Wisconsin State Fair

4 favorites from a fair-weather fair-goer

There are some people who wouldn't miss the State Fair for the world. I've never been one of those people. I'm not big into rides. I love fried food as much as the next person, but festival prices give me buyer's remorse. So for these and whatever other reasons, I hadn't been to the Wisconsin State Fair in years — until this past weekend. 

While I don't feel like I've been totally missing out, I do feel like I discovered things that are worth going back for — things that could make an annual fair-goer out of me. Here are my State Fair favorites.

#1 Bunnies. I could've spent all day in the rabbit and poultry pavilion. But it probably would've become increasingly difficult to not touch all the rabbits and stuff one in my purse. 

#2 Baked potato with everything on it. Yes, I paid $7 for a palmful of cheese curds as my token fried food of the day, but I've had better. The baked potato, however, was pretty awesome. For $6, Adam and I shared a piping hot potato so baked it was basically mashed inside its skin. The potato artists topped it with cheese sauce, broccoli, chili, sour cream, chives, and bacon bits. Worth every penny.

#3 The Wisconsin Products Pavilion. Note to self: Stop here first before succumbing to the fried food. These are real, home-grown products: meats (bison, lamb, jerkies), Door County cherries, local honey and maple, apples, Cedar Crest ice cream, milk, and more. All delicious (though not deep-fried) and definitely more affordable.  

#4 Apple cider donuts for the win! At just 75 cents each, these are a steal. They're smaller than your average donut, but bigger than a mini donut — raised, doused in cinnamon & sugar, and still warm with a melt-in-your-mouth texture. Still dreaming about them? You bet.