Before summer looks for its suitcase and packs up to leave for the other side of the earth, and before all the kids in Minnesota are back to fidgeting in classrooms, there is the Minnesota State Fair. Twelve days of deep-fried food on sticks, plastic cups of beer, vendors who hawk ShamWow towels and magnetic bracelets and dubious foot-soaking solutions and one-0f-a-kind neck scarves and patio furniture made from recycled plastic milk jugs, dog shows, animal barns with horses and cows and pigs and sheep and llamas, new tractors and trailers and RVs and outdoor fireplaces, seed art in the likenesses of famous people (especially, this year, Prince), local bands, Grandstand shows with not-local bands, daily fireworks. It can be expensive. It can be too hot, too greasy, too crowded. Or, it can be a glorious mingling of people who just want to have fun.
Whatever you might think of it, it clearly marks the end of summer’s more relaxed days.
Cows, cows, cows.
No seed shall go to waste, nor shall Prince be forgotten.
Llama, llama!
And may all of you have a fine Labor Day. Onward to fall!
Nice recap of one of the best state fairs in the United States.
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I thought so!
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Llamas look excited to be there – well, as excited as llamas get.
I did catch the NY State Fair 2 years ago. I love the smells and colors. Everything on a stick I pass by usually in my quest to find un-kettle corned popcorn. Just the basics, please.
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Just the basics? Nooo!! Gotta try all that heartburn-inducing food that you’d never eat outside of the Fair!
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Awesome pictures! Love the llamas and cows! I personally LOVE state fairs. I have attended several throughout the Midwest. We grew up going the the Wisconsin/ Milwaukee state fair, some of my fondest childhood memories are from there. Thanks so much for sharing! This brightens my day 🙂
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I’m so glad! One of my best friends grew up in the Milwaukee area (West Allis) and she also has fond memories of that state fair. Now that she lives in Minnesota, she goes to our state fair 3-4 times every year.
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Yes, I can see why. I have not yet been to the Minnesota fair , maybe next year 🙂 Thanks again for posting the lovely pictures!
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Loved your laundry list of attractions and the seed pictures. Happy Fall. xoA
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Happy Fall, Annis! You’ll have to come to Minnesota sometime for our State Fair. I think you’d have a lot of fun!
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You are almost convincing me to attend the State Fair in 2017. It’s the crop art that got me.
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See? Something for everyone.
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