MN State Fair Sneak Preview

MN STATE FAIR  |   AUGUST 21-SEPTEMBER 1, 2014

There are very few activities on earth that I look forward to as much as the Minnesota State Fair. No really, it can only be topped by my kid’s birthday parties, sun-centric vacations, the Academy Awards, and Christmas. This week, I got a taste of that Christmas Eve fever when I attended a State Fair sneak peek event with my blogger buddies to get a sampling of new foods and see first-hand some of the fresh, imaginative exhibits. So, donning an empty stomach and a waist-free dress (What? It’s more discreet than my Thanksgiving sweats!), I excitedly dug right in.

In this blog post, I am giving away two admissions to the Minnesota State Fair PLUS two tickets to the Grandstand show, A Prairie Home Companion with Garrison Keillor, on Friday, August 29 at 7:45pm. These tickets were awarded to me at no cost at the MN blogger event I attended. Details for entry are at the bottom of this post.  UDATE: CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR GIVEAWAY WINNER: LINDSEY S.

Here is a quick breakdown of my three personal food faves making their inaugural debut in a couple short weeks.

Deep Fried Lobster-on-a-Stick
Canadian lobster in a deep fried corn batter with a spiced dipping sauce sounds unpleasant to a non-lobster lover like myself. Did I try it? Yes. Did it quickly become my favorite food on the planet? Yes. Maybe I should practice what I preach to my kids and try new foods more often. This stuff is a can’t-miss!

Find it at LuLu’s Public House located next to Schilling Amphitheater at the West End Market.

Pizza Tots
Take a meat pizza, throw some hash browns on top, then roll it up into a ball and deep fry it. There you have it! Pizza tots (although the Green Mill has done this in a much more professional and delicious manner). The combination of sausage, pepperoni, mozzarella cheese, hash browns, seasonings and a marinara side earns this one a very worthy spot in your stomach on an otherwise overcrowded day.

Find them at Green Mill located west of the Family Fair Stage in Baldwin Park.

PB&J French Toast
I have always been a firm believer in “Martha’s-Cookies-first-followed-by-MouthTrap-cheese-curds,” but I think the Robbinsdale OES Dining Hall may have swayed my tradition a different direction. This dish is simply peanut butter and jelly on Texas toast dipped in french toast batter and served with syrup, but holy heavenly sweetness – it’s incredible! It will be my breakfast on fair day. Then I shall spend the next 360+ days trying to perfect the art of making it at home because it’s JUST. THAT. GOOD.

Find it at Robbinsdale OES Dining Hall located on Underwood St. next to FAN Central.

While we can all probably agree I’m not a “foodie” blogger – though I did very much enjoy sampling those drool-worthy masterpieces – I was very excited to get to the portion of the event regarding family-friendly activities. Of course, there are the classic kid activities (Kidway, Adventure Park, carnival games, the animal barns), but here are some additional ideas that could make for a good time.

Discounts: August 25 and September 1 are “Kids Days” where ages 5-12 get in for only $8.

Sky Ride: My kid’s favorite thing to do all day is the Sky Ride. It’s not the cheapest mode of transportation around the fair ($4 one way; $6 round trip), but the POV from your seat flying high above the crowds really can’t be beat.

Butterfly House: It’s not free, but it IS pretty unique. For $3/person, you can walk around this netted building with hundreds of butterflies. They land on your clothes, fingers and head, so make sure your kids aren’t bug-phobic…and bring your camera.

Horse Barn: EquiMania in the Horse Barn is ideal for every kid who has an interest in the veterinarian field, or who has ever wanted to own a pony. Full-size skeletons, dental tools, and tail-braiding, plus some education on rider safety and careers, are offered at EquiMania.

Little Farm Hands: One of my favorite free activities for little kids (ages 2-10) is Little Farm Hands on Machinery Hill. Wee farmers use their imagination to help with farm chores, collect eggs, harvest crops, milk cows and ride tractors.

Alphabet Forest: Alphabet Forest is fun area for letter-learners and new readers. Daily in Baldwin Park, meet authors, create and capture words for photo opps, and play alphabet and spelling games.

STEM Day at the Fair: Bring your science, tech, engineering or math genius to the fair August 21 for STEM Day, where they can help design rocket parts, zoo exhibits, or futuristic cities and explore pollution, light travel, and robots through hands-on, interactive activities. Sounds way over the head of this art major, but more power to all the little smarty pants out there!

Haunted Mansion: Located directly inside Gate 7, this mansion is the perfect place to take your teen. Seriously, for $4, you can just sit back and watch them try to keep their cool while getting scared out of their minds!

The Giant Slide: Just do it. $2 for a guaranteed smile.

Regular admission to the fair ranges from $11-13 (but discounted tickets can be purchased from Cub Foods), but other than the cost of food, you can have a relatively cheap day if you decide to go that route. Here are some fun, frugaltastic ideas.

Parking: Jump on the bandwagon and take a Park and Ride bus to the fairgrounds. 50% of fairgoers use metro transit and it really couldn’t be any easier. Click here to figure out your mode of transportation.

Mobile App: The State Fair App costs nothing and is intuitive to use. Makes for a nice way to flag all your favorites before heading out the door so you can make sure you don’t miss a thing! Download: ANDROID MARKET or iPHONE APP STORE 

Watch the Talent Show: I’ve found this to be one of my highlights over the years. Every night of the fair, Minnesotans of all skill levels compete in the Leinie Lodge Talent Show at 6pm. The finale is Sunday night, August 31 in the Grandstand, and it’s free and amazing! We are one talented state.

Laugh at Lumberjacks: The thrice-daily Lumberjack Show is a comedic blend of adventurism, athleticism and education. Located at the North Woods Stage. 

NEW! Visit the Common Table: In the Agriculture/Horticulture building stands a brand new, creative exhibit called The Common Table. It’s a beautiful walk-through display meant to help answer the question, “What is a sustainable, community-based food system, and how do we create one?” While in the Ag/Hort building, create seeded Crop Art and check out The Dirt.

Extreme Canine Stunt Dog Show: Watch a free, live show where a dozen rescue pups (some available for adoption) show off their skills as the human entertainers create an interactive audience experience using frisbees, juggling, and just plain ol’ comedy.

The Bee Beard: Join the Fair beekeeper for a live Bee Beard demonstration, taking place August 27 at 1pm. when 10,000 honeybees gather around some poor sucker’s neck and chin, creating a literal beard of bees. I’ll watch from behind the screen, but kids eat this demonstration up!

Giant Sandbox: Kids can dig, scoop, pour and burrow their toes in a sandbox made just for them. Located east of the Family Fair Stage in Baldwin Park.

Stay for the Fireworks: If your kiddos have it in ’em, stick around for the nightly fireworks display, usually between 10-11pm, weather permitting.

On my drive out of the fairgrounds that day, I passed Martha’s Cookies, the Homemade French Fry stand and the River Raft Ride. Just as I have felt every year come mid-August, I became abnormally pumped to take my children on our annual tradition. There are TONS of adventures to find with your kids at the State Fair. Though the idea of lugging a stroller through the busy grounds may seem daunting, I promise you…the memories will be worth it.

Drumroll please… it’s GIVEAWAY TIME!

Enjoy a full day at the fair with TWO admission passes and TWO tickets to A Prairie Home Companion with Garrison Keillor at the Grandstand on Friday, August 29 at 7:45pm. To enter to win this ticket package, simply comment below with YOUR FAVORITE FAMILY-FRIENDLY FOOD or ACTIVITY at the MN State Fair.

Contest ends Sunday, August 17 at 8pm CST.

Be sure to check out the other bloggers’ posts covering the State Fair. They are a diverse, amusing and talented group of women whom I feel fortunate to have met:

• Dining With Alice
• Eating The Minneapple
• Muddy Flowers
• Nellie Bellie
• A Farm Girl’s Dabbles
• Simplicity In The Suburbs
• Why I Left My Job
• These Little Waves
• Toys In The Dryer
• Family Fun Twin Cities
• Bump Club Twin Cities
• Baby Savers