DeBlog: What's The Most Popular State Fair Food?

Believe it or not, we're nearing the end of summer. But the great thing about living in Minnesota is you don't have to say goodbye to the season before one last Minnesota get together -- the Minnesota State Fair! Here's a reply all to your fair-related Good Questions.

Abby Loe from Apple Valley wants to know: What's the most popular food at the State Fair?

"That's an easy one to answer," said the fair's marketing and communications manager Brienna Schuette. "Sweet Martha's has been the number one for a while, at least the past four years."

If you've ever waited in line at the fair for a bucket of Sweet Martha's cookies (and if you haven't, that's just wrong) then you've had the fair's most popular food.

These non on-a-stick cookies brought in about $2.4 million at last year's fair. That's translates to 589, 730 dozen cookies!

The #2 and #3 spots go to good ol' corn dogs and pronto pups, and ice cream-type desserts. Exactly 578,966 sticks were used to get fairgoers their corn dogs and pronto pups last year!

Schuette recommended other great foods at the fair that are lesser known to the public.

"There are a number of goofy ones, like the alligator and deep fried baloney on a stick," she said. "But people from outside Minnesota love the walleye on a stick, it's unique."

Other than inhaling all things fried and sweet, there's plenty off attractions to keep us busy. Kelsey Bitney from Minneapolis asked: What attractions are the most popular?

"As far as rides go, the permanent rides like the Sky Ride are always the most popular," she said. "For exhibits, the CHS Miracle of Birth Center is by far the most popular. And people will always love the butter sculptures."

Around 200 animals are born at the birth center each fair.

Finally, Glenn Huebner from Burnsville wants to know: Who owns the Minnesota State Fair grounds and who pays to keep them maintained?

"It's the Minnesota State Agricultural Society. It was formed before Minnesota even became a state," she said. "The only purpose in that society is to put on a state fair and to maintain the fairgrounds."

All of the members in the society are volunteers so they don't get a paycheck for their ownership of the grounds. Schuette said no tax payer money goes into the fair either.

"All the money that comes in through fair sales is either reinvested for the next year's fair or to maintaining the grounds throughout the year."