New York State Fair’s mechanical bull—kid-sized.
Minnesota’s giant slide is a favorite with the younger crowd.
sriracha funnel cake bites, Turkish pizza, and deep-fried avocado. 2021 dates: August 26–September 6 (Labor Day) 1265 Snelling Avenue North, St. Paul, MN 55108-3003 www.mnstatefair.org • 651-288-4400 GREAT NEW YORK STATE FAIR America’s fourth largest state fair also holds the distinction of being the oldest. The nation’s first state fair was held in 1841 in Syracuse and it lends credence to the fact that such fairs aren’t exclusive to America’s heartland. Both the event and its venue have undergone a huge transformation over the years, most recently in 2015 with a $50 million restoration of the fairgrounds on the shores of Onondaga Lake. An amazing schedule of activities and events, ranging from an exhibit featuring an 800-pound butter sculpture to piglet races to birds of prey demonstrations, routinely attracts more than a million visitors annually. Foodies flock to the fair for the Taste New York Food Truck Competition that hosts 40 of the state’s top food trucks. 2021 dates: August 20–September 6 (Labor Day)
581 State Fair Boulevard, Syracuse, New York 13209 http://nysfair.ny.gov/ • 315-487-7711 THE EASTERN STATES EXPOSITION (THE BIG E) Billed as “the biggest event on the East Coast,” the Big E Fair brings all of New England together (that’s six states, including Massachusetts, Connecticut, Maine, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont) for this annual festival staged in West Springfield, Massachusetts. All things being equal, the fair’s Avenue of States features full-sized replicas of all six original state houses. Each state house serves ambassadorial duty with exhibits and demonstrations keyed to its history, industry, and culture—and tasty samples of its favorite foods. Grab a bite of lobster or baked potato at Maine House or perhaps some Ben & Jerry’s ice cream or maple candy at Vermont House. You get the picture. 2021 dates: September 17–October 3 1305 Memorial Ave., West Springfield, MA 01089 www.thebige.com • 413-737-2443 IOWA STATE FAIR The state fair is Iowa’s biggest event—and it was ever more so in 2019 when a record 1.17 million visitors
STATE FAIRS
COAST TO COAST SPRING MAGAZINE 2021
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