By Amanda N. Wegner
Wanted: cows, cream puffs and camaraderie.
For 11 days each summer, nearly 1,000,000 Wisconsinites caravan to West Allis in search of old comforts and new memories at the Wisconsin State Fair. August 6 through 16 will be no exception in 2009.
"Anyone can come to the fair and have an incredible experience," says Patrice Harris, the fair's director of public relations & communications. "Whether it's strolling through Ag Village and learning about all the animals, going down the Giant Slide, enjoying the guilty pleasure of our original and delicious cream puffs, twirling your child or spouse to the tunes filling the air from 30 free stages, seeing the blue ribbon-winning horticulture, crafts and culinary exhibits ... it just depends what you want to experience. That's the beauty of the fair. Everyone's experience is unique."
Those were the days...
The Wisconsin State Fair has a long history of bringing people together. The first state fair, held in Janesville in 1851, drew between 13,000 and 18,000 people, making it the largest gathering of any kind in Wisconsin history to that time. Situated on a six-acre parcel on the banks of the Rock River, admission was a dime and one of the major highlights was a 200-pound squash.
The fair moved a few times (Watertown, Fond du Lac, Milwaukee, Madison), before finding its permanent home in West Allis in 1892, where it has been for 117 years. Several dignitaries have graced the grounds over the years, including Abraham Lincoln, Wilbur and Orville Wright and Henry Ford. Today, U.S. Senator Herb Kohl is a regular, shaking hands with constituents as he serves up Wisconsin's other beverage of choice, milk, at his stand.
Things to love
Say the words "State Fair" to any Wisconsinite and images of cream puffs and deep-fried delicacies dance in their heads. The ubiquitous cream puff, the hallmark of the fair, was first served in 1924. Last year a record-setting 381,926 were sold.
"Eating my way across the Fair was a highlight," says Sue Zimmer, who worked as a public relations assistant for the State Fair in 1988. "My favorites were cream puffs, pork chop sandwiches from the Wisconsin Pork Producers, baked potatoes from the Wisconsin Potato Growers, Lions Club corn on the cob and maple cotton candy."
Other eats not to miss? Anything deep-fried or on a stick. "One cannot miss the deep-fried cheese curds or deep-fried Snickers. I know it doesn't sound healthy, but they are so good!" says Derek Blaszak, a Watertown native now living in Appleton. He adds, "There is a green and white booth by the grandstand that I make sure to stop by every year - they have the best fried food."
And don't forget Ag Village. "Agriculture is at the heart and soul of the Wisconsin State Fair, and with more than 10,000 animals exhibited at the fair during the 11-day run, it's an absolutely incredible experience for urban dwellers ... the fair is where urban meets rural," says Harris.
Whether you're in it for the cows, the cream puffs or the camaraderie, mark your calendar for the 158th Wisconsin State Fair.
"I have been at the State Fair almost every summer I can remember," says Blaszak. "As a child I went with my parents, and now that I am older, my fiancée and I never miss it! Just thinking about it makes me wish it was August!"
Go
Wisconsin State Fair
August 6-16
Find tickets and ticket prices, hours, entertainment lineup and more at wistatefair.com.
Fun Fact
During peak production, one cream puff is produced every second.
