If you don’t mind navigating a tumult of people, every Minnesotan should visit the Minnesota State Fair at least once in their lifetime.
For many, the fair is already a yearly tradition complete with fried foods, free shows and long lines that form at the most popular exhibits and vendors.
For others, it’s a chance to reflect on their past experiences and relive parts of their childhoods that have molded them into who they are today.
For me, the 4-H building is exactly that. Being a 4-H kid since I started as a cloverbud in second grade, I made my first-ever trip to the fair in 2011, bringing my citizenship project for judging.
At 13 years old, I already had experience with project judging at my county fair, and from my perspective, the state fair wasn’t so much different in this regard — everything was just “bigger.”
That year was also punctuated by my involvement with aquatic robotics, a group with which I stood loud and proud on our very own float in one of several parades that meander its way through the fairgrounds on a daily basis.
What many people may consider infamous, that year was the only year — until 2023, at least — that I bunked in the 4-H Hilton. It was only for two nights, but that was enough for me at the time.
I would continue frequenting the fair with my parents throughout high school as I hit the stage for performing arts on the Harkness Stage and brought an occasional project in an otherwise unpopular project area. Did you know that clowning used to be a project you could bring to the fair?
Since graduating high school and aging out as a 4H-er, my parents and I last visited in 2018. In the midst of drastic changes that college brought my way — not to mention everyone’s favorite pandemic — the chance to reunite with the eclectic energy present in Falcon Heights at the end of August through Labor Day just wasn’t in the cards.
Fast forward five years, I happened upon a Facebook post from a fellow 4-H'er in early July detailing various fair-time roles that needed to be filled in the 4-H building.
At this point, an extended trip to the fair was long overdue and compelled to make a return, I contacted a reference, filled out an application and hit “send.” I was on my way back to the Great Minnesota Get-Together.
Since before the fair opened to the public on Aug. 24, I’ve been on staff in the science, technology and engineering space in the 4-H building.
My role has primarily involved running a combine simulator, which has enamored thousands of people young and old as they sift through the exhibits and mill about between Arts-In performances.
Admittedly, I was a bit hesitant to help run this as I had never driven a combine before let alone ridden in one. However, even after a bit of instruction and training on the simulator, experience has been the best teacher as farmers who know what they’re doing take their turns on the machine. I feel more confident in combining thanks to the simulator, though I’ll let the professionals keep their day jobs… When off the clock, there’s never a shortage of activities to keep me or anybody busy. Even if you attend all 12 days of the fair, you won’t come close to completing everything the fair has to offer.
The International Bazaar is my personal favorite, complete with vendors representing various countries around the world, free performances on its sprawling stage and international foods for the worldliest of pallets. A new food item housed here this year is the lutefisk steam bun, after which I check off finally trying the controversial fish.
As the fair nears its close, I can say that the decision to apply to work at the fair is the best decision I’ve made this year.
Not only have I been able to serve the 4-H building in a different capacity, but the connections that have permeated my experience are ones that I’m sure will continue to serve me long after the last Sweet Martha’s cookie is baked and sold.
Needless to say, anyone who hasn’t attended the state fair yet, should. If it ends up not being your cup of tea — or your cup of allyou-can-drink milk — you can at least say you tried it.
