Photo by Caitlin Abrams
Minnesota State Fair Fries
You knew they were going to do SOMETHING.
After the popularity of the grassroots effort Fair Food Finder, how could they not?
This morning they announced: The Minnesota State Fair Food Parade, as a new way to get your Sweet Martha's and Giggles fix. The fairgrounds will be hosting 16 different vendors who will be selling you their food wares along a 1.5 mile route and you get to drive-thru and grab the goods!
Here's how it's going to work:
You buy one of the limited number of tickets available online for a certain day (Aug. 20–23, 27–30, Sept 3–7) and specific time (on the hour). Tickets are $20 per car and included entrance for up to 5 people per car. More than 5 in your sedan? Buy two tickets. Food purchases are not included, but you WILL get an insulated State Fair reusable lunch bag and a swag bag filled with fun stuff.
At the entrance, you'll get an ordering menu (bring a pen!) and a car number you'll display on your dash. You line up and drive along the planned route. Choose the amount of items you want on your order menu, and show that to your vendor from the car as you roll up. (Yes, you will be able to skip vendors with a passing lane, thus avoiding the backseat fight over Pronto Pup versus Corndog.) Have cash or credit ready, there will be an ATM at the start. The food will be delivered to you via window service from your favorite food vendor listed below, you eat, you laugh, you roll on through 16 spots and you get a small slice of the good vibes that will tide you over to 2021.
There will be an area at the end of the parade route where you will be able to park your car and enjoy your bounty (find some State Fair merch on sale there too), but if you choose to get out of your car at this point, you must remain socially distanced from others nearby.
Along the route, as you're munching your fried cheese curds, you'll find some fun stuff like a Summit sponsored trivia contest, sightings of Fariborne and Fairchild, plus there's a food drive for Second Harvest Heartland you can support. OF NOTE: Fair restrooms will not be open, but there will be limited public toilets along the route.
OK! You in? Tickets for this ballyhoo will go on sale online July 31 at 10am. And you can bet they'll go fast.
Here's the Sweet Sixteen and what they are offering:
Turkey to Go (credit card only)
- Turkey Sandwich
- Giant Juicy (1/3 pound): $9
- Half-Pound Giant Juicy: $11
- Turkey Legs (gluten-friendly): $10
- Turkey Sandwich Meat by the Pound (gluten-friendly)
- One Pound: $17
- Five Pounds: $80
- Bottled beverages (Coca-Cola, Diet Coke, Mountain Dew, Sprite, Fanta): $2.50
Tom Thumb Donuts (cash/credit)
- Mini Donuts: $6
- Bottled beverages (Coca-Cola, Diet Coke, water): $3
Fresh French Fries (cash/credit)
- 32 oz.: $8
- 88 oz.: $14
- Bottled beverages (Coca-Cola, Diet Coke, lemonade, water): $2.50
Sweets & Treats (cash/credit)
- Jumbo Cotton Candy: $8
- Caramel & Candy Apples: $5
- Popcorn: $5
- Caramel Corn: $5
- Sno Cone: $4
- Water: $3
Mouth Trap Cheese Curds (cash/credit)
- Bucket: $17
Que Viet (cash/credit)
- Giant Egg Roll On-a-Stick: $8
- Garlic Cream Cheese Wontons: $8
Pronto Pups (cash only)
- Regular Pronto Pup: $5
- Bottled beverages (Coca-Cola, Diet Coke, water): $3
Pitchfork Sausage/Butcher Boys London Broil (cash/credit)
- London Broil Steak on a Roll with onions, peppers and cheese (gluten-friendly without bun): $10
- Italian Sausage Sandwich with onions and peppers (gluten-friendly without bun): $10
- Italian Sausage On-a-Fork: $8
- Bottled beverages (Coca-Cola, Diet Coke, Sprite, water): $3
Dairy Goodness Bar by Midwest Dairy (cash/credit)
- Malts (12 oz.): $5
- Chocolate
- Vanilla
- Vanilla with Caramel Sauce
West Indies Soul Food (cash/credit)
- Jamaican Patties: $6
- Chicken
- Beef
- Jumbo Jerk Chicken Wings (2): $7
- Bottled beverages (Pepsi, Mountain Dew): $5; Water: $4
Foot Long Hot Dogs & Corn Dogs (cash/credit)
- Foot Long Hot Dog: $7
- Foot Long Corn Dog: $8
- Regular Corn Dog: $5
- Bottled water: $2
Giggles’ Campfire Grill (cash/credit)
- Walleye Fries: $9.50
- Walleye Cakes: $9.50
- Duck Bacon Wontons: $9.50
- Duck Drummies: $9.50
- Beverages (Coca-Cola, Diet Coke, Sprite, Mountain Dew): $2.50; Water: $2 or 3 for $5
Cheese On-A-Stick and Fresh-Squeezed Lemonade (cash/credit)
- Cheese On-A-Stick: $5
- American
- Jalapeño
- Fresh-Squeezed Lemonade
- Sealed Bottle (16 oz.): $5
- State Fair Souvenir Bottle (28 oz.): $8
- 1-gallon jug: $20
The Hangar (cash/credit)
- Tater Twister (Sausage wrapped in a whole spiral-sliced potato and fried): $6
- Fried Oreos: $7
- Funnel Cake: $8
- Bottled beverages (Coca-Cola, Diet Coke, Sprite): $4; Water: $3
El Sol Mexican Foods (cash/credit)
- Tacos: $5
- Fried Flour Shell
- Hard Corn Shell
- Burritos
- Beef and Bean: $9
- Jumbo Beef: $8
- Bean: $6
- Taco Salad: $8
- Bottled beverages (Coca-Cola, Diet Coke, water): $2
Sweet Martha’s Cookie Jar (cash only)
- Pail of Cookies: $17 (limit 6 pails per vehicle)
- Bottled beverages (water, milk): $3
