#state fairs

[tomorrowusa]

Trump’s Tacky State Fair’s Final Humiliation Exposed in Dramatic Photos

It’s hard to believe it’s still open—but it is.

Today is the last day you can visit Trump's "Great American State Fair".

At least it's less crowded than the Fyre Festival.

These crowd control barriers probably got a lot of use. 😜

Visit your own state's REAL state fair. At least half of them have schedules which include some portion of August; though Florida's is held during the winter. If your own state's is already past or at an inconvenient time, visit one in a neighboring state. Even the most boring one is likely to be better than the Trump fair. Because agriculture is usually a considerable part of these fairs, food is often plentiful.

State Fairs by State 2026

Check out a fair's site before you attend.

[uwmspeccoll]

Cheers to Wisconsin! 🍻

Wisconsin became a state on May 29, 1848, making it the 30th state to join the United States. From its roots in the Northwest Territory to becoming “America’s Dairyland,” Wisconsin boasts a rich history filled with vibrant cultures, natural beauty, and plenty of cheese and beer.

In honor of this milestone, we are pleased to present The Wisconsin Story, the Building of a Vanguard State, written by H. Russell Austin. The book explores Wisconsin's history, culture, and people, examining the social, economic, and political factors that have contributed to the state's unique identity and development. Published in Milwaukee in 1948 by the Milwaukee Journal, it was first released as a daily serial between February and March of that year.

From cheese curds to cranberries, supper clubs to state fairs, Wisconsin proudly showcases the heart of the Midwest. So, raise a glass (of local brew, perhaps) to celebrate Wisconsin’s history!

-View more posts about Wisconsin 

-Melissa, Distinctive Collections Library Assistant

[stone-cold-groove]

A day at the fair.

[transpondster]

Gov. Tim Walz and his daughter at the Minnesota State Fair

[hclib]

Tragedy at the 1923 State Fair

One hundred years ago, auto racing was a major attraction at the Minnesota State Fair. Despite the sport's popularity, the State Fair's board unanimously voted on the evening of September 5, 1923, to ban amateur drivers from competition. The swift change came because of the tragedies that had unfolded at the fairgrounds just a few hours earlier.

At 2:00 pm, roughly 50,000 people had gathered in the State Fair Grandstand to watch the auto races and auto polo competition. Not long after the events began, however, tragedy struck. Owen Van Drake, a 31-year-old driver from St. Paul, lost control of his car and hit the wall or fence. An ambulance arrived swiftly, but Van Drake died before making it to the hospital. Only a short while later, another 31-year-old driver, Joseph Lehman of Minneapolis, accidentally drove through the fence. With his car and clothing afire, Lehman was able to escape from the wreckage. He survived, but only after spending a week in the hospital badly burned. Finally, in the final competition of the race program -- an auto polo match between the Canadian and American teams -- Walter Sterling, a 27-year-old Canadian player, was injured when his car rolled over.

Perhaps because of the traumatic outcomes of that racing day, a program for the September 5, 1923 auto races is in our Minneapolis and Hennepin County Subject Vertical Files. We do not know how the program came to the library, but it may have been donated by one of the spectators at those frightful races. Whoever that spectator was, he or she noted Lehman's "smash up" in the program.

[ceevee5]

I got to try making these this summer - deep fried dill pickles. I grew up in Toronto, and the end of each August is the CNE - the Canadian National Exhibition. And it always had a Food Building with stuff like this. Nutella and bacon sandwiches. Krispy Kreme blueberry donut chicken sandwiches.

[emtheslayqueen]

🌎 🌿🌤️🌅

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[hagleyvault]

April is typically the start of swarm season for honeybees in much of the United States, when bee colonies leave the hive to split into two or more new new colonies. This is one of the busiest and most important times of year for apiaries and beekeeping hobbyists. But the payoff is, of course, sweet. This 1921 photograph shows the Bee Brand booth at the Delaware State Fair. While the front of this table features what appears to be jars of honey, Bee Brand, a brand launched by the Baltimore based McCormick & Co. food company in the 1890s, actually traded in spices, teas, extracts and salad dressings. The booth attendant seen here is holding a jar of the company’s mayonnaise.

The Delaware State Fair was first held in Wilmington, Delaware around the turn of the 20th century.  From 1917 to 1928, the fair was relocated in Elsmere. In 1928, it was moved 60 miles south to Harrington. The Hagley’s collection of Delaware State Fair albums (Accession 1991.212) consists primarily of two albums covering the years 1919, 1920, and 1921. Subjects include livestock, agricultural displays, automobile displays, arts & crafts displays, displays of various youth organizations, vendor booths, horse and car races, views of the crowds, and, of course, dog shows. To view more images from the Delaware State Fair, visit its page in our Digital Archive by clicking here.