A Visit to the State Fair....

[Quiet and Shy]

Okay, so it was a beautiful day today so this afternoon I headed down the road a piece and then biked the path the last 5 miles to the Indiana State Fair. I hadn't been in a while, but some things don't seem to change too much....

My thoughts:

1) The 1,089lb boar is ugly.

2) The 1,086lb boar is just as ugly.

3) The 2400lb cheddar cheese sculpture looks like, well, cheese. Made from 50-40lb blocks of mild cheddar. A milk wagon scene and popular photo op.

4) $5,500 for a duck. Yep, that's right...a duck....at the 4-H champions' auction. (just wait til I get to the goat....)

5) They deep fry just about everything there now...even chocolate covered strawberries. The frozen Snickers had me wondering... but strawberries?

6) Kid Rock was tonight's headliner. I didn't stay. Face value for tickets was $39 and $49...and I chatted with a couple guys who were taking their sons...they got front row center for $10 from someone...imagine that.

7) They sell Jimmy Buffett charms for $10. He's a country artist.

The BBQ pork is as good as ever. Yum!

9) The state DNR has a new fishing pond. Okay, so it's not Breeze's big-water fishing cruise, but it was kind of fun watching the volunteers spread their enthusiasm for fishing to some kids who had never had the chance before (and watch out for their "casting"...)

10) Oh yeah, the goat. Put some glitter on the champion meat goat and you can rake in $7,500. I didn't stay for the dairy goat, but I wonder... what could we get for our resident goat (with a bit of glitter and all....)?

Anyway, it was a fun and beautiful afternoon/evening.

What do you remember from your last visit to the state fair (whenever that was)?

[RinglingRingling]

Our state fair is a great state fair,
Don't miss it, don't even be late.
It's dollars to donuts
That our state fair
Is the best state fair in our state.

[ragtopW]

it's been a while... Idaho has no "State fair"
Since I lived in California.. 10 years back..

[SMLCHNG]

Last time was more than 30 years ago.. Illinois State Fair.. All I remember is seeing the Osmond Brothers!


LOVE your recap, Alison!!!

[PalmTreeGal]

We aren't going to go this year. I would like to but just no time. Next year......i'm going to miss the pork chops and the elephant ears and the orange shake ups. I'm glad you had a good time alison!

[J.LeP]

I was taken, by force, by friends to see Kid Rock at our local fair two years ago. My ears still hurt and bleed every now and then.
John
p.s. Fried foods rule the midway, even the corn on the cob.

[krusin1]

It's been a few years since I made the state fair, but sure have some great memories.

Worked there two summers as an FFA State Officer (17 yrs. ago - was 18 yrs. old back then) Helped run a lot of the livestock shows, etc. Best part, though was assisting at the State Fair Queen Contest.

Over the years, saw the Oak Ridge Boys, Geroge Jones/Merle Haggard, the Beach Boys and America in concert. Pretty good stuff.

[Quiet and Shy]

I went to the Illinois State Fair as a kid, the Wisconsin State Fair during and shortly after college, and have been to the Indiana State Fair a couple time since living here. In general, Indiana is a fairly conservative state, and one way to tell this is comparing the two state fairs...at Wisconsin, the breweries all had "beer tents" with live bands, etc. At Indiana, not a drop of alcohol can be found on the grounds.

On a side note, I remember visiting the county fair grounds in Bozeman, MT a couple years back (for the farmers' market). As with most fairgrounds they had the horse, cattle, swine and poultry barns...and they also had a "people barn". I asked the locals...it's the beer hall.

[pbans]

I love the State Fair.....so cheesy!

Our has kind of been taken over by vendors though......every size, shape and color of jacuzzi that you can imagine.....actually worked out well a couple years ago when we were in the market, though.

I like looking at the rabbits.....don't really know why, but they're so soft and pretty....

Fried everything, yep! Funnel cakes, Indian Fry Bread (commonly known as a scone the size of a hubcap), fried twinkies, GIANT turkey legs....

I remember seeing Kenny Rogers at the State Fair with my parents when I was a young teen.....forced to go, but then sort of enjoyed it. It rained really hard and I kept secretly hoping I would be right there when Kenny Rogers got electrocuted.....

Our starts the first week of September....Kenny Rogers will be there again this year....with the Oakridge Boys....think I'll pass.....unless it rains.

[RinglingRingling]

I went to the Illinois State Fair as a kid, the Wisconsin State Fair during and shortly after college, and have been to the Indiana State Fair a couple time since living here. In general, Indiana is a fairly conservative state, and one way to tell this is comparing the two state fairs...at Wisconsin, the breweries all had "beer tents" with live bands, etc. At Indiana, not a drop of alcohol can be found on the grounds.

On a side note, I remember visiting the county fair grounds in Bozeman, MT a couple years back (for the farmers' market). As with most fairgrounds they had the horse, cattle, swine and poultry barns...and they also had a "people barn". I asked the locals...it's the beer hall.

Montana State University's DOC SURVIVAL Parties!!!! 100 kegs back when school Deans of Students weren't so up in arms about "binge drinking" and all that crap. Mid-winter, you ride the bus from the dorm to the barn, and drink to the health of the Langford Hall mascot "Doc the Ferret". usually made about $10k profit for dorm improvements. DOC ROCKS!!!!

[RinglingRingling]

I love the State Fair.....so cheesy!

Our has kind of been taken over by vendors though......every size, shape and color of jacuzzi that you can imagine.....actually worked out well a couple years ago when we were in the market, though.

I like looking at the rabbits.....don't really know why, but they're so soft and pretty....

Fried everything, yep! Funnel cakes, Indian Fry Bread (commonly known as a scone the size of a hubcap), fried twinkies, GIANT turkey legs....

I remember seeing Kenny Rogers at the State Fair with my parents when I was a young teen.....forced to go, but then sort of enjoyed it. It rained really hard and I kept secretly hoping I would be right there when Kenny Rogers got electrocuted.....

Our starts the first week of September....Kenny Rogers will be there again this year....with the Oakridge Boys....think I'll pass.....unless it rains.

see him crank out his last batch of fried chicken???

[scubamyk]

I'll make this story as short as possible.

This year's county fair:
My step-son is in 4-H, he shows lambs for market and for showmanship. During the market showing and the subsequent auction, some of the kids do the glitter thing and/or balloons, ribbons, etc.
They will write "college" or "$" with glitter or shoe polish on the side of the lamb in hopes of getting the most money from the bidders at the auction. Some kids who do not want the lamb to go to market but would rather it be used for breeding will tie balloons to the lamb with the word "breed" or a "do not (red circle with the line through it) EAT" sign on the balloon.
Not my step-son.
He came into the arena with a big, dumb s-eating grin on his face. Down the entire body length of his lamb was emblazoned in shoe polish the words "EAT ME"


The audience did get a good laugh and kind of woke everyone up.

[pbans]

I remember going to the Iowa State Fair as a kid and seeing a life-sized butter cow....I thought it was pretty cool.....and hanging out at the "Stockmen's Tent" with my Uncle Joe.....I swore he knew everyone in the state of Iowa!

I went to the "World's Fair" in 1974 in Spokane, Washington.....I remember being underwhelmed and thinking the state fair was cooler. It was, however, the first time I heard steel drums and totally fell in love with the music. It was a band from Trinidad and they were awesome!

Good thread, lots of good memories!

[Wino you know]

The band "Pirates Over 40" was playing last week at the Iowa State fair in Des Moines.
That's the same band that was playing at the Holiday Inn parking lot in Tinley Park the day of the Jimmy Buffett concert a couple Saturdays ago.
Anyone whose heard them has got to agree they're pretty doggone good.
Hopefully they'll get some national exposure someday real soon.

[Dezdmona]

Wouldn't miss it....

The Texas State Fair is awesome, with a full Auto show, a great midway for little kids and big kids, all the regular junk food, College Football every weekend, great music acts, parades, cheezy sideshows, Big Tex... (and Hoot Island)

[Bubbaphan]

I always try to go to the fair every year. Ours is usually in late October so it's nice and cool. Grab a beer at the beer tent and people watch. That's entertainment right there!

Here's what we got this year:

http://www.arkansasstatefair.com/fair/index.php

[Duff]

He came into the arena with a big, dumb s-eating grin on his face. Down the entire body length of his lamb was emblazoned in shoe polish the words "EAT ME

That was one of the funniest stories I've ever heard. Hilarious on two levels. I'll definitely be retelling that one. Let me know if you need any residuals.

[rogue]

I love a good state fair. But I am always reminded of a skit comedian Bill Engvall did. I laugh every time I think about it.

[rogue]

it's been a while... Idaho has no "State fair"
Since I lived in California.. 10 years back..

Cal Expo Rocked. I miss it too.

[CUparrot]

The only state fair I've been to was the NY state fair 3 years ago. I remember there was a gigantic butter sculpture, but I don't remember what it was of. The best thing was the cheese curds. Mmmmmmmm.....cheese curds.

Is it weird that I've been to the NY state fair, but never the SC state fair, which is the state I've lived in my entire life?