Twin Cities Daily Planet (https://www.tcdailyplanet.net/category/special-sections/state-fair/page/8/)
It barely seems like summer has begun here in Minnesota, and already we’re getting the first taste of summer’s end. This week, the Minnesota State Fair folks announced the lineup of new foods. Check out the list here, then tell me: what would you like to try, and what do you think sounds like a mistake? Continue Reading
Covering the Minnesota State Fair is a hidden gem for journalists. There are countless stories to discover and 2012 was memorable because of the new food choices and the return of the sideshow.Lamb FriesThe 2012 State Fair press release included the premier of “Lamb Fries.” I naively thought the fries were made from lamb meat—until I did a web search and Chevy Chase in the movie Funny Farm was the first to pop up. If Chevy Chase is involved with lamb fries, it must be good. Little did I know, as Chase learns after eating 31 of the nuggets, that the fries come from a lamb’s “undercarriage.”Walleye: great vegetarian choice—maybeSince I have family members and friends who are vegetarians and vegans, I always try to point out those choices when I write about State Fair food. A few of my vegetarian acquaintances eat fish, so I included the new food item Classic Walleye Roll as a “great vegetarian choice.” Readers quickly pointed out my error, and I admit I should have gone farther than my inner circle for vegetarian research. Continue Reading
In the eyes of many residents on the east side of the Minnesota State Fairgrounds, a certain state agency should keep its hands off a neighborhood tradition.
The guy parked alone on a bench told us his daughter and grandkids headed to the Extreme Skateboard Show an hour earlier and we sat speculating on when they’d return. Continue Reading
The results from the annual State Fair poll are in, and as usual, fairgoers largely prescribed a common-sense directio Continue Reading
I never visited the State Fair during my first couple years in Minnesota because I had no idea what a state fair even consisted of. When I was introduced to “the Great Minnesota Get-Together” by a college boyfriend who never missed it I, too, became a yearly fairgoer. Continue Reading
The trademark orange of the MN United for All Families was visible from far away. An army of volunteers sold shirts, hugged clipboards, talked to voters and handed out fans that cooled supporters on a recent steamy day. Up the way, a more subdued atmosphere was present at the Minnesota for Marriage booth. Supporters handed out literature and talked to voters, but the vibe was toned down. That’s not the only difference coming between both sides of the marriage debate-it’s one of equality.“It is not an equality issue. Continue Reading
I expected a giant bar-like atmosphere at the Minnesota Craft Brewers Guild Exhibit, perfectly placed in the Agriculture Horticulture Building. After all, the flyer described it as the “Land of 10,000 beers” exhibit. I soon discovered a learning and museum environment: the exhibit detailed the brewing process all the way from the farm to the pint glass. Being a novice in the home brewery industry, I was pleasantly surprised at the amount of information available at the State Fair exhibit to learn how this well-liked industry has grown and thrived all over Minnesota. The Minnesota Craft Brewers Guild is a non-profit organization that represents 35 breweries and brew pubs and 16 trade affiliates (such as liquor stores, ingredient providers and ancillary suppliers working in the brewery business). Continue Reading
