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Posts Tagged ‘Minnesota State Fair’

Guess what?  Today is the last day of the Minnesota State Fair.  The art, crafts, food, and animals have  been judged.  The performers have performed, the rides have given thrills and everything-on-a-stick has been eaten.  After today the fairgrounds buildings will be closed and the thousands of people that crowded the streets will have vanished back to their lives outside those sacred three hundred square acres.

Images of the fair will linger in my mind for weeks to come.  Who could forget canoeing raccoons?

And what could be more nostalgic than an old-fashioned side-show? “They’re all alive on the inside!” The headless woman, the human blockhead who hammers nails into his head, the woman who, before your very eyes, turns into an 800-pound gorilla!  The best  part of the side-show is the ballyhoo outside the tent, giving us a free taste of what we can see inside.

The people watching at the fair is phenomenal too.   Sometimes you see people you knew from years ago.  Sometimes you see people who look just like Rod Stewart.  Hey, maybe that really is Rod Stewart!

And speaking of music, the state fair is the best place to go if you want to hear some old-time cowboy music and to watch the ghouls dance.

The Cactus Blossoms

Freddy, Scary Clown, Elvis and Michael Jackson dancing at the Haunted House. The Burger King is dancing with the monsters and the dead, as he is about the scariest creature there is.

What would the Minnesota State Fair be without putt-putt farm equipment and pirates?

Captain Jack Sparrow

September brings the beginning of autumn, the beginning of a new school year, and for my nephew Fojo, the beginning of adulthood. (Happy Birthday Fojo!) The sun will set on the Minnesota State Fair today, bringing to us a new season and 365 days to anticipate next year’s fair.

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I’m Not Here

If you don’t see me for a couple of days, I’ll be at the Minnesota State Fair.  Starting…now!

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I’m distracted.

Why?  Because in two days it begins.

Yep, in two days the Great Minnesota Get Together begins.  Twelve days of livestock, food, games of skill, food, people watching, food, haunted houses, food, spinny rides, food, and of course food.  I’ll be spending a few days at the Minnesota State Fair indulging in all it has to offer.  My first visit will be Friday, and I’ll be armed with my camera, packin’ on the winter fat, and reveling in all the chills, sights, sounds, smells, and tastes the fair can dish out.

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It so happens that our Dive Night once again occurred during fair time.  Husby and I were in charge of choosing a place.  After a lot of thought we came to the conclusion that it’s really difficult to choose a place at the fair simply for the fact that there is just so much good food contained in the 300 acres that make up the fairgrounds.  Most of the “restaurants” serve home cooking or your standard hamburger/hot dog fare, which is really good, but not quite what we wanted for our Dive Night adventure at the fair.  There is one place, though, that has been a fair tradition for many, especially those who work at the fair ~ vendors, ticket takers, garbage collectors, and carnies.  It has also been a tradition for my dad, who has held various positions at the State Fair for over forty-five years.  The best part about this restaurant is that it serves breakfast all day long.  Perfect!

 

The Peg has been around as long as I’ve been going to the fair, and many years before that.  It has booths and tables on the inside and “patio seating” outside for your people-watching pleasure.

Of course we got a table outside.  It was my choice to order breakfast just for something a little different at the fair.  Surprisingly the rest of the gang did the same!  I got the stack of three pancakes, a side of sausage, and chocolate milk.  The pancakes were fluffy and delicious and the sausage was plentiful.

Husby got the #3.  Eggs (over easy for him), hashbrowns, and toast.  The eggs were done perfectly according to Husby, and the hasbrowns were crispy outside and tender inside.

Ray was extremely fancy ordering the #5: steak, eggs (scrambled for him), hashbrowns and toast.  Interestingly he ordered a Mountain Dew with his “breakfast.”

Ruthie ordered a side of steak (where else could you order a “side” of steak?) and hashbrowns.  It was the most dinner-like of our breakfasts.

Most delicious!  The one thing that didn’t quite work was cutting the steaks with plastic utensils.  I kept telling Ruthie to just pick it up and eat it with her fingers, but she is too lady-like.

An item of note, these steaks were No-Names, and very generously sized.  And guess what?  Each couple paid less than $20 for two meals, even those including steak!  It’s one of the best deals on the fairgrounds.

If you go to the fair early in the morning you can lay a good base with a breakfast at The Peg.  Food done by cooks who really know what they’re doing at a very reasonable price.  What more could you ask for?

The Peg is located on the outside of the Agriculture/Horticulture Building on the east side.  Too late to try it this year, but be sure to include it on your things-to-do-at-the-fair list for next year.  Highly recommended!

Y

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