What happened to all the Exhibits?

Well today was the day I attended the Minnesota State Fair. Great event but a little depressing as well this year.

There is a path I take to see all the areas I love; gidgets and gadgets, pet center, 4-H building, Energy Barn, Collosiqum, International Bizzarre, Agriculture Center, DNR Building and of course the animals.

This year was no different, same path, but what happened to all the exhibits? Maybe it felt different as there were not a lot of people in the streets or buildings (nice but weird), maybe Tuesdays are a great day to be at the fair, but still it was weird.

The Grandstand and Collosium both usually have tons of new gidgets and gadgets that of course a real baker should not be without, but this year not much. Nothing new or innovative and very, very spread out. Hum...

The Pet Center is usually active with dogs galore and lots of animal products, this year not so much. The Minneapolis K-9 unit was there so a very nice Police Puppy, but really that was it.

The weirdest feeling was going through the 4-H building. Usually it is pretty full of veggies and quilts and other homemake stuff. This year there for 4 trays of veggies. FOUR! When we use to go there would be a full wall, 30 plus feet full of trays of veggies! The number of quilts and bags and sewn products use to fill the middle area to a point you could barely walk through it, this year maybe 3 quilts and 10 clothes items.

One of the really 'not so good' things of the day was a power outage! For over 2 hours there were no vendors making mini donuts or covering bacon with chocolate or serving ice cream at the Dairy Barn! Crazy year!

As I was driving home I wondered what it says about hometown states that no longer have the 4-H kids of days ago. What does it say that the biggest exhibit at the fair is video game tournaments? Interesting I guess.

Now of course I would go next year and I would enjoy everything I could like the cheese curds, or watching the people, or seeing a demonstration on Hawk Rehab, or hanging out with people for 4 or 5 hours and sharing Fair stories. It is all good.

I think for next year we should get all of our friends and family together and do exhibits (yes, even middle age folks can put in exhibits).

Bring back the Veggies and turn on the generators!