Fair food fever

July 10, 2025 by
 |  7 Comments  |  Leave Comment

State fairs in the US are filled with agricultural exhibits, carnival rides, crafts, concerts, and, of course, food. Oodles and oodles of food, with plenty of items “on a stick” for convenience as you squeeze your way through the crowds. I know people who will map our their state fair excursion to make sure they can enjoy all of their favorite foods and try new ones that look interesting. To that end, the Minnesota State Fair – the second largest in the country behind Texas – just released a list of 33 new foods for fairgoers to try.

Mini funnel cakes from Leite’s Culinaria by Taylor Mathis

The new entries showcase the diversity of flavors that can be found in Minnesota, especially in the Twin Cities, which the fantastic food scene has garnered two prestigious James Beard Foundation restaurant awards in two years. The ones I am most eager to sample include the Afro Bean Pops (from Afro Deli, one of my favorite lunch spots); the Fawaffle, which as the name suggests is falafel made in a waffle iron; and the Hot Honey Jalapeno Popper Donuts because, well, donuts. I am on the fence about the Dill Pickle Iced Tea.

This rich tapestry of treats is a far cry from the fair foods of yesteryear, where the offerings were more mundane – corn dogs, cotton candy, funnel cakes, milkshakes. Those are all still plentiful (and still delicious!), but it is great to have more adventurous items and foods that represent all of the people who call Minnesota their home. Long live state fair foods! Which fair foods are your favorites?

Category: Holidays & Celebrations

Post a comment

7 Comments

  • FuzzyChef  on  July 11, 2025

    Elote, grilled.

  • racheljmorgan  on  July 11, 2025

    Corndogs

  • tmjellicoe  on  July 11, 2025

    Some form of bbq meat on a bun

  • Jenny  on  July 11, 2025

    Back in New York, my favorite fair food would be zeppoles. My SIL’s churches would have festivals each summer and for a while the zeppoles would be amazing – I had never had them before. Then they started being “bad”. I started making them at home and my niece said – that the festivals should hire me to oversee them. The trick is smaller zeppole and that way the crust is crispy and delicious and the inside done.

  • goodfruit  on  July 11, 2025

    Pronto Pups, which were the corn dogs dipped and fried for you on the spot. The local county fair had the same booth forever. About two years ago, they disappeared.

  • JimCampbell  on  July 13, 2025

    Turkey leg, or, a jumbo corn dog. Cannot eat both anymore.

  • sanfrannative  on  July 16, 2025

    Cotton candy! Or kettle corn. I am torn.

Seen anything interesting? Let us know & we'll share it!

Categories

Archives