Memories of the Minnesota State Fair
By Linda Cunningham of Monticello
The blazing sun beat down as Tim Johnson stopped his tractor. Grabbing the lunch his wife Sharon made for him, he stepped down from the non-air-conditioned tractor cabin and sat under an old oak tree for shade. Tim wiped the sweat from his forehead and stared across the cornfield. The farm had struggled through a dry season, and money was tighter than he liked to admit. Sometimes he worried that his children were missing out on the adventures he had enjoyed growing up.
After he had eaten his lunch, he leaned back and closed his eyes. He fell asleep and suddenly he was dreaming about the time he went to the Minnesota State Fair. It was nearly 20 years ago.
As he dreamt, he remembered his Dad saying, “Well, kids, we are going to go to the Minnesota State Fair this year.”
Having never been to the State Fair, he thought this was going to be a great adventure.
He was about ten and said, “That’s great, Dad. When are we going? Can I have a foot-long hot dog and ride one of the animals?”
“Sure, Tim, but I have to get the tickets first.”
His younger sister, Sissy, asked, “Mom, do you think I can have some cotton candy and maybe go on some rides?”
“Sure, honey.”
Tim then dreamt of the trip to the Fair, how everyone was excited that day. His Mom and Dad made sure that everyone was dressed in cool outfits, had sunglasses, hats, water to drink, and good walking shoes. His Mom brought ponchos for everyone to wear if it was raining.
His Dad and Mom knew it was going to be a long day for everyone. Although they wanted to bring the dog with them, Mom and Dad said they had to leave their four-footed friend, Charlie, at home. The Fair would not allow anyone to bring pets. They had to travel 50 miles to attend the Fair, so his Dad made sure there was enough gas in the car.
Once they arrived and Dad parked the car, they walked to the admission booth. Dad decided to buy a Blue-Ribbon Coupon Book that would save money on rides, food, and entertainment.
It was in August; there was so much to see and do. There was food to eat, rides, and souvenir vendors everywhere—not to mention the endless walking to the various rides and events. But what he remembered most was all were the animals in the barn. There were lambs, pigs, horses, chickens, cows, deer, and a multitude of other animals.
The smell of corn dogs, mini-donuts, and roasted corn drifted through the summer air. The music from the midway was mixed with the laughter of children and the excited screams from the rides. Bright lights flashed from every direction, and colorful banners fluttered in the warm August breeze.
Tim remembered climbing onto the Giant Slide with a burlap sack clenched in his hands. As he sped downward, the wind rushed past his face, and he laughed so hard his stomach hurt.
He still has fond memories of the State Fair, the T-shirts his Dad bought for all of them, the rides they went on, and the animals he petted. It was a fun time for the entire family. They made sure they had something for Charlie, their dog, too.
Near the end of the day, Tim’s father sat beside him on a bench while they shared a lemonade.
“Having a good time?” his Dad asked.
Tim nodded.
“Best day ever.”
His father smiled and placed a hand on his shoulder.
“That’s what I was hoping for.”
When he woke up from his nap he thought to himself, “I am going to take my kids to the State Fair this year.”
He got up from the shade of the old oak tree and walked into the house. It was late July 2026, and he had to get a move on and start getting things organized. First though, he was going to talk to his wife Sharon about his decision. Because it had been a lean year, they didn’t get a chance to take the kids to Disney World. He thought going to the State Fair would be affordable.
When he told her about his idea she smiled and said, “Tim, I think that is a great idea. Let’s do it! We can tell the kids tonight at dinner!”
That night, after everyone had finished their dinner, Tim said, “Well, kids, we are going to go to the Minnesota State Fair this year.”
Not surprisingly, they responded as he did when they were his age.
Blake wanted to know when they were going and whether or not he would be able to see the animals, and eat a foot-long hot dog.
As Tim listened to Blake asking about a foot-long hot dog, he couldn’t help but smile. Those were almost the exact words he had spoken to his own father 20 years earlier.
His daughter, Mary, wanted to know if she would be able to have some cotton candy and go on the different rides.
Looking at his daughter asking about cotton candy, Tim suddenly remembered his little sister Sissy standing in the family kitchen asking the same question.
Tim smiled at the both of them and said, “Yes you can and I bet you will be surprised by everything that you see. You won’t be able to do it all in one day, so you will need to make sure you know what you want to see and do before we go. I thought we could make the State Fair an annual trip before you guys have to go back to school. What do you think?”
Both Blake and Mary chimed in together and said, “That would be great Dad.”
With that, Tim and Sharon looked at one another and knew they had just begun what they hoped would become a cherished family tradition. It wasn’t simply a trip to the State Fair, or a day spent watching animals being born. It was an opportunity to share something meaningful with their children—a chance to pass along the values, experiences, and memories that had shaped their own lives.
Tim believed that family traditions were more than annual events. They were threads that connected one generation to the next, creating stories that would be told and retold through the years.
Tim and Sharon smiled, knowing that some of the most precious family memories begin in ordinary moments. Perhaps years from now, their children would not remember every detail of that day, but they would remember how it felt—the excitement, the joy, and the love their family shared together.
Tim, like his Dad, made sure they had enough gas for the trip to the State Fair. It was going to be about a 100-mile trip. They would have to leave their four-footed dog, Chance, at home.
Sharon, like his Mom, made sure the kids had loosely fitting cool outfits on, sunglasses, hats, good walking shoes, water, and she carried ponchos in case the weather was rainy.
When they arrived at the Fair, Tim parked their car, and they walked to the admission booth. He purchased a Blue-Ribbon Coupon Book and then spent the rest of the day enjoying the food, rides, and different attractions.
Blake wanted to go on the Giant Slide and after he had climbed up 50 feet to the top, he slid down on a felt mat. The warm August breeze blew in his face, and he laughed with excitement as he descended to the bottom.
At the Kid-Way Park, Mary went around and around in a plane, with her hair fluttering in the summer breeze; she felt like an eagle flying in the sky. When she looked down, she could see her Mom, Dad, and Blake looking up at her as she flew in her little airplane.
When she got to the Carousel and rode one of the beautifully painted horses, Mary pretended she was riding her pony at home and sang along with the music that played as the carousel went around and around.
Then, the family went on the Great Big Wheel. Six people could get in the enclosed gondolas that swayed back and forth. As they rose to the top, it stopped and they were able to enjoy the breathtaking view of the State Fairgrounds and beyond.
Sharon and Tim thought to themselves, “We should have brought a camera.” Of course, Blake and Mary were busy ‘oohing’ and ‘ahhing’ as the Great Big Wheel went up and down. A fun time was had by all.
After that, Blake and Mary visited the CHS barn, where newborn piglets and lambs were entering the world. They watched in awe as a tiny lamb took its first breath and was born before their eyes.
As Tim observed his children’s wonder and excitement, he hoped they would one day understand that they had witnessed more than the birth of a lamb. They had seen the miracle of life itself—the beginning of a new journey filled with possibilities, experiences, and future generations. Much like the first cry of a newborn baby, the lamb’s first soft “baa” marked the start of a new life and a new story waiting to unfold.
As he watched Blake and Mary excitedly talk about the newborn lamb, he hoped that someday they would bring their own children to experience the same sense of wonder and appreciation for life’s simple miracles.
It was a special moment; one their family would cherish and remember for years to come.
After that, they decided to check out the adult animals. They saw and petted horses, cows, pigs, lambs, goats, chickens, and many other animals.
Even though they had a map, it was a lot of walking, the temperature was rising, and they were getting hot, and starting to get tired.
At the end of the day, Sharon and Mary went into the gift shop to pick up souvenirs for all of them. Blake made sure to remind them not to forget to pick up something for Chance.
Meanwhile, Tim sat on a bench with Blake as they shared a soda.
“Having a good time?” Tim asked.
Blake nodded enthusiastically.
“Best day ever.”
Tim smiled and placed a hand on Blake’s shoulder.
“That’s what I was hoping for.”
For a moment, Tim was no longer sitting on a bench at the State Fair with his son. He was ten years old again, sharing a lemonade with his own father.
When Sharon and Mary returned with an abundance of souvenirs from their jam-packed day, they left for home—tired, happy, and looking forward to next year’s trip to the Minnesota State Fair.
As they drove home beneath the fading August sky, Tim thought about how quickly time passes. One day Blake might be sitting beside his own son or daughter at the Minnesota State Fair, carrying on the tradition that had started years ago with a simple family trip.
The thought made Tim smile.
Some gifts don’t come wrapped in paper. Some arrive as memories, waiting to be passed from one generation to the next.
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