New York Times Feature Has Nothing Bad To Say About The Fair

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) – The New York Times featured a story about the Minnesota State Fair this week, and the paper of record appears to have the Great Minnesota Get-Together just about right.

Freelancer Allison Duncan, who moved to Minneapolis this summer, wrote about her first day at the fair, detailing what she saw and ate during her seven-hour adventure on opening day.

It didn't take long for her to understand the fair's appeal. "The real point of the fair," she wrote, "is to eat all day long."

Here's what Duncan ate:

A Pronto Pup, cheese curds (from Mouth Trap), deep-fried apple pie with cinnamon ice cream, a frozen apple cider push-pop, fresh lemonade, a First Kiss apple, and Sweet Martha's cookies.

Duncan said she skipped roasted corn on the cob, blaming the advance ticket requirement. She also passed on a deep-fried Twinkie.

It's unclear whether she enjoyed the fair foods, or just endured them, as well as the long lines. But, to her credit, she got some classic fair eats, as well as one food on a stick.

Many Minnesotans will be happy to know that she didn't mention anything about looking for grape salad. She also had nothing bad to say about the weather.

What she did mention was the massive size of the fair, noting that it's the biggest in the country in terms of daily attendance. She also highlighted the Llama Costume Contest and butter sculptor Linda Christensen, a fair icon who's been carving Princess Kay of the Milky Way's likeness in giant butter blocks for decades.

One beloved fair attraction she did not enjoy was the CHS Miracle of Birth Center. What she saw with the piglets didn't do much for her appetite. The SkyGlider, however, offered a "half hour of peace" above the fairgrounds.

For a first day at the fair, Duncan's seven-hour adventure was a hefty portion of Minnesota culture. Let's hope next time she doesn't skip the roasted corn on the cob.

To read her story, click here. Also, be sure to check out the fair photos.