For Nearly 100 Years, A Family Has Worked At The State Fair

FALCON HEIGHTS (WCCO) -- Many Minnesotans have their own State Fair traditions, but there's one family that's put in almost a century of service here.

Lend me your ears, people!! Sorry, that was a corny joke. The Ribar family has run the Corn Roast stand for decades. The fair is really about more than tradition for them.

Since 1985, Brad Ribar's made a living selling roasted corn at the Minnesota State Fair.

"Now the grandkids are starting to work for us, so it's just fun. To be able to work with your family is even more special," Ribar said.

He wasn't the first to take on the tradition.

"My grandpa started here in 1919," Ribar said.

The Ribars have worked all aspects of the fair for generations, from sanitation, to grounds keeping, to corn. Their work is earning them special recognition as they near 100 years of food and fun.

A lot has changed over the years on the fairgrounds where the Ribar's grew up. But some things always stay the same.

"It's really fun. My oldest daughter does all the hiring and scheduling. My younger daughter oversees them during the day," Ribar said.

The Ribar family wouldn't have it any other way.

"It's more than just a business of mine, it's part of who we are," Ribar said.