The midwest might not be paradise, but we’re good at frying cheese. We’re also fairly good at throwing state fairs that play out like sweaty technicolor eating marathons, and the Minnesota State Fair may be one of the most gluttonous of all. This year, I went twice, because one cannot cross everything off their eating bucket list in one visit. The fair was a great place to try out my fairly new Sony a6000, which is my current obsession. Here are some snaps of what I ate and saw.
The Slow-Roasted Pork Mole Tamale at Tejas Express. This was really good and I don’t have the vocabulary to explain why.The “Duke of Cuke” cucumber beer. I actually loved this a lot. It’s more sweet than savory, and that’s ok!A firework I captured at the end of John Mellencamp’s set. I was quite proud of the camera sorcery here.This is the Giant Egg Roll on a Stick from Que Viet. This seemed to be the crowd favorite new food of the year. I loved it!The beer flights from the Agriculture building are a classic. Prepare to get turnt.I ran into Jay Gabler, who was playing a Bingo game and had earned a star for getting a henna tattoo.Raise your hand if you also took this photo …Oh and this …Umbrella guy selling emoji poops.I set out to try a waffle full of chicken from Blue Barn, and Jason told me I do this every year, forgetting I tried it the last year. Oops.Ms. Cookie looking thirsty.A ski lift from one corn dog to another.Sometimes you just need Dippin’ Dots.This guy’s wife seems ok with his shirt.The blueberry pomegranate wine “smoothie.” Good, even though it’s more of a slushee.This year’s new Dill Pickle beer, art directed by Neil. I would say skip this one if you’ve already had fried pickles, fried olives and a cucumber beer, as I had. It’s just too many Bloody Mary-like things.I took a lot of fun senior pictures with Sandy. Fun fact: I used to take (bad) senior pics at Proex as a teen.I love the butterhead sculptures. I really want to make one of someone one day.Just me with my beer and some duck won tons.Sandy and Zach and their pickle tokens.The fried olives remain the best thing at the fair, IMHO.Almost everyone I was with loved the new Shandlot beer by Bauhuas.
Paul Bunyan, the original hipster.Thanks for a fried good time, fair!
