For some, it's kitsch, Americana, and corn dogs. For others it's the pinnacle of summer. And for Garrison Keillor, host of widely popular radio show Prairie Home Companion, it was an assignment unlike any other. In this month's issue of National Geographic, Keillor shares the lessons he learned while visiting six state fairs last summer, and emumerates his Top Ten State Fair Joys. Photographer Joel Sartore traveled with Keillor to each of the fairs, and some of his brilliant images are featured below. Check out the full gallery and submit your own photos to National Geographic's My Shot: State Fairs, and take our quiz to test your knowledge of state fair history.
"I ain't got no body," croons Andy Mullins, midway barker at the State Fair of Texas. "I greet people, crack 'half' jokes, sing 'All of Me,' " he says. But the mirror illusion that makes him look like half a man is the big draw. "I love the way kids look at me and ask if I'm real."
"I ain't got no body," croons Andy Mullins, midway barker at the State Fair of Texas. "I greet people, crack 'half' jokes, sing 'All of Me,' " he says. But the mirror illusion that makes him look like half a man is the big draw. "I love the way kids look at me and ask if I'm real."
When you're slammed through the night sky at 75 miles an hour and 4
g's, "your stomach stays on the ground," says Minnesota fairgoer Tim
Petersen. Reluctant at first, he and Deborah Smith finally succumbed to
the Slingshot's 200-foot launch and free fall to Earth. Go again?
"Definitely."
Eating into history, 8,400 Iowa fairgoers bite in
synchrony at the first-ever Corn Dog Chomp, in 2008. Recipes vary
(bacon fat makes some extra tasty), but corn dogs have been fair fare
since at least the 1940s. A new treat debuted in Texas in 2006: fried
Coca-Cola (batter balls flavored with cola syrup).Photos: Joel Sartore
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The car show is the best! If you haven't been, check it out! Parking is best when you park onsite. Don't walk through the neighborhood because it can be dangerous.
loved this piece!
i will never forget the chocolate ice cream "potatoes" at the idaho state fair. vanilla ice cream sculpted into a potato shape, rolled in coco powder, with hot fudge ("melted cheese") and whipped cream ("sour cream")toppings. oh summer...
This is a really great top ten list, I love the State Fair season. My favorite part is all the fair food, including the aforementioned corn dog, I also like Funnel Cake and Cotton Candy. Anyone can post their own list to our site http://www.toptentopten.com/. The coolest feature is you can let other people vote on the rankings of your list.