State Fair food can knock your socks off or it can make you wonder how a combination of flavors could ever work. We explore the good and the weird from around the West and beyond.
State fairs are the time to see the brightest parts of your state. They bring agriculture, technology, food, carnival rides, games, and more together for a big party. In some states, they start during the summer, others wait until fall; but they all bring screams of laughter, bright-colored carnival rides, and the competing smells of different foods — mostly fried.
Actually, the best part of any fair is the food and drinks. Some are traditional, like corn dogs (or "corny dogs" if you are in Texas), nachos, funnel cake, and turkey legs. Some are foods that you have to try, but you kinda wonder how someone could think to put it all together. We’ve rounded up some of the most delicious and tantalizing state fair food along with a few of the weirdest just to keep it interesting.
Minnesota State Fair
Late August to beginning September
Although Minnesota isn’t the cheese state, cheese curds shine at the state fair. One of the best foods at Minnesota’s state fair is the Buffalo Cheese Curd & Chicken Tacos from Richie’s Cheese Curd Tacos. Cheese in any form is delicious but combining with chicken and placed in a taco—iconic. The weirdest may be the Deep-Fried Ranch Dressing from Lulu’s Public House. These little fried nuggets of a salad dressing are probably good — they are, after all, fried? However, you must love ranch dressing to love this dish.
Iowa State Fair
August
Midwesterners love their food and they love butter and frying things just as much. The Iowa State Fair has a food competition, too, and they offer some mouth-watering items and also some questionable ones.
The best: Bacon Cheeseburger Eggroll (above) by Winn & Sara’s Kitchen. This was a new item in 2024, and it looks like the best parts of both dishes smushed together, the beef, bacon, and cheese from the cheeseburger and the crunchy outside of the eggroll.
The weirdest: Lobster Corn Dog from Destination Grille. It’s a combo that should be tasted for analysis; prepared like a traditional corn dog, the lobster version is topped with lemon aioli drizzle, paprika, herbs and parmesan cheese.
North Dakota State Fair
July
The North Dakota state fair has an odd item, but I’m sure it’s not too out of the ordinary if you’re a fan of peppers on a pizza. Rick’s Pickle Pizza (above) from RJ’s Concessions brings the dill chips together with trad cheese pizza.
Oklahoma State Fair
September
The State Fair of Oklahoma may have the broadest celebration of food. From the traditional corn dogs to fry bread tacos to BBQ to Bacon-wrapped anything-on-a-stick, all cravings are answered.
The best food here also won the 2024 New to the Scene award: The Young Grasshopper – Wondervan Pop. It’s a mint chocolate chip ice cream dipped in rich chocolate and topped with chopped Thin Mint cookies. It is perfect for a light, refreshing bite after all the fried food.
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Arizona State Fair
September to October
The Arizona State Fair not surprisingly has a traditional menu with a Southwestern twist. The fry bread, tacos, and fried ice cream treats are delectable. Alternately, its "Cowboy Kettle Corn" advertises a somewhat extraordinary ingredient—"unicorn breath."
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Colorado State Fair
Late August to beginning of September
The Rocky Mountain state touts some of the best quintessential state fair food, but you can always bet there are some green chiles somewhere around the fairgrounds in Pueblo, Colorado. We'd pair those dishes with the famed "porkchop on a stick."
Texas State Fair
September to October
The Lone Star State’s state fair has a lot to offer, but its food is a core piece —legendary in state fair circles, in fact. The Big Tex Awards is the fair's buzz worthy food competition, inspiring creators to combine the most delicious and weirdest food ever — often in the same dish.
The best: Hammy Pimento Meltdown from J3M2Services. Although not mentioned in the Big Tex Awards, this grilled pimento cheese sandwich with black forest ham just couldn't be wrong.
The weirdest: Rousso’s Cotton Candy Bacon on a Stick by Issac Rousso. It’s a piece of bacon cooked to perfection with a cotton candy glaze on top. An fair-tactic combination of sweet and savory.
PHOTOGRAPHY: (all images) courtesy of their respective state fair
