Watch CBS News

How Do State Fair Workers Stay Cool In Record Heat?

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- If you think it's hot enough walking around at the state fair, how about next to 600 degree ovens?

Corn Roast had to shut down one of its roasters because temperatures reached 135 degrees inside the building.

"It's a little uncomfortable today," Corn Roast employee Nathan Kulenkamp said. "On top of that the water that makes steam and makes it even more humid you're just taking a bath in it. It's pretty brutal."

To keep cool, the employees spray the entire crew down with a hose every half hour.

"The main thing is to drink plenty of water. We're trying to shorten up our shifts. Instead of an hour and a half, we're doing every 40 minutes," Kulenkamp said.

Of course you can't come to the state fair without your fried food fix. Bianco's Foods employees fry up ribbon fries in 350 degree oil.

"It is it is a little warmer," Alonzo Perez laughed. "We've got warmers, an oven, we keep everything at [normal] temperature so it is hot," he said.

But if you're going to be an employee at the State Fair on a hot day, it's not so bad if you're serving up cool treats like in the Dairy Barn.

"All the kids get free ice cream so theyre staying pretty cool," said Kelly Hoffman at the Dairy Goodness Bar. "Sometimes our heads might linger in the freezer a little longer," she said.

Still, even with the scorching temps workers say they still love the fair hot or not.

"It's not as good as a 70 degree day but we'll take what we can get," Kulenkamp said.

"We always want ribbon fries, curly fries, regular fries," Perez said. "It's all good."

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.