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We just returned from a fun night at the local country fair. It’s just a small annual event to support the resident fire company but still features lots of good eatin’ treats. When taking another look at some of the stomach churning rides I enjoyed so much as a kid, now I don’t understand how one can even think about eating after riding some of them. But that is just what we used to do, and we were happy to continue the eating part of the tradition this year with the likes of funnel cake, fresh squeezed lemonade and corn dogs.
There’s also a pie eating contest along with all the other fun games, animal husbandry, and activities such as a dunk tank. The longest line is not for the zipper ride, but for the fresh fried donuts, for which people come from miles around to scoop up by the dozen.
Fairs that showcase our country's agricultural roots are typical throughout the land and food plays a major role in the fair experience everywhere. I’ve been to a couple other larger regional agricultural fairs and one state fair and enjoyed sampling some of the local foods such as fresh squeezed orange juice at the Florida State Fair. My absolute favorite fair however was in mid coast Maine where one can find all types of just-caught seafood and mile after mile of blueberry offerings, from preserves to pies. We sure did have fun sampling all the blue ribbon winners!
With all manner of fried food, the country fair motto seems to be, “if you deep fry it, they will come.” Fresh fried Oreos and Twinkies are standard fare at the fair but some localities have started to offer even more exotic fried treats: avocado in California, alligator in Louisiana, fried breakfast cereal, or the donut burger, to really bust your diet.
Bacon lovers will be glad to know that they can find chicken fried bacon on the menu at the Texas State Fair, along with deep fried cola. If the cola doesn’t quench your thirst, then perhaps you’ll be interested in deep fried Kool Aid in San Diego. But the award for least heart healthy goes to Wisconsin with deep fried butter. So the lesson here is that if it’s edible, it can be fried.
The key to most fair food is that it can be eaten out of hand, simple foods like corn on the cob, watermelon slices, cotton candy, fried pickles, corn dogs, or many more elaborate treats. In Minnesota, you can have a complete double fisted meal with spaghetti and meatballs on a stick and chocolate dipped key lime pie on a stick. One thing is for sure, although it can be lots of fun, this fair food is not diet food!
Then there are all those fun food activities like carved butter competitions, homegrown fruit and veggie judging, jellies and preserves contests, and Delaware’s Punkin’ Chunkin’ in which pumpkins are hurled by various mechanical methods in a distance competition.
You can try recreating the local fair at home with some easy treats like fresh popped corn or corn on the cob on a stick, hot dogs or corn dogs, skewered fruit cubes, and apple fritters dusted with powdered sugar. Maybe even stage a pie contest with pies made with local in-season fruit. I know I would enter my mom’s recipe for blueberry cream cheese pie.
What are some of your favorite country fair treats?
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Blue Ribbon Food
We just returned from a fun night at the local country fair. It’s just a small annual event to support the resident fire company but still features lots of good eatin’ treats. When taking another look at some of the stomach churning rides I enjoyed so much as a kid, now I don’t understand how one can even think about eating after riding some of them. But that is just what we used to do, and we were happy to continue the eating part of the tradition this year with the likes of funnel cake, fresh squeezed lemonade and corn dogs.
There’s also a pie eating contest along with all the other fun games, animal husbandry, and activities such as a dunk tank. The longest line is not for the zipper ride, but for the fresh fried donuts, for which people come from miles around to scoop up by the dozen.
Fairs that showcase our country's agricultural roots are typical throughout the land and food plays a major role in the fair experience everywhere. I’ve been to a couple other larger regional agricultural fairs and one state fair and enjoyed sampling some of the local foods such as fresh squeezed orange juice at the Florida State Fair. My absolute favorite fair however was in mid coast Maine where one can find all types of just-caught seafood and mile after mile of blueberry offerings, from preserves to pies. We sure did have fun sampling all the blue ribbon winners!
With all manner of fried food, the country fair motto seems to be, “if you deep fry it, they will come.” Fresh fried Oreos and Twinkies are standard fare at the fair but some localities have started to offer even more exotic fried treats: avocado in California, alligator in Louisiana, fried breakfast cereal, or the donut burger, to really bust your diet.
Bacon lovers will be glad to know that they can find chicken fried bacon on the menu at the Texas State Fair, along with deep fried cola. If the cola doesn’t quench your thirst, then perhaps you’ll be interested in deep fried Kool Aid in San Diego. But the award for least heart healthy goes to Wisconsin with deep fried butter. So the lesson here is that if it’s edible, it can be fried.
The key to most fair food is that it can be eaten out of hand, simple foods like corn on the cob, watermelon slices, cotton candy, fried pickles, corn dogs, or many more elaborate treats. In Minnesota, you can have a complete double fisted meal with spaghetti and meatballs on a stick and chocolate dipped key lime pie on a stick. One thing is for sure, although it can be lots of fun, this fair food is not diet food!
Then there are all those fun food activities like carved butter competitions, homegrown fruit and veggie judging, jellies and preserves contests, and Delaware’s Punkin’ Chunkin’ in which pumpkins are hurled by various mechanical methods in a distance competition.
You can try recreating the local fair at home with some easy treats like fresh popped corn or corn on the cob on a stick, hot dogs or corn dogs, skewered fruit cubes, and apple fritters dusted with powdered sugar. Maybe even stage a pie contest with pies made with local in-season fruit. I know I would enter my mom’s recipe for blueberry cream cheese pie.
What are some of your favorite country fair treats?
Blueberry Cream Cheese Pie
Made with whipped cream, pie shell, whipped topping, blueberries, water, cornstarch, sugar, lemon juice, cream cheese, powdered sugar
Made with whipped cream, pie shell, whipped topping, blueberries, water, cornstarch, sugar, lemon juice, cream cheese, powdered sugar
Serves/Makes: 8
- 4 cups blueberries
- 3/4 cup water
- 4 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 package (6 ounce size) cream cheese, softened
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 2 cups frozen non-dairy whipped topping, thawed
- 1 (9 inch size) baked pie shell
- whipped cream, optional
Combine half of the blueberries with the water in a saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a simmer and let cook for 3-4 minutes.
Mix together the cornstarch and sugar then stir the mixture into the fruit. Cook, stirring constantly, until the sauce has thickened. Stir in the lemon juice.
Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the remaining blueberries. Set the pan aside to cool.
Combine the cream cheese and powdered sugar in a mixing bowl. Beat on medium speed with an electric mixer until smooth. Fold the whipped topping into the cream cheese mixture by hand.
Spread the cream cheese mixture in the bottom of the baked pie crust. Top with the berry sauce. Place in the refrigerator and chill for 1-2 hours. Serve the pie with whipped cream if desired.
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©2026 CDKitchen, Inc. No reproduction or distribution of any portion of this article is allowed without express permission from CDKitchen, Inc.
To share this article with others, you may link to this page:
https://www.cdkitchen.com/cooking-experts/pamela-chester/1285-state-fair-food/