State Fair Gopher

Photo taken back on December 29, 2011 when Dale and I made a stop at the fairgrounds.

Winter Visit Part 3 - Other Sights

It was a gorgeous, sunny winter day at the Fairgrounds. Strangely warm with no snow.

Top photo: Watertower

2nd photo from top: Giant Slide

3rd photo from top: Skyride

Bottom photo: Watertower

Winter Visit Part 2 - The Midway

This is where the Midway is. Again, oddly, it seems smaller with nothing there.

Winter Visit Part 1

Dale and I had some business over by the fair grounds today so we decided to make a stop. Oddly, it seemed smaller with no one around.

2011 Official State Fair Commemorative Art

The prize winning poster was designed by Lino Lakes artist Steve Thomas. I like the fun retro look.

State Fair 2011

State Fair 2011 Ticket

Cold Drinks, Cotton Candy, Caramel Apples

Taken on our first 2011 visit to the fair in August.

Candy Apples and Popcorn 2

Another treated photo of a State Fair food stand taken at the 2011 Fair. I love all the colors of the lights of the Fair at night!

Kones

Another photograph of a food stand at the State Fair treated to look like a watercolor painting. The September 5 posting shows the original photograph.

Candy Apples and Popcorn

I took the photo that is the basis of this picture at the 2011 State Fair. I treated the photo on a photo-shop-type website to make it look like a watercolor painting. I think it turned out well. See posting from Sept. 5 for original photo.

MN State Fair 2011 - Snelling Avenue Entrance

A view of the Snelling Avenue entrance from inside the fairgrounds.

Grandstand 2011

The western sky is still light but it's still just dark enough for the lights to come on.

MN State Fair 2011 - Even More Skyride Photos

The return trip going west yielded some nice pictures of the evening sky. Photos from top: 1. The evening sky. 2. The Grandstand. 3. The Midway.

MN State Fair 2011 - More Skyride Photos

On our first fair trip for 2011 Dale and I took the Skyride. I got some really good pictures as we headed east.

The Giant Slide.

Approaching the Ag/Hort building.

A closer shot of the Ag/Hort building.

Above photos taken Friday August 26, 2011.

Labor Day 2011

Today is Labor Day and that means it's the last day of the fair for 2011. I can't believe it's over and that summer is winding down but, I guess, all good things must come to an end. Looking forward to next year already!

The Fair 2011 (2nd Visit) Part 12 - Goin' Home

After my experience with the deep fried apple pie it was time to go home. It was past 10:30 and many things were closing down. The midway and lots of food booths were still open so bright lights were gleaming everywhere. Here are a couple of stands we passed on the long walk back from the southern grounds of the fair to the parking lots on the northern end near Larpenteur Avenue.

Above photos taken September 2, 2011.

The Fair 2011 (2nd Visit) Part 11 - Deep Fried Apple Pie

On our first trip to the fair this year, Dale and I found a booth that was selling deep fried apple pie. It sounded intriguing but, at the time we discovered it, we had both eaten enough for the day and were not willing to take in any more food. I was bound and determined to try it on our second fair outing for 2011. After the Prairie Home performance, Mom, Dale and I trekked across the grounds to get to the Minneapple Pie booth. It was worth it. The pie was like the ones McDonald's used to sell only 10 times better. You also got your choice of vanilla or cinnamon ice cream to go with it. I went with cinnamon which was a great pairing. Three of the fair's food judges were guests on the Prairie Home performance we had just seen and they sampled about three different fair foods as part of the show. One of the foods they sampled was the same deep fried pie I'm now writing about. They all liked it to one degree or another. One of them even said it had a good "mouth feel", whatever that means. Another, while generally liking it said it had too much crust. I remember leaning over to Mom and saying, "How can you have too much crust? I'd eat it all by itself!" I remember Mom making pie crust cookies with extra pie dough when she made pies years ago. Anyway, the fair's deep fried apple pie was worth seeking out.

Top two photos taken July 26, 2011. Bottom photo taken September 2, 2011.

The Fair 2011 (2nd Visit) Part 10 - PHC Performance

More members of The Royal Academy of Radio Actors including (from left) Tim Russell and Sue Scott. I'm not sure of the name of the woman on the far left but she's very talented. The Guy Noir segment was quite funny. It involved a vegan radical threatening to set of a stink bomb at the fair if all the animals weren't released.

Photo taken September 2, 2011.

The Fair 2011 (2nd Visit) Part 9 - PHC Performance

Although we were 24 rows back, our seats offered a great view of the stage. Garrision Keillor is the luminous figure on the right. The three to the left are members of The Royal Academy of Radio Actors including Tom Keith and Fred Newman.

We were also very close to the jumbo-tron. Above is Garrison Keillor doing what he does so well.

Photos taken September 2, 2011.