Secrets of the City

Your Dress Would Look better On Me offers close-up photos of the Fair.
Conner takes Fair photos.
Friday Food looks at Fair produce.
A Heavy Table writer takes their first trip to the Fair.

A Day in the Life thinks a revolution is needed at the State Fair.
Poo-Tee-Wheet shows seven years of photos of a child at the Fair; it’s like time-lapse!
Urban Sketchers offers sketches of the Fair.
Sweven Volant recounts their experiences at the Fair.
East-Lake.net loves the Fair.

East-lake.net loves the Fair.
Emily Syays So gets her bacon at the Fair.
MnBeer has Summit on a stick.
Girl Friday has too much fried food.
City Pages lists the most overrated food at the Fair.

Heavy Table tells you how to get a good breakfast at the Fair.
The Waiting Line offers a number of Fair photos.
DeRusha gives us some disturbing images and a Photoshop opportunity.
Bite of MN tries more Fair food.
Mathman recounts his trip to the Fair.
Overheard recounts a Fair memory.

It’s hard to keep up with Max’s fair blog round-ups, especially when travelling, and even more so when I’m using what my brother’s family refers to as his hillbilly internet. But we want to share the daily Phair Photos by Debra Fisher Goldstein. She makes a habit of finding the essence of the fair in her photos – and adds a bit of quick commentary, too. And just like that, You Are There! Check out Beyond the Stick.

DeRusha asks why we are so obsessed with the fair.
Bite of Minnesota on Fair food.
Minnesota Pictures shows a cute piglet and a cow stomach.
I do a little song about the Fair.
Stray Hawkeye on State Fair bingo.
State Fair Cliches gives us a State Fair cliche, and we come full circle.

MPR’s Cathy Wurzer takes a look at some of the obscure places at the Fair.
Conan O’Brien witnesses the State Fair spectacle that is a white chocolate bust of his head with bacon for hair.
MPR has a live Webcam at the Fair.
WCCO looks at Fair Food, as does the Heavy Table.

WCCO Web producer Alison Lorge gives some tips for how to enjoy the fair for less: Plan to go on a day when they offer cheaper admission or deals on rides and concessions. The fair has many special discount days to help you out — note that most of these fall during the week.

Any other tips?

Rooz Wound Up, which I linked to in today’s blog roundup, has also been writing an interesting series of posts about how to best enjoy the fair. Some of it is specific to people who plan to go to the Fair to sketch what they see, but including is a lot of good general advice, such as how to dress foe the Great Minnesota Get Together. What advice would you offer to Fairgoers?

The MN State Fair has finally updated their online Food Finder. And, as usual, the early press reports from a few weeks ago left out some of the more interesting new treats: chocolate-covered watermelon on-a-stick; Funnel Cake Fries (funnel cake formed like french fries and served with chocolate dipping sauce); a new Harry Singh’s Carribbean booth in the Food Building; and beignets at the Ragin’ Cajun. Seventy-five listings for the “on-a-stick” category, and 85 listings when you search the keyword “cheese”! So, what’ll you have?