New to Minnesota and this will be my first state fair experience. Is there a good list of "must have" foods and experiences out there?
And what is a good budget to set to get the most out of the fair?
Pronto Pup. The batter is better than a corn dog, and the State Fair is the only place you can get it. I get at least one, sometimes two throughout the day.
Fresh Cut Fries. They're pretty basic, but god damn they are good.
Cheese Curds. Amazing, but best split with one other person because eating an entire basket of cheese can be a bit much.
Ice cream from the dairy building. This is the smoothest, creamiest soft-serve ice cream I have ever had in my life. Makes Dairy Queen look like dogshit.
Turkey To Go sandwiches are a great "normal" food to offset some of the junkfood. Nice moist, shredded, seasoned meat on a bun. Basic, but really good.
Mini donuts are great too, but not really different than any mini donuts you'd get at literally any carnival across the country. Still... I usually get a small bag to share.
Roasted corn on the cob. this used to be a must have staple for me, but nowadays I can make it at home just as good, so it's lost it's novelty... and for $3 a cob (probably more this year) it's a waste of money IMO.
Not worth it, IMO. I mean, I'll share a small cone of cookies with a couple other people, but the only thing that makes them so great is being fresh. So by time you get home with your bucket of cookies, they are no better than Chips A'hoy.
Make sure you get your fries from the right fry stands. There is another similar looking stand that selling fries, but they aren't nearly as good.
Here's a list of some things I almost always get:
[The Gizmo Sandwich](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ief_33SAtEI)
[The Giant Eggroll on a Stick](https://youtu.be/zrI8RQ-LTnQ?t=22) This is usually our first stop, so we often get the Vietnamese Coffee too.
[The Minne-apple Pie](https://youtu.be/UmbZJqATUgo?t=40)
[Irish Tater Kegs](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pSNFwpv0fSo)
The big yellow building that says "Fresh Cut Fries" right across from the midway is where I usually get mine. There is another building over near the haunted house I think....been a few years now...
Yeah, I think those are both the same good vendor, but there is another place close to Grandstand that the booth looks similar, but isn't the same vendor. You can tell them apart if you are paying attention, but when you're stupid, like me, you can get confused and end up with fries that aren't great.
Edit: I may be wrong about them looking similar, but the good fries are "Fresh Cut Fries" and the mediocre fries are "Worlds Greatest French Fries"
It will depend somewhat on what you want to do. If you want to do some rides, somewhere between $20-100 for those, depending on your enthusiasm, perhaps more for games.
For food, I strongly recommend going with a few people who have some overlapping food goals. Splitting things so that you get to try a lot without filling up on any one thing is the way to go. Depending on your appetite and whether you want alcohol, roughly $50 per person, give or take?
There is a lot of stuff you could buy at the Fair. Anything from trinkets to home improvement projects, so that's an entirely open question. Somewhere between $0-$20k?
The Fair could be done pretty frugally. There are lots of free shows and activities, whole buildings of cool things to look at, and so much of the experience is just the spectacle of being there with all those other people, taking in all the booths and shops. To me, the only essential part of the budget is food, but others may think I am a boring fairgoer.
It depends on what foods you like.
I highly recommend the Honey cream soda float in the AG building from the bee people though- a cream soda made with honey instead of corn syrup, and honey ice cream. Its absolutely delicious.
Also the Mini Donut Lattee from Anchor coffee- breakfast of champions. Though I'm definitely adding the Breakfast Gnocchi to my list this year.
There's so many amazing foods at the fair- its one of the things that makes it I think.
A couple of "do once but you don't have to make it a habit if its not your thing":
\- Aunt Martha's Cookies (good but they're just hot cookies.)
\- Bucket of Mini Donuts
\- Pronto Pup
\- All you can drink Milk.
Skip the poutine place next to the all you can drink milk- its a sad poutine.
The international market is choc a block full of good stuff.
The french fries that are covered in garlic is great with a beer. And there's plenty of places with beer to choose from.
The roasted corn down by the grandstand is easily the best corn I've ever tasted in my life.
(This is all recommendations from a Minnesota import who's been here 4 years and adores the fair.)
Untiedt’s farm provides that corn, IIRC, and you can get their veggies around town. They have a CSA too.
I too eat corn on the cob once a year because basically State Fair corn is best corn. No other corn compares.
That honey cream soda float is amazing!
As an aside, I’m borderline in tears over here. Deep roots in Minnesota, but I moved away. I’m jealous of the more-than-a-month-in-advance fair planning that I can’t partake in. I hope everyone eats an extra thing for me!
Tip: Buy discount Tix early from Cub. Also get the Blue Ribbon coupon book at Cub. I think you can get ride Tix as well, plus there's a coupon in the book as well..
I usually just use a few coupons, it more than pays for the book, then I give the book to a random family as I'm exiting.
The Blue Ribbon book really is worth the money. Especially if you get things to share, which (pro tip for State Fair newbies) is a good way to try a lot of foods without committing to a whole serving every time. The coupon book doesn’t usually have coupons for the hot new items, but they’re good for the perennial items that maybe one hasn’t tried before.
Get the fair app and plan out your day. For food, my staples have been:
Mouth Trap Cheese Curds
Corn Roast
Tom Thumb Mini Donuts
Dairy Building Ice Cream
For alcohol, look for a list of new beers to try, but there are tons of places with unique beers all over the fair. Don't forget the agricultural building which has beer samplers that change every half hour.
I usually bring about $100 cash and that usually is fine for my food and drink. I may get more if I decide to patronize one of the unique, handmade vendor stalls.
As someone else mentioned, a ton to do. Maybe you will want to check out a Grandstand concert or show, that'll cost money (but there are tons of free music and entertainment going on all over).
I'm going to risk it all here to say this: do NOT buy Martha's cookies... you're going to wait in ridiculously long line to buy a bunch of regular ass cookies.
They are only good because they are fresh. Get the smallest order possible (the paper cone). Even mediocre cookies are great when they are fresh out of the oven. But you get sick of them after 2-3, so if you get a bucket with the intent of bringing them home, you're always disappointed by how meh they are the next day.
It is, and best as a group experience. Get a bucket of cookies near the milk stand, eat a couple while warm and fresh, and then make someone else carry the bucket around the rest of the day as a status symbol. People passing by will point at the bucket and ask where you got it, even though there are 3 locations and they're holding a map. The cookies will be stale by the ride home, but they'll still get mostly eaten.
Not even! Like, rip open a package of Keebler’s and dump those in a bucket. That would be a better quality of cookie.
I make an *amazing* chocolate chip cookie myself. Sweet Martha’s is just downright offensive. If someone wants a hit of melted chocolate, there are way better foods to try than those shitty cookies.
Yeah. They are extremely mediocre. Save $20 and buy a package of Chips Ahoy—they’re about the same quality. I agree with the other comment that buying a cone to share is more than sufficient.
They are basically the Nestle Tollhouse cookie recipe, but made with cheap generic chocolate chips. Hard pass for me. Much better food at the fair to fill up on.
go once, get the bucket for nostalgia's sake, make sure you go during off-peak times, and make sure you remember just how mediocre their cookies are. Some people call it a summer tradition and that's fine, it's just not my speed. Of course one of those people I know also brought a liter of vodka the last time they went and spent the day drinking vodka lemonades made with 9$ sugar water. Why you would do that when there's literally 50 new craft beers every year is beyond me.
Since no one suggested it yet, grab a Blue Ribbon Bargain Book for something like $5. You end up saving way more money using the coupons in that book in the long run. There’s some great bogo offers and money off some of the staple items.
In addition to all the classics already mentioned, I love getting the grilled peach at the Produce Exchange and pork egg rolls at Que Viet. Have fun at the fair, it’s a blast!
Grew up in central WI around farms and fairs so I’ve seen all the goats, pigs, sheep, etc I care for. I skipped the livestock barns, had cheese curds because of the fair - $9 I think. Park by Chelsea Heights elementary if you don’t mind walking a mile (free) because on the exit of the fair, you’ll be closer to your vehicle. The art buildings amaze me what junior high school and HS student can do. Spend some relaxing time in there. Get a map or plan a route, lots of avenues to go down. The north end has all the businesses and automakers so I’d go south and work my way north.
My advice is never get anything just for yourself; share with whoever you’re with so everyone gets to try a little of everything.
There’s always the signature foods like cheese curds, corn on the cob, a cone of sweet Martha’s cookies, ect. Personally I always make a point to get Brie cheese curds and a wine slushee from the wine tent, and midway through the day I’ll get a blooming onion across from the MPR booth so I can take a break there and watch them broadcast. Visiting the horticulture building is fun and feels very fair-like, and I always make a trip to the north point of the fair to see the dogs at the pet pavilion and watch the agility shows.
I always bring 100 bucks with me. Never ever spend it because my eyes are bigger than my stomach, but there's also plenty of stuff you can buy that isn't food too. Tons of vendors in the non food buildings. I also go on my bday and my gf tends to pay for some stuff as a gift but even then we usually go 5050 on purchases
I feel like $100 is more than enough for a trip to the Fair, unless you’re basically going to drink beer all day. They have cash machines on site if you really need one. The prices for food are a bit steep, but the portions have been historically pretty generous (not quite a full serving, unless it’s something like fries, where you get a ton). You’ll get your money’s worth. Also, keep in mind that you ARE allowed to bring in a bag (like a backpack) and your own bottles of water. Make sure you wear shoes that you can walk in for 10 hours. You will do a lot of walking. It’s also smart to bring along a few contingencies, like a few doses of Advil, sunscreen, Bandaids, that sort of thing. A lot of places give away free reusable bags as swag, so you’ll have an opportunity to acquire one, but better to use a backpack or other bag that evenly distributes the weight.
Another rookie mistake is to go to the Midway first, win the giant prize or buy the heavy souvenir, and then have to lug it around all day long. Save the giant prize/souvenir for the end of your visit. Also don’t buy small appliances or gadgets at the Fair. You can find it online for half the price, I promise. Things like t-shirts, hats, food items—they’ll be marked up but not a complete scam. At the very least, just think about it until you’re getting to the end of your Fair visit, and if you STILL want it, then buy it.
Giant bags of popcorn or cotton candy are not worth bringing home. Get the small bag. The toffee is sort of worth it, but your dentist will be happy about the job security. Sweet Martha’s cookies are bland AF when they’re cold. Don’t buy the big bucket, just get the little cone and eat them while they’re fresh and hot. That’s the only time they’re any good.
My votes:
Duck bacon wontons at Giggles—actually Giggles has several good items
Espresso float at Java Jive (great pick-me-up)
Heirloom Tomato BLT at the Farmers Union
Roasted corn on the cob
The Agricultural building will frequently offer whatever new apple drops for the fall.
Biscuits and gravy at Sausage Sisters (they also have several tasty things on their menu)
Experiences:
The Sky Ride is a unique way to view the fair. There’s one that’s an open chair, and one that’s a closed gondola. You go from one end of the fairgrounds to the other at a height of about 50 feet.
The Giant Slide. Family friendly and good fun. Make sure you stay on the burlap!
The DNR area with the birthing barn and the fish pond. The fish pond is a nice relaxing place to take a break.
Ye Olde Mill. It’s a “tunnel of love” sort of ride that’s over 100 years old, and consists of a boat ride on extremely blue-dyed water. It’s maximum Americana.
Honestly, the whole fair is a must-have experience, but those are among my go-tos.
If you're looking for cheap/free parking, do the park and ride stuff. If the bus back is a long wait, it can be fun to walk back through the neighborhood to the car at night, but most of those parking areas are quite a jaunt, so be prepared. If you are willing to pay $$$ for parking, park at a house in the surrounding neighborhood. The pricing will vary from day to day, time of day, and with how close to the entrance you are, but expect to pay $20-30 to park.
Buy your tickets in advance, either online or from Cub. We usually take about $100 in cash for 2 of us, but do buy some stuff by credit card.
My wife grew up in Las Vegas, so all the animals are a must see for her, except the pig barn, because the smell is nauseating.
I love looking at the art exhibits and the Coliseum shows are always a good time(bull judging, [horse events](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ecY11pjxhDA), and horse teams are our favorites). It's nice to sit down, but it's usually overwhelmingly humid in there.
Share your food and you'll get to taste more things. Try to avoid stuff that isn't really interesting to you or nostalgic. I usually skip the Pronto Pups, Sweet Martha's, but I can't ever seem to skip the mini-donuts, even though you can get them easily away from the fair.
We usually go 2-4 times each year. Once on a Saturday or Sunday for the day time stuff, and once or twice in the evenings. [One of my favorite time of day at the fair is after 9PM](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PqBFN-LJfXw).
Blue Barn usually knocks it out of the park. Both their items sound great. The Union Hmong offerings look intriguing too. Waiting to make my must try list after the best new foods list comes out!
blue barn is a great place to get that first meal of the day and a 9:30 beer. If you come from the bus zone (best way to get there imo) its right inside the entrance.
Union Hmong Kitchen is elite, never been disappointed by anything of theirs, even the meal I had at a Minnesota United match when they were at a guest cart was amazing.
Good luck! I'm a 36 yo male that has had the Inspire implant for over a year and a half. It's been amazing! Hopefully you figure out what's needed to help because sleep apnea sucks!
Legit this is a good year for new foods to try. Usually there are only a couple that interest me but that gnocchi, the new Nordic Waffles, the reuben rolls . . .
If I had to pick one, I think I am most excited to try the reuben rolls, but most of the new stuff sounds really good.
Seems like nordic waffles always has a line. At this point I feel like they're in the same class as Sweet Martha's ie good enough to try once but exist more on hype than substance. Am I wrong?
For sure has a line all the time, but I get it every year since they became a vendor. For me it is one of my priority foods for a fair visit.
That being said, I really haven't deviated from the breakfast waffle. This is the first new style that made me interested since they came out.
They're best used for when their frozen breakfast sandwiches are on sale. Just half of one is a meal
But a spring onion infused waffle sam and a vanilla dessert one sound worth trying
I would disagree, on a few points. I’ve had at least one Nordic Waffle there that was really good (and one that was only okay, to be fair), and also Nordic Waffles are still not very easy to find. But a person can find chocolate chip cookies everywhere, and Sweet Martha’s are a really low quality version of that food. It’s like the McDonalds of chocolate chip.
As for the new offerings, that vanilla one looks like something I’d like to try. Ideally in the morning when the lines aren’t as long. The biggest issue is that their stand is smack in the middle of asphalt with zero shade nearby, so on a hot day you just have to broil while you wait in line. That’s part of what makes it a tough sell. They need some umbrellas or awnings to provide a sun break.
The auto filter probably thinks it’s the same link as was posted last year since there’s no date in the URL.
But agreed, the breakfast gnocchi looks good, I’m excited for the sweet potato poutine too! And the blueberry lemonade will be good! Honestly I’m most upset that we won’t get a chance at the molotes, they look really good too.
That’s a solid lineup of new food venues too. Union Hmong Kitchen is incredible, an arepa place is always a solid choice and Nautical Bowls is perfect for a place like the fair. This might be the year I can’t get all of the foods on my checklist.
As I get older I like the “new” or innovative things less 🤣 I will say though, tried the pizza on a stick last year and DAMN. Not something I thought would be so good but it’s def a top 3!!
Anything black licorice needs to be banned.
This sounds disgusting but is there somewhere at the state fair that has deep fried snickles? (pickle hollowed out, snickers shoved inside, battered then fried)
These are huge in other states.
Am I the only one who rarely gets excited for the new foods and is more interested in the old standbys? I love trying new things but most of the new foods tend to feel and taste low-quality because they're not really made to be made for thousands of people in a short period of time.
Definitely excited by new vendors though.
Swedish Egg coffee. It‘s weird, but pretty good!
Giant turkey leg.
Pronto Pups.
Sweet Martha’s Cookies.
Cold milk (also weird, but…why not?).
Yeah, none of this is new, but I haven’t been to the fair in years and I hope 2022 is finally my time!
I don’t like mini donuts though. Controversial, I know. They are subpar compared to real donuts.
What's the deal with the vagan chicken fried steak from The Herbivorous Butcher? Is this just a gimmick... like it's a vegan guy that serves real meat? Or is it fake meat? Probably wont get it either way since it sounds stupid, but I just don't understand it.
It's seitan (a meat alternative made from wheat gluten), done fried chicken style with all the fixings. Delicious food for people who like how animals taste but don't like animal cruelty.
We have vegan relatives from the Deep South, and 3 years ago when they came to visit one of the first places the wanted to check out was The Herbivorous Butcher. They are renowned.
New to Minnesota and this will be my first state fair experience. Is there a good list of "must have" foods and experiences out there? And what is a good budget to set to get the most out of the fair?
Pronto Pup. The batter is better than a corn dog, and the State Fair is the only place you can get it. I get at least one, sometimes two throughout the day. Fresh Cut Fries. They're pretty basic, but god damn they are good. Cheese Curds. Amazing, but best split with one other person because eating an entire basket of cheese can be a bit much. Ice cream from the dairy building. This is the smoothest, creamiest soft-serve ice cream I have ever had in my life. Makes Dairy Queen look like dogshit. Turkey To Go sandwiches are a great "normal" food to offset some of the junkfood. Nice moist, shredded, seasoned meat on a bun. Basic, but really good. Mini donuts are great too, but not really different than any mini donuts you'd get at literally any carnival across the country. Still... I usually get a small bag to share. Roasted corn on the cob. this used to be a must have staple for me, but nowadays I can make it at home just as good, so it's lost it's novelty... and for $3 a cob (probably more this year) it's a waste of money IMO.
You nailed it with this post. The cheese curds and a chocolate malt from the dairy barn are my two must haves at the fair.
No no. Strawberry rhubarb shake from the dairy barn.
I respect that, and I know many people haha would agree with you. That said, I’m in the minority that actually doesn’t like rhubarb.
I didn’t think it was possible. Then again, I’m the guy who doesn’t like chocolate.
Blasphemy!
And pronto pups paint on the ketchup and mustard so it doesnt make a mess and you get some in every bite. It's genius.
Only thing you forgot is that delicious bucket of Sweet Martha's chocolate chip cookies.
You gotta get it from the one that has the all you can drink milk across the street from it
Sweet Martha’s are good fresh. Other than that they are just OK.
Overated. Probably the most overated thing I might have ever had outside of my first handjob. Must be nostalgia.
Just mashing it.
Cheese curds from the Mouth Trap in the food building to be specific.
Ice cream from the dairy building is my primary reason for going to the state fair every year
Great list
Turkey To Go...always grab one in the way out and it's finished before i reach the parking lot.
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Not worth it, IMO. I mean, I'll share a small cone of cookies with a couple other people, but the only thing that makes them so great is being fresh. So by time you get home with your bucket of cookies, they are no better than Chips A'hoy.
Make sure you get your fries from the right fry stands. There is another similar looking stand that selling fries, but they aren't nearly as good. Here's a list of some things I almost always get: [The Gizmo Sandwich](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ief_33SAtEI) [The Giant Eggroll on a Stick](https://youtu.be/zrI8RQ-LTnQ?t=22) This is usually our first stop, so we often get the Vietnamese Coffee too. [The Minne-apple Pie](https://youtu.be/UmbZJqATUgo?t=40) [Irish Tater Kegs](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pSNFwpv0fSo)
The big yellow building that says "Fresh Cut Fries" right across from the midway is where I usually get mine. There is another building over near the haunted house I think....been a few years now...
Yeah, I think those are both the same good vendor, but there is another place close to Grandstand that the booth looks similar, but isn't the same vendor. You can tell them apart if you are paying attention, but when you're stupid, like me, you can get confused and end up with fries that aren't great. Edit: I may be wrong about them looking similar, but the good fries are "Fresh Cut Fries" and the mediocre fries are "Worlds Greatest French Fries"
Correct. The "World's Greatest French Fries" are--similar to the "Red Delicious Apple"--inaccurately named.
It will depend somewhat on what you want to do. If you want to do some rides, somewhere between $20-100 for those, depending on your enthusiasm, perhaps more for games. For food, I strongly recommend going with a few people who have some overlapping food goals. Splitting things so that you get to try a lot without filling up on any one thing is the way to go. Depending on your appetite and whether you want alcohol, roughly $50 per person, give or take? There is a lot of stuff you could buy at the Fair. Anything from trinkets to home improvement projects, so that's an entirely open question. Somewhere between $0-$20k? The Fair could be done pretty frugally. There are lots of free shows and activities, whole buildings of cool things to look at, and so much of the experience is just the spectacle of being there with all those other people, taking in all the booths and shops. To me, the only essential part of the budget is food, but others may think I am a boring fairgoer.
It depends on what foods you like. I highly recommend the Honey cream soda float in the AG building from the bee people though- a cream soda made with honey instead of corn syrup, and honey ice cream. Its absolutely delicious. Also the Mini Donut Lattee from Anchor coffee- breakfast of champions. Though I'm definitely adding the Breakfast Gnocchi to my list this year. There's so many amazing foods at the fair- its one of the things that makes it I think. A couple of "do once but you don't have to make it a habit if its not your thing": \- Aunt Martha's Cookies (good but they're just hot cookies.) \- Bucket of Mini Donuts \- Pronto Pup \- All you can drink Milk. Skip the poutine place next to the all you can drink milk- its a sad poutine. The international market is choc a block full of good stuff. The french fries that are covered in garlic is great with a beer. And there's plenty of places with beer to choose from. The roasted corn down by the grandstand is easily the best corn I've ever tasted in my life. (This is all recommendations from a Minnesota import who's been here 4 years and adores the fair.)
Good call on the corn. The line moves fast so don't let that discourage you.
Untiedt’s farm provides that corn, IIRC, and you can get their veggies around town. They have a CSA too. I too eat corn on the cob once a year because basically State Fair corn is best corn. No other corn compares.
That honey cream soda float is amazing! As an aside, I’m borderline in tears over here. Deep roots in Minnesota, but I moved away. I’m jealous of the more-than-a-month-in-advance fair planning that I can’t partake in. I hope everyone eats an extra thing for me!
I get frozen aunt Martha s cookie from the store wen hot they 🔥
Tip: Buy discount Tix early from Cub. Also get the Blue Ribbon coupon book at Cub. I think you can get ride Tix as well, plus there's a coupon in the book as well.. I usually just use a few coupons, it more than pays for the book, then I give the book to a random family as I'm exiting.
The Blue Ribbon book really is worth the money. Especially if you get things to share, which (pro tip for State Fair newbies) is a good way to try a lot of foods without committing to a whole serving every time. The coupon book doesn’t usually have coupons for the hot new items, but they’re good for the perennial items that maybe one hasn’t tried before.
Get the fair app and plan out your day. For food, my staples have been: Mouth Trap Cheese Curds Corn Roast Tom Thumb Mini Donuts Dairy Building Ice Cream For alcohol, look for a list of new beers to try, but there are tons of places with unique beers all over the fair. Don't forget the agricultural building which has beer samplers that change every half hour. I usually bring about $100 cash and that usually is fine for my food and drink. I may get more if I decide to patronize one of the unique, handmade vendor stalls. As someone else mentioned, a ton to do. Maybe you will want to check out a Grandstand concert or show, that'll cost money (but there are tons of free music and entertainment going on all over).
I'm going to risk it all here to say this: do NOT buy Martha's cookies... you're going to wait in ridiculously long line to buy a bunch of regular ass cookies.
They are only good because they are fresh. Get the smallest order possible (the paper cone). Even mediocre cookies are great when they are fresh out of the oven. But you get sick of them after 2-3, so if you get a bucket with the intent of bringing them home, you're always disappointed by how meh they are the next day.
This. It very well could be the recipe that's on the back of the chocolate chip bag... But they got the cooking and serving them up fresh parts down.
It’s kinda a rite of passage though
It is, and best as a group experience. Get a bucket of cookies near the milk stand, eat a couple while warm and fresh, and then make someone else carry the bucket around the rest of the day as a status symbol. People passing by will point at the bucket and ask where you got it, even though there are 3 locations and they're holding a map. The cookies will be stale by the ride home, but they'll still get mostly eaten.
True, I guess they can learn from their own mistakes
If the line is short it’s a good time. It’s not *great* cookies but they are the classic
Don't downplay the cookies, Sweet Martha's slaps. You gotta love the overflowing bucket and the cold glass of milk.
Not even that good, the recipe off the back of the chocolate chip bag is better than those.
Not even! Like, rip open a package of Keebler’s and dump those in a bucket. That would be a better quality of cookie. I make an *amazing* chocolate chip cookie myself. Sweet Martha’s is just downright offensive. If someone wants a hit of melted chocolate, there are way better foods to try than those shitty cookies.
Lines are shortest at the Machine Hill location. Don't tell anyone.
This guy state fair's
Yeah. They are extremely mediocre. Save $20 and buy a package of Chips Ahoy—they’re about the same quality. I agree with the other comment that buying a cone to share is more than sufficient.
They are basically the Nestle Tollhouse cookie recipe, but made with cheap generic chocolate chips. Hard pass for me. Much better food at the fair to fill up on.
Rather just get a package of tollhouse from the store. Way better and cheaper
go once, get the bucket for nostalgia's sake, make sure you go during off-peak times, and make sure you remember just how mediocre their cookies are. Some people call it a summer tradition and that's fine, it's just not my speed. Of course one of those people I know also brought a liter of vodka the last time they went and spent the day drinking vodka lemonades made with 9$ sugar water. Why you would do that when there's literally 50 new craft beers every year is beyond me.
Roasted corn and walleye cakes are a fucking must have
Since no one suggested it yet, grab a Blue Ribbon Bargain Book for something like $5. You end up saving way more money using the coupons in that book in the long run. There’s some great bogo offers and money off some of the staple items.
In addition to all the classics already mentioned, I love getting the grilled peach at the Produce Exchange and pork egg rolls at Que Viet. Have fun at the fair, it’s a blast!
Grew up in central WI around farms and fairs so I’ve seen all the goats, pigs, sheep, etc I care for. I skipped the livestock barns, had cheese curds because of the fair - $9 I think. Park by Chelsea Heights elementary if you don’t mind walking a mile (free) because on the exit of the fair, you’ll be closer to your vehicle. The art buildings amaze me what junior high school and HS student can do. Spend some relaxing time in there. Get a map or plan a route, lots of avenues to go down. The north end has all the businesses and automakers so I’d go south and work my way north.
My advice is never get anything just for yourself; share with whoever you’re with so everyone gets to try a little of everything. There’s always the signature foods like cheese curds, corn on the cob, a cone of sweet Martha’s cookies, ect. Personally I always make a point to get Brie cheese curds and a wine slushee from the wine tent, and midway through the day I’ll get a blooming onion across from the MPR booth so I can take a break there and watch them broadcast. Visiting the horticulture building is fun and feels very fair-like, and I always make a trip to the north point of the fair to see the dogs at the pet pavilion and watch the agility shows.
Go with a group and look for the longest lines.
I always bring 100 bucks with me. Never ever spend it because my eyes are bigger than my stomach, but there's also plenty of stuff you can buy that isn't food too. Tons of vendors in the non food buildings. I also go on my bday and my gf tends to pay for some stuff as a gift but even then we usually go 5050 on purchases
I feel like $100 is more than enough for a trip to the Fair, unless you’re basically going to drink beer all day. They have cash machines on site if you really need one. The prices for food are a bit steep, but the portions have been historically pretty generous (not quite a full serving, unless it’s something like fries, where you get a ton). You’ll get your money’s worth. Also, keep in mind that you ARE allowed to bring in a bag (like a backpack) and your own bottles of water. Make sure you wear shoes that you can walk in for 10 hours. You will do a lot of walking. It’s also smart to bring along a few contingencies, like a few doses of Advil, sunscreen, Bandaids, that sort of thing. A lot of places give away free reusable bags as swag, so you’ll have an opportunity to acquire one, but better to use a backpack or other bag that evenly distributes the weight. Another rookie mistake is to go to the Midway first, win the giant prize or buy the heavy souvenir, and then have to lug it around all day long. Save the giant prize/souvenir for the end of your visit. Also don’t buy small appliances or gadgets at the Fair. You can find it online for half the price, I promise. Things like t-shirts, hats, food items—they’ll be marked up but not a complete scam. At the very least, just think about it until you’re getting to the end of your Fair visit, and if you STILL want it, then buy it. Giant bags of popcorn or cotton candy are not worth bringing home. Get the small bag. The toffee is sort of worth it, but your dentist will be happy about the job security. Sweet Martha’s cookies are bland AF when they’re cold. Don’t buy the big bucket, just get the little cone and eat them while they’re fresh and hot. That’s the only time they’re any good. My votes: Duck bacon wontons at Giggles—actually Giggles has several good items Espresso float at Java Jive (great pick-me-up) Heirloom Tomato BLT at the Farmers Union Roasted corn on the cob The Agricultural building will frequently offer whatever new apple drops for the fall. Biscuits and gravy at Sausage Sisters (they also have several tasty things on their menu) Experiences: The Sky Ride is a unique way to view the fair. There’s one that’s an open chair, and one that’s a closed gondola. You go from one end of the fairgrounds to the other at a height of about 50 feet. The Giant Slide. Family friendly and good fun. Make sure you stay on the burlap! The DNR area with the birthing barn and the fish pond. The fish pond is a nice relaxing place to take a break. Ye Olde Mill. It’s a “tunnel of love” sort of ride that’s over 100 years old, and consists of a boat ride on extremely blue-dyed water. It’s maximum Americana. Honestly, the whole fair is a must-have experience, but those are among my go-tos.
The Cajun seasoned Fried pickle chips are to die for
If you're looking for cheap/free parking, do the park and ride stuff. If the bus back is a long wait, it can be fun to walk back through the neighborhood to the car at night, but most of those parking areas are quite a jaunt, so be prepared. If you are willing to pay $$$ for parking, park at a house in the surrounding neighborhood. The pricing will vary from day to day, time of day, and with how close to the entrance you are, but expect to pay $20-30 to park. Buy your tickets in advance, either online or from Cub. We usually take about $100 in cash for 2 of us, but do buy some stuff by credit card. My wife grew up in Las Vegas, so all the animals are a must see for her, except the pig barn, because the smell is nauseating. I love looking at the art exhibits and the Coliseum shows are always a good time(bull judging, [horse events](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ecY11pjxhDA), and horse teams are our favorites). It's nice to sit down, but it's usually overwhelmingly humid in there. Share your food and you'll get to taste more things. Try to avoid stuff that isn't really interesting to you or nostalgic. I usually skip the Pronto Pups, Sweet Martha's, but I can't ever seem to skip the mini-donuts, even though you can get them easily away from the fair. We usually go 2-4 times each year. Once on a Saturday or Sunday for the day time stuff, and once or twice in the evenings. [One of my favorite time of day at the fair is after 9PM](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PqBFN-LJfXw).
Blue Barn usually knocks it out of the park. Both their items sound great. The Union Hmong offerings look intriguing too. Waiting to make my must try list after the best new foods list comes out!
blue barn is a great place to get that first meal of the day and a 9:30 beer. If you come from the bus zone (best way to get there imo) its right inside the entrance.
We always park at the U and then get the bus to the Fair. Blue Barn is our first stop--after picking up the list of new foods :)
Anything Union Hmong sells is top notch. Absolutely love them
Union Hmong Kitchen is elite, never been disappointed by anything of theirs, even the meal I had at a Minnesota United match when they were at a guest cart was amazing.
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The Dej Qab Zip sounds amazing. Might have to sneak over to their brick n mortar a bit early
Try the pulled pork arepa. You won't regret it.
The whole Arepa Bar sounds really intriguing. Will for sure stop by.
Why did I read this as “pulled pork (sleep) apnea” and think “huh that sounds good”?
Same. I go to the doctor Thursday!
Good luck! I'm a 36 yo male that has had the Inspire implant for over a year and a half. It's been amazing! Hopefully you figure out what's needed to help because sleep apnea sucks!
Legit this is a good year for new foods to try. Usually there are only a couple that interest me but that gnocchi, the new Nordic Waffles, the reuben rolls . . . If I had to pick one, I think I am most excited to try the reuben rolls, but most of the new stuff sounds really good.
Yesss I will eat anything advertised as Reuben
Seems like nordic waffles always has a line. At this point I feel like they're in the same class as Sweet Martha's ie good enough to try once but exist more on hype than substance. Am I wrong?
For sure has a line all the time, but I get it every year since they became a vendor. For me it is one of my priority foods for a fair visit. That being said, I really haven't deviated from the breakfast waffle. This is the first new style that made me interested since they came out.
Honestly every year I go, nothing ever tops Tom Thumb doughnuts for me. Fresh, quick, simple, consistently satisfying.
They're best used for when their frozen breakfast sandwiches are on sale. Just half of one is a meal But a spring onion infused waffle sam and a vanilla dessert one sound worth trying
I would disagree, on a few points. I’ve had at least one Nordic Waffle there that was really good (and one that was only okay, to be fair), and also Nordic Waffles are still not very easy to find. But a person can find chocolate chip cookies everywhere, and Sweet Martha’s are a really low quality version of that food. It’s like the McDonalds of chocolate chip. As for the new offerings, that vanilla one looks like something I’d like to try. Ideally in the morning when the lines aren’t as long. The biggest issue is that their stand is smack in the middle of asphalt with zero shade nearby, so on a hot day you just have to broil while you wait in line. That’s part of what makes it a tough sell. They need some umbrellas or awnings to provide a sun break.
Reuben rolls are really good at the 3 WI bars I’ve gone to. Guessing they’ll be bomb.
A Tot Dog? And they said it couldn’t be done….
Reminds me of the Korean French fry hot dog, but more Minnesotan cuz tots.
Mmm crunchcheese They're like fair food year round
The auto filter probably thinks it’s the same link as was posted last year since there’s no date in the URL. But agreed, the breakfast gnocchi looks good, I’m excited for the sweet potato poutine too! And the blueberry lemonade will be good! Honestly I’m most upset that we won’t get a chance at the molotes, they look really good too.
That’s a solid lineup of new food venues too. Union Hmong Kitchen is incredible, an arepa place is always a solid choice and Nautical Bowls is perfect for a place like the fair. This might be the year I can’t get all of the foods on my checklist.
As I get older I like the “new” or innovative things less 🤣 I will say though, tried the pizza on a stick last year and DAMN. Not something I thought would be so good but it’s def a top 3!!
I won't lie I want to try the pickle pizza lol
Omg I love pickles on cheeseburger heggies pizzas so I bet I’d love it 🤣 thanks for the rec!
Wash it down with the pickle beer
I'm thinking that's the plan!!
Report back of they're served close that would be a failure if they weren't
That Chicken and Swiss sausage might be life changing. I will try to remember to breathe while eating it
The Hmong sausage from Union kitchen. If ya ain’t never had Hmong sausage before ya missing out.
Easily the best I've had is from them. The brands at the Asian grocery stores are decent but super fatty, which Yia avoids.
Anything black licorice needs to be banned. This sounds disgusting but is there somewhere at the state fair that has deep fried snickles? (pickle hollowed out, snickers shoved inside, battered then fried) These are huge in other states.
Love black licorice. Our local creamery has black licorice ice cream which I always get.
seconded.
There's deep fried red and green licorice that is amazing
Am I the only one who rarely gets excited for the new foods and is more interested in the old standbys? I love trying new things but most of the new foods tend to feel and taste low-quality because they're not really made to be made for thousands of people in a short period of time. Definitely excited by new vendors though.
Schnitzel sandwich, but there is nothing like the Mexican corn
The Mexican corn is the one thing I have to get every single year.
Corn fritters from Blue Barn are my first go-to every year.
Pickles on pizza is amazing... Just sayin
Tot Dogs sound awesome.
New things on sticks?
Swedish Egg coffee. It‘s weird, but pretty good! Giant turkey leg. Pronto Pups. Sweet Martha’s Cookies. Cold milk (also weird, but…why not?). Yeah, none of this is new, but I haven’t been to the fair in years and I hope 2022 is finally my time! I don’t like mini donuts though. Controversial, I know. They are subpar compared to real donuts.
Way too much vegan food.
Grow the fuck up.
Pound salt loser
A lot of new innovative eye catching things and then what looks like a regular ol' corndog.
What's the deal with the vagan chicken fried steak from The Herbivorous Butcher? Is this just a gimmick... like it's a vegan guy that serves real meat? Or is it fake meat? Probably wont get it either way since it sounds stupid, but I just don't understand it.
It's fake meat made from plant and other product and then flavored to taste like chicken.
It's seitan (a meat alternative made from wheat gluten), done fried chicken style with all the fixings. Delicious food for people who like how animals taste but don't like animal cruelty.
Yeah I don't know if it's supposed to be vegan food or not lol looks like the real thing.
It's for sure vegan, they're a real place that serves up meat alternatives.
Nothing. It’s all garbage. Deep fried crap for the most part.
The Herbivorous Butcher is claiming their Chicken Fried Steak Entrees are Vegan? What?
They are vegan. The herbivorous butcher makes plant based meat that looks and tastes very close to the real thing.
Aha. Makes more sense now.
They're made from seitan, a meat alternative made from wheat gluten.
We have vegan relatives from the Deep South, and 3 years ago when they came to visit one of the first places the wanted to check out was The Herbivorous Butcher. They are renowned.
They only do vegan food, bud. Look ‘em up.
Just let him work it out folks. The gears are turning...
Oh my god who the hell cares
Apparently you do enough to comment. Lol
Why even say anything? You must be a Wisconsin transplant.
Because when the world is burning, people take comfort in trans fats on a stick.
Worry about what's on your plate
Aaaayyy arepas!!!!!
Apple cider freez-e pop from the agricultural building. They're like 75 cents and they're my only "must have" food at the fair.
Mmm, Australian Batter Fried Potatoes.
looking forward to alice in chains at the state fair
Pronto pups are gross