See you at the 2010 Minnesota State Fair

With the next Minnesota State Fair just under a year away, I probably won't be posting on this blog as frequently as I have been this summer. But do not worry, I won't forget about all of you other Minnesota State Fair lovers out there and whenever I hear news about coming attractions, concerts, or the newest food on a stick this will be the first place I share the good news!

Feel free to leave comments in the "fair off-season" of features you would like to see added to my site, Minnesota State Fair information you are interested in, or simply the best State Fair Food in your opinion.

The 2010 Minnesota State Fair is scheduled for August 26- September 6, mark it on your calandars now and I'll see you at the Great Minnesota Get Together!

2009 Minnesota State Fair Attendance Records

With the Minnesota State Fair Officially over the daily attendance has been calculated and as expected the 2009 Minnesota State Fair was the BIGGEST State Fair in history! With doubts early in the summer that attendance would reach record levels at all due to the recession, Minnesotans proved that nothing will come between them and the best part of most land of 10,000 lakes natives summer!

Daily Attendance Records were broken twice. First on opening day with a record 114,439 fair-goers and then again on and then again on the following Tuesday with 129,423 fair attendees. The total attendance for the 2009 Minnesota State Fair was 1,790,497 beating the 2001 record of 1,762,976.

Lets see if we can do it again next year!

The Great Minnesota Get Together is over once again

Its hard to believe that another Minnesota State Fair is over, and the next is a year away. But now that the barns have been swept out, the food vendors have gone home and the mid-way rides are at another carnival... I think that it is time for a re-cap of this years fair and a look forward to next years events.

This year brought new food (chocolate covered bacon) as well as old favorites (cheese curds and pronto pups), new rides, and new health concerns. However even with the outbreak of H1N1 at the Fair, I would have to say that MN State Fair Officials handled it all calmly and with the best interest of Minnesotans and Fair Visitors at top of mind.

My favorites from this year:
1) Cheese Curds, always at the top of the list
2) Summer Shandy, a great way to beat the heat
3) Jason Aldean at the Grandstand
4) Techno Power in the Midway
5) and the Big Bucket O' Fries

See you all next year at the Great Minnesota Get Together!

Attendance Record Broken!

The Minnesota State Fair reached a daily attendance record today with 114, 439 people attending today. On the same day last year only 103,974 people attended the fair and in 2007 79,192 attended. Today's increased attendance is indicative of how the fair has gone so far this year, it is possible that the total fair attendance record will be broken after this weekend. Some fair analysts think that because of the slow economy, Minnesotans opted to skip the summer vacation and instead journey to the Great Minnesota Get Together.

If you can't make it out today, head to the State Fair this weekend... before you have to wait a whole year to go! If you make it out tomorrow make sure to get A Prairie Home Companion Tickets and watch as Garrison Keillor gives his report of the News from Lake Wobegon!

H1N1 Should Not Detract Fair Goers officials say

Earlier today it was announced that 4-H participants who had been staying in a fair dorm were being sent home with confirmed cases of the H1N1 (Swine) Flu Virus. Although precautionary steps were immediately taken and 120 4-H participants were sent home because they came into contact with the sick kids, Minnesota State Fair officials say that there is no need to panic or avoid the fair.

A report from public health officials and the state fair said, "public is in no increased danger and should not avoid the fair". Which is good news for me because my fair plans include a trip tomorrow, but its hard to eat food on a stick if you are wearing a surgical mask.

Fair goers are encouraged to not change any attendance plans but rather to practice good hand-washing and careful sharing of fair treats. H1N1 spreads like other common flu viruses, so washing hands and avoiding sharing anything with people who are or could be affected are wise ways to avoid getting sick.