Wisconsin Beth
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Post by Wisconsin Beth on Aug 25, 2014 8:09:51 GMT -5
I grew up doing the Wisconsin State Fair on carload day (back in the days when no one worried much about seatbelts. As I recall, it was $5 and my Mom and her older sister would stuff us all into 1 car and we'd go. Now, we have kids of our own and we alternate between Wisconsin STate Fair and the Washington County Fair with them.
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NomoreDramaQ1015
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Post by NomoreDramaQ1015 on Aug 25, 2014 8:46:51 GMT -5
We do the Iowa State Fair every year. It's our annual vacation. Gwen's old enough now to get into it, she really enjoys the animal barns and Little Hands on the Farm.
This year I decided to book our vacation in the middle of the week and it was so much better than going on the weekend! DH and I decided we're going to do that from now on.
Don't do county fairs or any of the random skeevy carnivals that come into Council Bluffs.
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NancysSummerSip
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Post by NancysSummerSip on Aug 25, 2014 10:46:29 GMT -5
Been to our county fair one time - it's such a madhouse to get in and out of the one entrance/exit and parking is terrible. But I hear the food rocks and gets better every year. I always went to the county fair every year as a kid. I had to, since my dad, a firefighter, was in the parade. Not a big hardship, though. I always loved the rides and even then I had a taste for deep-fried fair fare! Food wasn't fancy back in the Stone Age - corn dogs, cotton candy, funnel cakes, caramel corn, hot buttered corn on a stick - but we sure ate a lot of it.
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chapeau
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Post by chapeau on Aug 25, 2014 12:30:45 GMT -5
We do the Iowa State Fair every year. It's our annual vacation. Gwen's old enough now to get into it, she really enjoys the animal barns and Little Hands on the Farm. This year I decided to book our vacation in the middle of the week and it was so much better than going on the weekend! DH and I decided we're going to do that from now on. Don't do county fairs or any of the random skeevy carnivals that come into Council Bluffs. We went to the Iowa State Fair this year, too. My brother lives in the Quad Cities area and had to work the fair last year. He thought we'd love it, and he was right. I want to go back next year, but my brother just found out he probably won't be in Iowa next year. I'm not sure we'll make the drive from Pennsylvania without the added bonus of seeing him. Daphne loved Little Hands on the Farm, too (She bought raisins with her earnings). I think she'd love it even more next year. It felt ridiculous to drive 13 or so hours to go to the Iowa State Fair and then miss our county fair, which just ended Saturday night, especially since it's like 10 minutes from our house and I drive past it every day going to and from work. But that's what happened. We'll see about next year. In comparison to the Iowa fair, out tiny county fair (3rd largest in PA, but still tiny) is puny. And very expensive. We paid $8/person to go to the state fair and could have stayed for a couple more days. It's $7 to get in to our county fair, and I can get through it in a couple of hours. I go to all the animal exhibits and see all the tomatoes, corn, etc. that people grew. I wouldn't touch those rides with a 10 foot pole, a case of bleach, and an up to the minute list of Megan's Law offenders. The carnies creep me out and the rides are always so creaky...
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Wisconsin Beth
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Post by Wisconsin Beth on Aug 25, 2014 12:35:45 GMT -5
Ugh.. I hate fairs. I hate the crowds that go! we go early in the day and have a plan to be gone by 3pmish. Even better is going on a weekday.
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greeniis10
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Post by greeniis10 on Aug 25, 2014 12:42:22 GMT -5
I'm not real big on the crowd that attends our fair, either, which sounds very "judgy" of me, but honestly, you do NOT want to go into the ride area after dark unless you want to risk getting involved in a gang fight and the music tents are full of drunken idiots making fools of themselves.
However, we usually try to go once a year just to see any new exhibits and if by chance there is a good concert. DS2 and I were going to see "Korn" this year, but they are the same night as the Monster Trucks and we'd rather see the trucks.
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Wisconsin Beth
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Post by Wisconsin Beth on Aug 25, 2014 12:44:50 GMT -5
we go early in the day and have a plan to be gone by 3pmish. Even better is going on a weekday. we have a large hispanic population in our area and it seems to be almost a religious experience for them to attend the fair... so much so that they even take their kids out of school to go... it's jam packed every. single. day. of. the. week! Ah. OUrs is the first week of August (with 2 weekends) so the kids aren't in school yet. YOurs sounds more like our Summerfest - 10 days of musical revelry on the lakefront grounds.
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greeniis10
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Post by greeniis10 on Aug 25, 2014 12:46:23 GMT -5
I'm not real big on the crowd that attends our fair, either, which sounds very "judgy" of me, but honestly, you do NOT want to go into the ride area after dark unless you want to risk getting involved in a gang fight and the music tents are full of drunken idiots making fools of themselves.
However, we usually try to go once a year just to see any new exhibits and if by chance there is a good concert. DS2 and I were going to see "Korn" this year, but they are the same night as the Monster Trucks and we'd rather see the trucks. We must live in the same area... That's almost exactly what I thought when I read your post about the Hispanic population and their "religious" fair attendance!
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Cookies Galore
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Post by Cookies Galore on Aug 25, 2014 12:47:03 GMT -5
I don't think there is a county fair where I live and I've never been to a state fair. We did go to a lot of church carnivals growing up, though.
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greeniis10
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Post by greeniis10 on Aug 25, 2014 12:52:15 GMT -5
Our fair is going on right now, so Aug. is a BIG month for garage / yard sales, which one would think would be for raising money for back-to-school items, but nope - State Fair money! That's okay, though. As long as it generates revenue for the city and I don't have to participate, I'm good.
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yogiii
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Post by yogiii on Aug 25, 2014 13:06:43 GMT -5
I grew up in Springfield, Massachusetts and since 1916, the Eastern States Exposition has taken place in West Springfield . The ESE is the 'state fair' for all the New England States. I used to go as a kid and teenager. The Tennessee State Fair ìs held ìn Nashville. I have never attended. I have never been, even though I've lived in MA and NH my whole life. It's on my bucket list for this fall. me too
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ArchietheDragon
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Post by ArchietheDragon on Aug 25, 2014 13:43:47 GMT -5
If you haven't eaten yourself into a coma at the Big E, you haven't lived.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 25, 2014 13:47:54 GMT -5
Well, I just put my vacation request in for Wednesday. It's supposed to be cooler (I hope).
Now I'm pumped for the insanity that is the MN State Fair. Bring on the deep-fried butter on a stick!
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sheilaincali
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Post by sheilaincali on Aug 25, 2014 13:49:50 GMT -5
Timely thread. My sister texted me last night to see if I wanted to go to the MN state fair this weekend. I said "Not a chance in hell".
DS and his friends are going on Friday. J's mom is dropping the 4 of them off and than picking them back up at 10pm. I guess they plan on spending all day there.
My sister wants to go to the MN one to make up for the Iowa one. (her words not mine). She lives in Ankeny now and this is the first year they did the Iowa state fair. She said it was "fine but kind of sad compared to the MN one" and that they didn't have as many food options.
IDK I'm with MM - I hate crowds. Last time I went was 2009 and that was still too soon for me to want to go again. This weekend it will be jam packed with people.
I plan to hit up the Ren. Fest while everyone else is at the State Fair
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sheilaincali
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Post by sheilaincali on Aug 25, 2014 13:50:43 GMT -5
MPL_ DS and his friends plan to compete to see who will eat the strangest (possibly grossest) fried food on a stick. With is cast iron stomach DS feels he has a decent chance of winning.
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MJ2.0
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Post by MJ2.0 on Aug 25, 2014 13:51:43 GMT -5
I haven't had a problem with weirdos at the county fair. But maybe it's because both times we went late morning/early afternoon and left after 2-3 hours. DS loved looking at the tractors, horses, and animals. We also shared some soft serve ice cream.
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NomoreDramaQ1015
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Post by NomoreDramaQ1015 on Aug 25, 2014 13:57:18 GMT -5
Bring on the deep-fried butter on a stick! Be careful with that. Iowa had it a couple of years ago in honor of the 50th anniversary of the Butter Cow. DH ate one and found out at about 4 am that it comes out exactly the same way it went in. He's still mad at me for laughing so hard rolled out of the hotel bed.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 25, 2014 13:58:25 GMT -5
Timely thread. My sister texted me last night to see if I wanted to go to the MN state fair this weekend. I said "Not a chance in hell".
DS and his friends are going on Friday. J's mom is dropping the 4 of them off and than picking them back up at 10pm. I guess they plan on spending all day there.
My sister wants to go to the MN one to make up for the Iowa one. (her words not mine). She lives in Ankeny now and this is the first year they did the Iowa state fair. She said it was "fine but kind of sad compared to the MN one" and that they didn't have as many food options.
IDK I'm with MM - I hate crowds. Last time I went was 2009 and that was still too soon for me to want to go again. This weekend it will be jam packed with people.
I plan to hit up the Ren. Fest while everyone else is at the State Fair Weekdays are a lot better as far as crowds (although I always seem to pick the record attendance day no matter when I go, so avoid Wednesday). Still historically, it's generally only about 118K on this day as opposed to weekends which are more like 220K. Lowest attendance is always the first day. This year there was only 94K on the first day. That would have been awesome!
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MN-Investor
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Post by MN-Investor on Aug 25, 2014 14:00:49 GMT -5
Well, I just put my vacation request in for Wednesday. It's supposed to be cooler (I hope). Now I'm pumped for the insanity that is the MN State Fair. Bring on the deep-fried butter on a stick! DH and I plan on going to the Minnesota State Fair tomorrow. It sounds like the weather for the next several days should be perfect. Can you imagine being in any of those buildings yesterday with that heat, humidity, and crowds? Uff-da!
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Post by Deleted on Aug 25, 2014 14:01:55 GMT -5
Bring on the deep-fried butter on a stick! Be careful with that. Iowa had it a couple of years ago in honor of the 50th anniversary of the Butter Cow. DH ate one and found out at about 4 am that it comes out exactly the same way it went in. He's still mad at me for laughing so hard rolled out of the hotel bed. I'm not even sure if they have it anymore. My sister said the toasted waffle ice cream sandwich was awesome.
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WholeLottaNothin
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Post by WholeLottaNothin on Aug 25, 2014 14:15:29 GMT -5
My DH went to the NYS Fair this past friday with his brother. He asked me the next day if I wanted to go this year. I hit 33 weeks pregnant this week and last year Roggie cried because he was so overstimulated until he passed out in his stroller. I am not eager to waddle my butt around the Great NYS Fair! Though some funnel cakes do sound good.....
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Wisconsin Beth
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Post by Wisconsin Beth on Aug 25, 2014 14:18:33 GMT -5
Bring on the deep-fried butter on a stick! Be careful with that. Iowa had it a couple of years ago in honor of the 50th anniversary of the Butter Cow. DH ate one and found out at about 4 am that it comes out exactly the same way it went in. He's still mad at me for laughing so hard rolled out of the hotel bed. I'm not even sure if they have it anymore. My sister said the toasted waffle ice cream sandwich was awesome. Ok, that I'd eat. In a heartbeat. Hell, I'll trade the infamous Wisconsin State Fair Creampuffs for that. Can you tell I don't like cream puffs?
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NomoreDramaQ1015
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Post by NomoreDramaQ1015 on Aug 25, 2014 14:18:57 GMT -5
I was surprised at how well I held up at the State Fair. The weather was what made the difference. It was in the low 80's the entire week we were in Des Moines. If it had been it's usual 95+ I would have made DH rent me a rascal.
If you do go make sure you wear some comfortable/good walking shoes. I find for whatever reason my cowboys are the most comfortable for me to walk around in right now, so that's what I wore to the fair.
And drink lots of water and rest where you can.
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Wisconsin Beth
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Post by Wisconsin Beth on Aug 25, 2014 14:19:51 GMT -5
And it really sounds like there ought to be a Minn. State Fair meetup. If only long enough to stand in line to get a waffle-ice cream sandwich.
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sheilaincali
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Post by sheilaincali on Aug 25, 2014 14:51:34 GMT -5
I'd go if that was the case. I always forget that there are a few of us here in good old Minnesota
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MarleyKeezy78
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Post by MarleyKeezy78 on Aug 25, 2014 15:30:53 GMT -5
I showed horses growing up so every summer we stayed on the grounds for our county fair.
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swamp
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Post by swamp on Aug 25, 2014 18:02:08 GMT -5
Ugh.. I hate fairs. I hate the crowds that go! It's people watching at its best. You just need to go with the right attitude. And drink wine slushies
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nutty
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Post by nutty on Aug 26, 2014 5:08:06 GMT -5
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Post by Deleted on Aug 26, 2014 14:09:19 GMT -5
Oh man. Now I'm really pumped to go to the fair. I'm getting those kids up at 5am. ROFL
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NomoreDramaQ1015
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Post by NomoreDramaQ1015 on Aug 26, 2014 14:18:15 GMT -5
The crazy tater was kinda a rip off, it's regular grater potatoes on a stick but they charge you more for the stick version. I tried the Deep fried brownie last year. It was way too much, the brownie was very dense, once it was fried it was like trying to eat cement. I keep meaning to try the fried oreos but always drift back towards a fried snickers bar instead. Are we really that oblivious that we need the daily mail to inform us that if you eat anything deep fried it's going to contain a bazillion calories? Who eats this stuff thinking they're being healthy and then is horrified at the actual calorie count? This was my favorite new item this year. It's pineapple upside down funnel cake. Funnel cake topped with crushed pineapple and a caramel glaze. Mind = blown.
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