I looked forward to today with more joy than sadness this year. It did not disappoint. Gray & I were racing the clock to get to the gate by 6:00, but made it in time for a quick photo op with our own Minnesota presidential candidate, Amy Klobachar! She was getting mic’d for a tv news segment, but was gracious enough to allow this pic!

We made the morning news walking in and quickly joined up with my friend Andrea & Shannon to take part in the Historic Walking Tour. This our second year doing it, so I’m gonna call it a new tradition!

After grabbing our punch cards, made our way around the perimeter of the grounds, punching out cards ~in descending numerical order~ this time, which pleased me greatly! Stop #12 is the Fine Art Building.

Always on the look out for “head holes” and needing a team photographer, we found a guy whose tradition is to eat the very first Rutana Apple Dumpling every year…. he willingly took our eco-garden pic!

We spotted the Big Wheel and took the obligatory pics and Shannon decided to take a dip in the fish pond game at car dealer!

I needed to ride a tractor…not quite the same as when we were kids…but still somehow fun!

We headed up to check out the new “North End Event Center”. It’s interesting architecture as you approach, but not as awe inspiring as we hoped and the promised “green roof” did not end up in the final plans.

The cornstalk sculpture loses appeal for me with LED screen interior.

It’s fun to have all the Adam Turman installations up here though!

The Hangar has a yard full of patio games and Andrea quickly whopped me in Connect Four!

I took a picture of the dog pavilion scheduled appearances if anyone is planning their visits around dog breeds….

The McDonalds booth has been relegated to the outer banks of the grounds this year! I wonder if other “traveling displays” will be here too.

I missed taking pictures of some walking tour stops, but I know I’ll be back. As we headed back south, we cut through the Kidway to reach one, and Andrea commented it would be the ~only~ time you’d catch her in this vicinity! Kid free and rides not operational! Without children and in the twilight of dawn… some rides are kinda creepy!

This time of day offered a people free photo op of the new labor mural! It’s really quite something!

No people in front of the Minnesota sign either, but we did find something else there!

We walked the Bailey a House brick path and Mom & Dads original (first year) brick is beginning to fade. It’s three paces down the path on the left right outside the Bailey house front door. Stand there and remember the love!

Shannon needed some coffee, so we stopped by the new Anchor Coffee truck outside the Ramberg Center. You can get a latte with mini donut on top for only $7 (ha!)

As we walked down Judson, we met the cutest goat! I can’t remember her name….but she had interesting coloring and a pink studded collar.

We got our punch at the Sheep & Poultry Barn, then “to the swine barn!” We proclaimed! Something one might only hear at the Minnesota State Fair!

Lots of majestic, massive equine beasts being walked & unloaded. I love the big horses most of all! Hoping to catch the draft horse hitch show tomorrow at 5:00.

We spotted the “Grim Horse Reaper”!

Walking past the Minnesota Zoo horses, I reminisced about the parade rides in the past and asked if they needed riders today, and we were granted permission! Set an alarm to return by 1:00pm to prepare for the parade!

Fed carrots to some horses (with owners consent…and carrots) and made our way up to Carousel Park to check out the STEM day set ups. I took my friends to the bench, and as I looked up, I noticed the WCCO theme this year… “Since We Last Met”. It couldn’t be in a more perfect spot this year.

We found my friend Elysia (a mentor for her sons team) setting up the robots in Carousel Park. I can’t believe I didn’t get a picture with her! She graciously took our group shot in the photo booth behind KSTP.

We stood in the long grass of Carousel Park, and we’ll see just how long it lasts this year!

Boston Scientific, the company that I’m subcontracted for, always has fun activities on this day. The kid answered a quiz and got some awesome color changing sun glasses!

We completed our punch cards at the West End Arch and made our way to Nordic waffles so Andrea & Gray could get breakfast. The all day breakfast did not disappoint, but Gray found the berries & cream, with only juice and ~not one~ berry, slightly sub par. The edges were a bit crispy, but I’m a fan of “well done” at the fair!

I needed blueberry Tipsy pie and Shannon wanted to try the new Gluten free grilled sun butter & blueberry sandwich back up at the “Brim” on the north end so we parted ways and had plans to meet up at 10:00 for the opening ceremony.

As I type this, I realize that all this had been accomplished and it was only 8 am!

I was not the first in line to get pie, but I missed the early rush and had a chance to chat with Sara. She is offering a gluten free pecan tart this year, which is sure to be a good seller! Pie #1.

Gray ran into Carl, a new coworker and soon to be good friend I think!

We shared some State Fair lore & tips, and we parted ways, knowing I wanted to get to the crop art by 9:00. My friend a Gayle submitted her first attempt ever and I wanted to see it first!

As we waited for the Ag/Hort to open, we ran into my cousin a Karla & Steve having their annual first day breakfast at The Peg!

(Always a great ~sit down~ choice for early breakfast!)

Well, I wasn’t ~first~ to see it, Gayle & Mark beat us to it, but lo and behold… a Blue Ribbon! Her piece was stunning! Intricate, precise, simple but eye catching and you can’t go wrong with the State Fair Mascot image!

There were many good entries!

We checked out the “homegrown Minnesotan” theme in the center of the hex~plex. The center Prince display was purple~rific!

Tried the new apple “First Kiss” (slightly tart & crispy, yum!) and the kid had a cider freeze.

The scarecrow display was fun, but the new face images are a bit creepy!

The kid was ready for a rest, and we found a couple Leinie Reclinies and enjoyed the shade and lovely breeze on this picture perfect fair weather day.

Andrea & Shannon joined us, and saved our seats, while the kid and I ran over to the Bailey House to pick up our swag for the walking tour and our a Friend of the Fair rewards!

The kid is now an employee of the Minnesota Historical Society, and they sponsor the walking tour so the kid had the inside scoop on the prize (tote bag) before the fair!

The state Fair was declared officially opened and the flag raised, and we parted ways again, and the kid and I headed to a Creative Activities to get my recipe card and see if I could find some other friends entries.

I’m sad to see the food goods really crowded into smaller spaces since the “expansion” and the addition of the Cambria Kitchen. Things are crowded into display case and you can read many of the entries info, and the there are no descriptions of what is contained inside. Aside from the ribbon winners, the non-winning pie entries are only pictured on boards. There is plenty of space, I wish it would get a make~over.

I will do an in depth post on the Creative Activities another day. This was just a glancing blow through the edge!

We went the back way and I was hungry so I filled up on thimbles full of soup!

Then we stopped by the MNHS booth (where the kid will be working on a Sunday) to win a steel straw (with cleaner) by spinning the wheel. This is ~not~ the walking tour prize! We took advantage of the photo op!

We made our way up to visit my favorite state fair people at the Alphabet Forest! It’s the 10th year of the forest! (For some reason, the Fair does not use the word “Anniversary”. I don’t know why, but I’ll try to find out!)

They are a bit light on volunteers later next week, so you might find me at a post next Wednesday or Thursday afternoon!

It was time for lunch? The kid got a Kiwanis malt and I got a foot long hotdog. We both channeled Carol Jo & Don!

We needed to be back to the horse barns by 1:00, so we made our way back down to Dan Patch. Stopped into the Health Fair 11 and downloaded the gluten free food list, which is now accessible on their website! Poor timing for Ucare bags, and not wanting flu shots today, we left and spotted Goldy posing outside!

We walked through the poultry barn and saw lots of bunnies & sheep, (the actual “poultry” arrives next week!)

Then we arrived back at the horse barns to await our chariot ride! The zoo has a beautiful new wagon! No more sitting in the green wooden box on scratchy hay bales trying to see over the top!

Michael & Kathleen found us waiting to enter the parade and got some great pics!

It’s a different vantage point and the fair was packed! Not sure if it set any records, but on a weather day like this, nobody goes home, so it feels like a record day!

After the 2 hour sunny ride, I wanted to grab the new flavor chapstick from the Tribune. I was just hanging out waiting for the 3:30 distribution and didn’t notice the block long line forming behind me… for free chapstick.

This year it’s root beer barrel. It’s significant. Mom is talking to me, I know it. She ~loved~ root beer floats. At the Taste (last week, which I will get blogged at some point) 1919 was there for the first time with root beer floats. I don’t like them, but I tasted one in honor of mom. Now the chapstick?

The kid was tiring, and we’d both had a bit of sun, so decided to grab lunch (again?) and have a Gyro from my favorite place Dimitris. Not sure how many people know of the shaded dining tent right behind, but it’s never crowded.

We shared a table with a nice couple and my friend Deb found us!

It’s not a day at the fair for my kid (or my mom) without ice cream, and forgetting about the malt earlier, the kid got a lovely cone!

I stopped and filled up water bottles for the fourth time that day and you can’t stop without saying “Hey Culligan man!”

The flowers outside the gate are lovely, too dark this morning, and now bad sun angles, but I’ll try again tomorrow.

My Fitbit is light as we walk out to get the kid home. Grateful for them taking care of Mildred the pup!

I returned as fast as traffic would allow and met up with family for the end of the talent show. A fun K~POP dance crew won the night and Michael, Kathleen & I decided to adventure with beverages and return later for the Belinda Carlise (Go~Go’s) concert.

Figured out I can get a “double” wine pour at O’Garas for a mere $18! And the open cup is just perfect for walking and spilling on yourself. (I know myself and was packing a Tide Stick!)

We played the “Hot & Cold” game to take them to the bench. Discovering these new phone charging stations that I’d read about before the fair.

We came upon the bench and serendipity led us to meet this awesome couple who let us regale them with stories of Mom & Dad and our state fair memories. They took our picture and felt they needed a picture too! They had their first date at the fair 10 years ago! More love at the fair!

We walked to the West End, grabbed some bull bites at Lulu’s and stopped to say hi to the lovely Sarah @ i like you.

We popped through the Ball Park and saw some of the gang and found some head holes!

We got back to the Leinie lodge to hear the end of Belinda Carlisle and she looked great but was having some trouble with the sound (band & she were off key) couldn’t help but dance to Heaven is a Place on Earth & Mad About You!

We connected with Steve & Karla for the walk back to moms and all headed home.

Randy was pleased to be on the receiving end of a pecan tart, that I forgot I tucked away earlier in the day!

Started the day at 6:00 am, ended the day at 10:30pm with 24K steps. Not a record by any stretch, but respectable.