What can the State Fair teach visitors about Minnesota?
Posted at 5:00 AM on August 26, 2010
by Eric Ringham
(21 Comments)
Filed under: Culture
The Minnesota State Fair opens today, and among the expected visitors this year are journalists from several foreign countries. Today's Question: What can the State Fair teach visitors about Minnesota?
Comments (21)
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I think the mn state fair is a great market research resource for us to settle those time-less questions - like do you eat corn by rotating it ("spinner" - which is normal), or do you eat it ("typewriter" style, which is weird). By the way, could this please be solved once and for all with the question of the day?
Benjamin! There are only four million of us. Give us a break here!
What goes on at the State Fair does not exemplify what I know about Minnesota. My impressions of when I have been there is its smelly, hot, OVER CROWDED, sloooow moving people, and nothing going on. Anything that was interesting cost additional money... So... I left and really prefer NOT to think about it.
Cookies in 5 gallon pails, Gary? Where are they? We've gotta get those! We always just get the overflowing 2 quart bucket.
Oh, where to begin. The State Fair is Expo Minnesota! Last year my mother flew all the way from Vermont to go to the Fair and she loved it. Politics, politics, politics, especially during an election year of course. What's a state fair without political candidates? The DNR building, arts and crafts exhibit, radio and TV broadcasts. Animal barns and walking for miles. We should be proud of our state that can put on a fair that people would fly half way across the country to be one counted among record attendance. All you party-poopers who complain about obesity and deep-fired everything, get a life. People aren't fat because of one week or so of corn dogs and mini-donuts. Be thankful we live in a state with the best fair in the nation.
That Minnesotans need to lose weight and stop having babies. The state fair is rampant with obesity and strollers. It's a nightmare.
Don't analyze the State Fair, fer Pete's sake. Either go and enjoy it, or stay away and keep your grumpies to yourself.
What does the fair teach visitors? Well, we've got the biggest one, so I guess that says we're pretty proud of our agricultural heritage. And maybe it says we love great big outdoor parties in late summer. Finally, I hope it says that on occasion, we are willing to thumb our noses at politically correct ubber-uptight food nazis who like to pour hot judgement over naughty food binges. Really, people, get over it. Have a deep fried Snickers bar and take a ride on the ferris wheel.
@Gary F, Jiim G, Annette
You're assuming that the people at the Fair eat like that EVERY day of their lives. Which, for many of them, I'm sure is true.
But others of us practice and value *moderation*. Eating a giant greasy foot long pronto pup and deep fried candy bars one time a year will neither make you obese, nor will it kill you, or suddenly make you hate vegetables. I enjoy taking a 'day off' for a special celebration, even though my normal diet is spinach-salad based.
If anything, the fair should be a perfect opportunity for parents to teach their kids the ability to have a few treats without going nuts. Like "the three of you can have one small bag of cotton candy to share" instead of "each of you can have your own jumbo sized bag." And "You can either have the mini donuts OR the cheesecurds, but not both. Which matters more to you?"
Life isn't all or nothing (despite what political radio would tell you)- you don't have to chose between eating only vegetables and fruits and eating only cupcakes and fried bacon. If we raise our kids that all treats are bad all the time, they'll go off to become binge eaters once they're no longer under our thumbs. We have to teach them how to make good decisions when we're not there to do it for them.
Unfortunately, I have to say that I'm not impressed by 'Fine Arts'. They have 10x more entries than they have room to show, and they give 10% of their building each year to ONE particular 'visiting artist' or cheesy displays about how great our state is? Dismantle that junk and make room to show MORE and a wider variety of artists!!
The best lesson they can learn: We make a (bleep) mean malts and shakes here. Save your calorie count for that one indulgence if nothing else!
The State Fair shows that we still value public space.
We can walk around with strangers all day--and potentially have to sit next to them or talk to them--and still not come home crying about our freedoms being oppressed. It's pure democracy.
the state fair can teach visitors all the wonders of minnesota and the spirit that encaptures all of us!
I haven’t been to the State Fair in years, maybe the last time I went was 1978. After reading all the disparagement and criticism of the other posters—people euphemistically known as my fellow citizens—I can see that staying away has been a really good idea!
America has an obesity epidemic.
People can learn about all the foods which aren't from MN, but are on a stick. Bring in the lutefisk, man!
Hold the fair in February. That will teach them about Minnesota.
We eat way too much for our own good, and then are unable to walk a straight line. Ain't it great. Can't wait.
That we love food on a stick!
That Keillor's "News from Lake Wobegon" really is a running documentary.
How we can talk about healthy food, childhood obesity, and Obamacare while glorifying eating chicken fried bacon, deep fried pronto pups, and cookies served in five gallon pails.
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