Minnesota State Fair by the numbers

by Nikki Tundel, Minnesota Public Radio

The Minnesota State Fair kicked off in Falcon Heights today. Minnesota Public Radio's Nikki Tundel went to the fairgrounds to check out the scene and assembled this numerical portrait of the Great Minnesota Get-Together.

Falcon Heights, Minn. — More than 1.5 million people make their way to the Minnesota State Fair each year. Hundreds of them will likely be sporting something with the American flag emblazoned on it.

More than 3,000 people work on the fairgrounds - doing everything from cleaning bathrooms to deep-frying cheese. About 7,000 people apply for these 3,000 jobs.

There will be 2,717 4-H members that will show an animal at the Minnesota State Fair this year.

There are 580 beef exhibitors, 283 rabbit exhibitors and 240 poultry exhibitors, including ducks, geese and chickens. Also, 267 goat exhibitors, 471 dairy animals, 381 sheep and 453 swine exhibits on display.

The Minnesota State Fair boasts 450 different food offerings. Sixty-three of these items are presented on a stick.

Of course, if munching from whittled wood isn't your thing, there are at least four foods you can get by the bucketful.

There are about 50 games at the Midway for visitors to play.

There are approximately 5,000 entries on display in the fair's Creative Activities building. Fairgoers compete in everything from cross-stitch to taxidermy.

There are 19 different categories for cookie baking, six for scrapbooking and 11 for competitive stamp collecting.

The number of sheep that will try to eat a radio microphone if given a chance, 14.

Average number of times each 4-H competitor will be asked to sweep out the cattle barn, 10 times a day.

Number of 4-Hers seen sweeping while simultaneously text messaging, 14.

Approximately 200 animals are born at the state fair each year.

When pointing out the baby sheep to their children, three fairgoers are overheard referring to the lambs as goats.

Five mistake turkeys for geese.

And one misidentifies a duck as a pelican.

Finally, there's 12, that's the number of days you have to take it all in all the sights and sounds of the Minnesota State Fair.

Broadcast Dates

• All Things Considered, 08/21/2008, 6:23 p.m.