you can see, these are not your typical fair foods…. I like to think of it as foodie meets dive bar. Which is why people such as Andrew Zimmerman and even Paula Deen were some of this year’s big name visitors.
Minnesota Sparkling Wine Poured Over Cotton Candy
My Fair Favorite: Garlic Fries and Mini Donut Beer
Along with these outrageous new items, there’s always a place for classic foods that all kids and adults love, like ice cream, all you can drink milk, French fries and corn on the cob. In fact, one of the most successful vendors at the fair is Sweet Martha’s Cookies. Starting with just a small booth 39 years ago, Sweet Martha’s, which only sells warm chocolate chip cookies, has now become the powerhouse of the state fair – 5 permanent booth spaces, over 300 employees who help make 3 million cookies a day (yes, PER DAY) earns up to $4 million in the 12 days. All by selling small, warm chocolate chip cookies.
So to me, while the fair is a fun excuse to spend the day eating outrageous foods with friends and family, it’s truly a unique and powerful example of how food, even if it is deep fried candy bars, can bring people together.
