There are plenty of reasons to love a state fair. The rides, carnival games, farm animals, live music and the glorious sight of someone trying to carry a stuffed bear roughly the size of a studio apartment.
But we all know the real reason we're there.
The food.
Fried food. Food on sticks. Fried food on sticks. Desserts that somehow involve three different kinds of sugar. And once you're inside the fairgrounds, apparently calories have to pay admission too.
Yelp analyzed reviewer data to determine the Top 10 State Fairs for Festival Foods, and the Midwest absolutely owns the top of the list.
Top 10 State Fairs for Food
- Minnesota State Fair | Saint Paul, Minnesota
- Wisconsin State Fair | West Allis, Wisconsin
- Iowa State Fair | Des Moines, Iowa
- New York State Fair | Syracuse, New York
- Indiana State Fair | Indianapolis, Indiana
- State Fair of Texas | Dallas, Texas
- The Big E | West Springfield, Massachusetts
- Florida State Fair | Tampa, Florida
- Alaska State Fair | Palmer, Alaska
- North Carolina State Fair | Raleigh, North Carolina
The Midwest grabs four of the top five spots, with Minnesota taking the crown.
And if you've never heard of The Big E, it's essentially the Avengers of state fairs. All six New England states are represented, with individual buildings featuring foods and specialties from each state.
But Where's Michigan?
That's the question!
Yelp only released the Top 10, so we don't know where Michigan landed or which state came in dead last.
Maybe that's for the best. Calling any state fair's food the "worst" feels a little harsh when somebody is willing to deep-fry a dessert, cover it in powdered sugar and hand it to you on a stick.
Besides, here in Michigan, we've got plenty of county fair food to tackle before worrying about the rankings.
