What do you enjoy most about the Freeborn County Fair?

Posted by sowhatnow (anonymous) on July 27, 2009 at 1:18 p.m. (Suggest removal)

The 'entertainment' is the exact same every year... not missing anything there. Which is why I'd rather go to other county fairs. How about some other types of music, other than country... just a thought.

Posted by Wildbill (anonymous) on July 27, 2009 at 11 p.m. (Suggest removal)

I wonder if the fair food is Blue Zone inspected or do we get to fall off the wagon for a week. By the way, if anyone reading this or anyone at the Tribune wants to buy me some fair food, I won't object. I'll even say please and thank you. I'm house trained and always mind my manners so I won't embarrass you.
Think of the thrill you'll have seeing me with cotton candy all over my face and hair(oops forgot I'm bald).
I also like eating corn dogs. Do corn dogs have to be on a leash? Perhaps a once in a lifetime offer for you!

Posted by thor12 (anonymous) on July 28, 2009 at 8:48 a.m. (Suggest removal)

I agree, sowhatnow. It would be nice if the fair board would remember that the Freeborn County Fair is supported by everyone, not just the country music fans.

Posted by tbird4 (anonymous) on July 28, 2009 at 11:42 a.m. (Suggest removal)

You mean to say there is other music than country? HHHMMMMMMMM!!!!

Posted by ghost_mountain (anonymous) on July 28, 2009 at 2:47 p.m. (Suggest removal)

at least we get music entertainment in our grandstands. see: mower county.

Posted by curleyque (anonymous) on July 28, 2009 at 3 p.m. (Suggest removal)

I have to agree, I am a country music fan but often wonder why other types of music are not brought in for those that are not.

Posted by Videoguy84 (anonymous) on July 28, 2009 at 9:56 p.m. (Suggest removal)

I agree sowhatnow, more variety would sure be nice as far as the music is concerned. And yeah let's put Blue Zones on hold for a week, at least at the fair. Our fair has always had awesome food and is the main reason I go, I'm hoping this year will be no different.

Posted by wakemaker (anonymous) on July 29, 2009 at 9:03 a.m. (Suggest removal)

I'm not a country fan but there is no doubt it's the most widely accepted family focused music which is probably why they choose it. There are plenty of options for those of us that don't like country. I'm amazed at what people can complain about. The FCF is one of the best in MN by far...and yes I've been to Steele, Mower, Goodhue etc... and they don't touch the FCF in my opinion.

Posted by tamilynne (anonymous) on July 29, 2009 at 9:25 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Fairs are traditionally more of the country music entertainers no matter where you go. The majority of the time that we seem to have 'rock bands' in the past things never went right. Country is more family friendly anyways.

Yeah, I know I will be falling off of the Blue Zones as far as food is concerned next week!! However I will be putting plenty of miles on my tennies walking around the fairgrounds (with groups of people at that). :)

Posted by sowhatnow (anonymous) on July 29, 2009 at 5:43 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Yeah, I hear ya about country music being the most widely 'accepted'... but mix it up a little, geez. Is it to much to ask for something else one or two nights. But then again, AL is pretty much a retirement community so... there you go.

Funny, yeah I wonder if the BZ/VP members will chowing down at the fair, eating all that unhealthy food?! This BZ/VP is getting a bit overboard.

Posted by albertleacitizen1 (anonymous) on July 30, 2009 at 10:08 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Come on, Albert Lea ... Some people need to appreciate the good things that we have here in Freeborn County!!!!!! Our fair is wonderful! Go check out some other fairs and maybe you'll realize that. Good job fair board, volunteers, and everyone else who makes our fair a success.

Posted by metisman (anonymous) on July 30, 2009 at 2:24 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Food eaten at the fair and other festivals are exempt from calorie counts. <o>

Posted by BabyGotBack (anonymous) on July 30, 2009 at 6:52 p.m. (Suggest removal)

I agree that the music needs to improve. I have seen that MC Hammer and Vanilla Ice were touring together. Now that would actually make me come down there.

Otherwise, I wonder if they could get Sir Mix-A-Lot to come out of retirement and play my theme song? Hmmm.....

Posted by BorninAL (anonymous) on July 30, 2009 at 8 p.m. (Suggest removal)

LOL at metisman...how true. I am going to use that excuse when I am at the fair. I love to go to the fair, mainly for the food.
I do have to agree with those who are asking about other types of music for entertainment. It may be a good idea to see who else would be available outside of the country genre. That being said, I would not miss seeing Travis Tritt for anything!

Posted by Wildbill (anonymous) on July 30, 2009 at 8:28 p.m. (Suggest removal)

They have had believe; America, The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, The Guess Who and Paul Revere and the Raiders. I don't think any of those are classified as country. Also, they had Donny and Marie Osmond which bought a few busloads from the Twin Cities on down.

Posted by controlledhyperness (anonymous) on August 1, 2009 at 7:38 p.m. (Suggest removal)

And let us not forget...there is a WIDE spectrum in the Country scene today...from stone cold country to rockabilie. One thing that I LOVE about our fair is that you pay $8 to get in, walk around, have fun, and you get to see a NAMEd artist (Travis Tritt...Josh Groban....Trisha Yearwood I think) for FREE. HELLO!!!! Quit griping about the limited music...if we branched off to another genre the price would either go up, or we would be charged to go see it. Enjoy the fair...oh!! And I will be falling OFF of my BZ wagonride, but WILL be counting the steps :)

Posted by dorsnutout (anonymous) on August 2, 2009 at 8:03 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Why fix something that isn't broke???

Posted by metisman (anonymous) on August 2, 2009 at 11:14 a.m. (Suggest removal)

funnel cakes - now that's county fair fare

Posted by amauer (anonymous) on August 2, 2009 at 3:13 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Since when has Josh Groban been to AL FCF? Never, or I surely would have gone. And For free? No, that is why we have a huge gate fee.

Posted by trifid (anonymous) on August 3, 2009 at 12:04 a.m. (Suggest removal)

The rising gate fee discourages folks from attending. Isn't it unfair to charge people for entertainment they do not attend?

Posted by Videoguy84 (anonymous) on August 3, 2009 at 11:11 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Nice to see that food is still out in the lead, but why no love for rides? ...that was always my favorite as a kid.

Posted by gardenmama (anonymous) on August 3, 2009 at 4:18 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Where else can you see well known singers for the price of the entry at the fair? Pretty good deal. With the economy the way it is, $8.00 is pretty cheap compared to $35 or more.

Posted by BabyGotBack (anonymous) on August 3, 2009 at 4:48 p.m. (Suggest removal)

I'll tell you what. If you can get MC Hammer and Vanilla Ice to come, I'll make a trip down there for that.

If you can get Sir Mix-A-Lot? Holy Grail!

Posted by Wildbill (anonymous) on August 3, 2009 at 11:43 p.m. (Suggest removal)

MC Hammer,Vanilla Ice or Sir Mix-A-Lot at the Freeborn County Fair. Now that would be interesting in many ways!

Posted by annie709 (anonymous) on August 4, 2009 at 3:27 p.m. (Suggest removal)

I think $ 8.00 is pretty reasonable price. It costs that much to go to a movie now days! And you can't get a funnel cake there!

Posted by wildthing (anonymous) on August 6, 2009 at 7:48 a.m. (Suggest removal)

8 dollars if you average 7000 for the seats at the fair show which is a full house then you you have 56,000 dollars in revenue minus all cost of clean up detail and paying the entrainment I would say that the fair is making out a little short. They may need to raise the price.

Posted by kona (anonymous) on August 6, 2009 at 10:51 a.m. (Suggest removal)

I thought I saw it was 9 bucks. Could be wrong.

I think Friday night should be something other than Country.

My choice of favorite thing about the fair is not listed. It is the greatest social event of the year. It seems everyone turns out and it is great to see people you only see this time of year.

Posted by BabyGotBack (anonymous) on August 6, 2009 at 4:32 p.m. (Suggest removal)

It seems like at most Fairs there are people that you only see at that time of the year. I rarely go to fairs but when I do I ask myself where in the heck are these people the other 51 weeks out of the year? The Mystery of the Fair People continues....

Posted by Wildbill (anonymous) on August 7, 2009 at 1:09 a.m. (Suggest removal)

I like it when people push the envelope mixed in with everyone else. I believe it was 20 years ago when they had the contraversial 4-H art project(bleeding blind justice). One year I saw 2 gals with face paint and one was leading the other with a collar mixed in with everyone else out there. Just adds to the variety.

Posted by BabyGotBack (anonymous) on August 7, 2009 at 10:08 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Now that would be something to see and does make for entertainment! I personally like to see how many men are sporting "wife beaters" and how many mullets I can find!

Business in the front, party in the back seems to be a prevalent theme at fairs. :)

Posted by Pierre (anonymous) on August 7, 2009 at 1:08 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Why not charge a fee to get in and then have the FOOD free, not the entertianment? That would make everyone happy(except maybe the vendors). I hate paying an admission fee for music acts you couldnt PAY ME to see. I either wait until the show is over and get in free or go elsewhere. Come on FAIR BOARD bring in something other than country. At the very least, bring in some old school country/rock artists to mix it up a little. SHeesh.

Posted by BabyGotBack (anonymous) on August 7, 2009 at 2:16 p.m. (Suggest removal)

I agree Pierre. Let's get some old school rock and then also some old school hip hop and R&B. I wish NWA or Two Live Crew would reunite and hit the road....I can only dream.

Posted by Wildbill (anonymous) on August 7, 2009 at 3:46 p.m. (Suggest removal)

BabyGot Back-what are you talking about with "wife beaters"??!

Posted by controlledhyperness (anonymous) on August 7, 2009 at 6:34 p.m. (Suggest removal)

"Wife beaters" aka white tank tops with HUGE open holes under the arms. The shirts got their names because their name sakes were known for doing said activities in those types of shirts. I do have to say tho, I haven't heard the term in a LOOOONNNGGG while....Baby, are you originally from the South??

Posted by Wildbill (anonymous) on August 7, 2009 at 8:01 p.m. (Suggest removal)

controlledhyperness, I guess I learned something new.

Posted by Wildbill (anonymous) on August 7, 2009 at 8:11 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Actually, I thought those were called "muscle shirts". Anyway, I hope everyone has a good time at the fair.

Posted by BorninAL (anonymous) on August 8, 2009 at 12:16 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Wildbill, I remember the Blind Justice art, that was a classmate of mine who came up with the concept. Didn't they relegate his art to the back corner? I know that a lot of people tried to get it banned from the fair.....

Posted by Wildbill (anonymous) on August 8, 2009 at 1 p.m. (Suggest removal)

BorninAL, I think you're right.

Posted by BabyGotBack (anonymous) on August 8, 2009 at 3:16 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Controlled - you got it! That is exactly what wife-beaters are.

I actually am not from the south. I do have some family in Dallas and Atlanta but never lived there.

Fairs are a great place for mullet and wife-beater shirt spotting! It makes for a great contest with your friends. Whomever spots the most, the others have to buy them their favorite fair food.

Wildbill - you gave me another idea for the game. Spot the zubaz! If you want to see what those are - check out the link below to see a picture. There is a bonus with it. A mullet!

If anyone out there is still sporting this look, you may want to re-think your look.

http://www.goodlookin.tv/news/zubaz_ful....

Posted by Wildbill (anonymous) on August 8, 2009 at 7:40 p.m. (Suggest removal)

BabyGotBack - I think I'm scarred for life after looking at that picture! I'll bet you're good at those trivia games.

Posted by BabyGotBack (anonymous) on August 9, 2009 at 8 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Sorry - hope the damage heals after viewing that! :) It is a classic 80's bad fashion pic though isn't it? Comes complete with the other forgotten fashion faux pas the "half-shirt".

Men - if you are sporting this look, do yourself a favor and stop immediately!

Posted by metisman (anonymous) on August 9, 2009 at 8 p.m. (Suggest removal)

It must be time for a new poll, this one has been running for a day past forever. What's next, Tim?

Healthcare reform?
Cash for clunkers?
Late school start?
Halloween decorations are already out. Why?