Minnesota State Fair - Quilt on a Stick

Minnesota State Fair 2012, a photo by katbaro on Flickr.

I am at a loss for words. Only at the Minnesota State Fair - home of everything on a stick - would someone in the creative arts area enter a quilt on a stick featuring our very own SPAM.

Minnesota State Fair food - The Walleye Roll

2012 Minnesota State Fair 091 The Walleye Roll, a photo by rabidscottsman on Flickr.

The Walleye Roll, made by Giggles Campfire Grill, is inspired by a lobster roll only with walleye substituted for lobster. The unique twist on Minnesota food s available at the Minnesota State Fair which runs through Labor day.

Reed Timmer's Dominator - Minnesota State Fair

Storm Car, a photo by GSankary on Flickr.

Oklahoma native and storm chaser Reed Timmer has, for whatever reason, his stormchasing vehicle dubbed "The Dominator" at the Minnesota State Fair this year. It looks to be on the Machinery Hill area of the Minnesota State Fairgrounds and having seen it in action on the now-canceled Discovery Channel show "Storm Chasers" I can say that while Reed Timmer is arrogant and obnoxious he does get the footage and the scientific data about tornadoes.

Santa Claus at the Minnesota State Fair

120825 SANTA! @MinnStateFair, a photo by heideland on Flickr.

Sant Claus, seen here waving at fairgoers in front of an exhibit of fresh cut Christmas trees, is alive and well and can be seen throughout the 12 day run of the Minnesota State Fair.

Minnesota Craft Brewer's Guild - Minnesota State Fair

120825 MN Craft Brewer's Guild @MinnStateFair (my new fave thing at the Fair!), a photo by heideland on Flickr.

In my years of attending the Minnesota State Fair I've never found myself yearning for a beer but seeing this tasty looking four pack of craft beers from the Minnesota Craft Brewer's Guild has me thinking about beer.

The Minnesota State Fair and its bountiful selection of beer ends its run on Labor Day.

Heap of Garlic Fries - Minnesota State Fair food

120825 big heap of garlic fries (special for @amycrea) @MinnStateFair, a photo by heideland on Flickr.

Garlic Fries are one of thousands of food offerings at the Minnesota State Fair. The food is the biggest draw for many and the sole reason for some to make the annual trek to the Minnesota State Fair. It is also the final nail in the coffin for thousands of diets across Minnesota.

The Minnesota State Fair keeps rolling on through Labor Day.

Crop Pot - Seed Art - Minnesota State Fair

Crop Pot, a photo by altfelix11 on Flickr.

This crop pot piece of seed art is a refreshing break from the political seed art that seems to fill the Minnesota State Fair. This seed art representation of a crock pot is seen overflowing with a variety of dried beans.

The Minnesota State Fair runs through Labor Day.

Dairy Princess Butter Sculpture - Minnesota State Fair

Dairy Princess, a photo by pstapp222 on Flickr.

Each year at the State Fair, contestants from each Minnesota county compete to become "Princess Kay of the Milky Way". The finalists then get their likenesses carved in 90-pound blocks of butter. Really.

You can see the Dairy Princess Butter Sculpture at the Minnesota State Fair through Labor Day.

Minnesota State Fair Seed Art 2012

Minnesota State Fair Seed Art 2012, a photo by Mpls55408 on Flickr.

A creative jab at the Minnesota Marriage Amendment proposal done in the form of a tiered, seed-covered wedding cake at the Minnesota State Fair.

This piece of Minnesota State Fair seed art features great GOP upholders of marriage sanctity such as Rush Limbaugh, Donald Trump, David Vitter, Herman Cain, Mark Foley and Newt Gingrich.

Fire Eating Lady - Minnesota State Fair

State Fair Day 1 card 2 2012 2012-08-23 14481, a photo by myprontopup on Flickr.

In addition to all of the calorie-filled food (both new and old creations) available at the 2012 Minnesota State Fair, there is also this fire eating lady. I am not one for ingesting fire but I would watch this cool trick over and over again and could even be talked in to trying it with a flaming marshmallow on the right evening.

Minnesota State Fair Farm Cookies

Minnesota State Fair Farm Cookies, a photo by Author Erica Rivera on Flickr.

The Minnesota State Fair Farm Cookies are exquisitely decorated treats. Tough not exactly cheap, I would expect these frosted cutout sugar cookies to cost in line with other Minnesota State Fair food but these look almost too good to eat.

The 2012 Minnesota State Fair runs through Labor Day.

Red Velvet Funnel Cake - Minnesota State Fair Food

red velvet funnel cake, a photo by the queen of subtle on Flickr.

The red velvet funnel cake - a tasty food item at the 2012 Minnesota State Fair - looks like the perfect sugary treat to pair with some fresh milk from the dairy booth.

The Minnesota State Fair and its excess of new fair foods runs through Labor Day in Falcon Heights, MN.

Ragin Cajun Breakfast Sliders - Minnesota State Fair food

Ragin Cajun Breakfast Sliders: a ton of food for $5. Quite good. @MinnStateFair, a photo by Bill.Roehl on Flickr.

Ragin Cajun Breakfast Sliders: a ton of food for $5. Quite good. (As described by local foodie Bill Roehl.)

This nicely portioned breakfast sandwich reminds be of the mammoth $2.60 breakfast burrito I had a month ago at the Winnebago Cafe in Winnebago, MN. Can't wait for another one of those in a few weeks.

The Minnesota State Fair, complete with its abundance of calorie-laden food and treats, runs through Labor Day.

For a complete review of the new food available at the Minnesota State Fair, click here to read the most official take on Minnesota State Fair food from the area expert.

Raging Ankles at Famous Dave - Minnesota State Fair food

Raging' Ankles at Famous Dave ($6) are chewy and mostly tasteless. Why bother with habaneros if you're not gonna have any heat?, a photo by Bill.Roehl on Flickr.

Raging' Ankles at Famous Dave ($6) are, as Bill Roehl says, chewy and mostly tasteless. Why bother with habaneros if you're not gonna have any heat?

Famous Dave's Raging Ankles are just one of many new food treats available at the 2012 Minnesota State Fair which runs through Labor Day.

For a complete write-up of the new food available at the Minnesota State Fair, click here to read the most official take on Minnesota State Fair food from the area expert.

Ole's Cannoli - Minnesota State Fair food

Ole's Cannoli ($4.50 with chocolate chips). Pedestrian, flavorless and boring. Proof Minnesotans cannot make a decent cannoli., a photo by Bill.Roehl on Flickr.

Ole's Cannoli ($4.50 with chocolate chips). Local blogger Bill Roehl calls it "Pedestrian, flavorless and boring. Proof Minnesotans cannot make a decent cannoli."

Ole's Cannoli is just one of many new food creations available at the 2012 Minnesota State Fair which runs through Labor Day.

This is over 4x the price of the cannolis sold at my brother-in-law's pizza restaurant and this doesn't look half as appetizing as his.

For a complete review of the new food available at the Minnesota State Fair, click here to read the most official take on Minnesota State Fair food from the area expert.

Duke's Poutine ($5) - Minnesota State Fair food

Duke's Poutine ($5) Not bad., a photo by Bill.Roehl on Flickr.

Duke's Poutine - costing a mere $5 - is considered "not bad" by local blogger and foodie Bill Roehl.

Duke's Poutine is just one of many new food creations available at the 2012 Minnesota State Fair which runs through Labor Day.

For a complete review of the new food available at the Minnesota State Fair, click here to read the most official take on Minnesota State Fair food from the area expert. 

Holy Land Lamb Fries (Testicles) Minnesota State Fair food

Holy Land Lamb Fries (Testicles) $5. Not bad but not worth it., a photo by Bill.Roehl on Flickr.

Holy Land Lamb Fries (Testicles) $5. Not bad but not worth it.

Just a sampling of the new food available at the 2012 Minnesota State Fair.

For a complete review of the new food available at the Minnesota State Fair, click here to read the most official take on Minnesota State Fair food from the area expert. 

Minnesota Wine Country's Antipasto - Minnesota State Fair food

Minnesota Wine Country's Antipasto ($9). Nice cheeses and olives., a photo by Bill.Roehl on Flickr.

Minnesota Wine Country's Antipasto ($9). Nice cheeses and olives. Just a sampling of the new food available at the 2012 Minnesota State Fair.

For a complete review of the new food available at the Minnesota State Fair, click here to read the most official take on Minnesota State Fair food from the area expert.

What's at the Minnesota State Fair for me?

I normally love going to the fair. When I lived back in SPAMTown USA I'd hit up the good old Mower County Fair 4-5 times in its six day run -- not even counting the times I'd work my employer's booth at the fair. I'd always partake in at least one food item and wander down the midway or check out an exhibit building before heading back to the office. My other excursions centered around the midway or the far too popular beer garden. The prices weren't half bad and it broke up the monotony of the week.

But now I live in the general Twin Cities area and in the seven years I've lived here I think I've gone to the Minnesota State Fair four times. For one, it requires taking a day off work and driving to the opposite side of the Cities because I want no part of pushing my way through a bunch of slow walking folks who wreak of fried food and sweat as they wrangle their double-wide strollers through crowds and stand indecisively in front of each and every food booth whether they plan on making a purchase or not.

For some that is part of the charm of the fair -- the people and watching them. I'll admit that last year I caught some shade with the toddler as I fed her and watched the throngs of people who only seem to emerge in to public view during the ten day-long fair and it shows. There's always too much skin being shown and usually not by those who I wouldn't mind seeing some extra skin on.

For some reason, and I know it will make me out to be a total rube, I like to see the few media personalities who actually show up to the Minnesota State Fair. It makes the few who do show up seem a bit more human and relatable. As far as the food goes, after I had my first fried Snickers on a stick I officially swore off the new fangled fair food on a stick. It's gone too far. How long until some vendor actually sells deep fried t-shirts? It would be one hell of a novelty but not very practical or edible.

So I limit my Minnesota State Fair excursions to every other year. I take the day off from work and strike out for St. Paul. And I do the same with the Minnesota Renaissance Festival which I'll be going to this year. Again, it's a sweaty mass of people moving too slow for my own liking but the people watching alone makes for an interesting time. Who knows, maybe I'll end up being part of one of the audience participation shows again. But I'll still be stewing inside about the price of the food, people not covering themselves adequately and crowds moving far too slowly.

But it all makes for good photos. See what pops up in the coming weeks at MinnPics.

The best thing I saw at the fair

Monday was our official "Let's attend the Minnesota State Fair day". In doing so, we walked a lot, saw all kinds of goats which the baby simply loved and saw plenty of people whom I am convinced only venture outside for the fair. There's plenty to do for free, as people pointed out in my last post, for those living on a strict budget. We checked out the fine arts building and the horticulture building where I saw some huge melons - and pumpkins.

I took a break on a bench with the baby. We splurged on a buy one, get one dinner special at the OES Diner and we sat for a few minutes to watch Dan Cole and his Noon-3 PM show at KFAN.

However, the real scenery, as it usually does, comes out later in the day. As my old lady waffled back and forth about what treat to buy, I stood patiently in front of the Sweet Martha's Cookies building (her eventual purchase was ac one of cookies). That's when I saw a relatively attractive young lady walk by. It was hard not to notice her as she was wearing a bright yellow semi-transparent t-shirt. Then I started chuckling. This young woman, you see, couldn't be troubled to find the correct size of t-shirt as she had enormous breasts.

Her breasts were easily the size of watermelons. I'll venture a guess and say that they were approximately EE cups (if that's even a size). Her t-shirt was probably a medium size and her bra - clearly visible through her thin, yellow t-shirt, was a C cup at best.

This pairing presented quite the visual. The too-small bra was forcing her jello-like EE breasts into two pairs of C-cup boobs. This young lady was rocking not just two breasts but four. Yes, in all of her thin yellow t-shirt glory, this well-endowed young lady (desperately in need of a bra fitting) was the proud owner of four breasts. If only I had my camera out at that precise moment.

I did have my camera at the ready for other Minnesota State Fair moments and MinnPics is just the place they're likely to pop up. Check MinnPics this week for something decidedly Minnesota... eventually.