The State Fair - A Critical Visit

Last week I made a visit to the Minnesota State Fair well known as one of the nation’s best annual state-wide fairs. It was attended by 1.7 million people this year, only the State of Texas has a State Fair that attracts more people annually. I learned a few things, ate quite a bit and left thinking that something was certainly missing.

I could not find a mission statement for the Minnesota State Fair, but the Minnesota State Fair Foundation describes the Fair as “a mirror of Minnesota greatness, a school for her citizens, and a place where all are welcome, entertained and experience the results of the best thought and effort in all lines of endeavor”. I think that this is a good mission for the event and it is aligned with my feelings about what the Fair is intended to showcase, however, I am not sure that the event is living up to its billing.

In accordance with “the best thought and effort in all lines of endeavor” I have always thought of Fairs as being economic showcases for counties, states or even nations like The World’s Fairs and International Expositions. These events are dedicated to the idea of progress, and attempt to show off how a particular political geography is moving ahead in terms of technological innovation and economic growth. The Eiffel Tower is the enduring symbol of this concept, built as a grand engineering project that debuted in 1889 at the Exposition Universelle. In the United States, the Chicago’s World’s Fair in 1893 is where innovations such as electrical exhibits, Ferris wheels, movie theaters, ragtime music, chewing gum and hamburgers were introduced to the American public.

To be honest, a sense of the progress and economic success of the people of Minnesota are not feelings that one takes with them after a day at the Fair. In fact, in many ways the Fair seems to be staid, or some sort of relic from a past epoch. Many of the exhibits do not seem to have changed in many years, while the world has changed dramatically around them. It seems that the #1 perception of the State Fair for most people is epitomized in the top photograph – HOT GREASE. Most people go to the Fair to gorge on foods that they are afraid to eat every other day of the year. And while this is fun, it is not a showcase of what makes Minnesota a great state.

KEY ATTRACTIONS MISSING AT THE FAIR

Design & Media

The design and media fields – fine art, graphic design, architecture, web and print – are a key growth sectors in post-industrial economies. The economic output of these activities is contributing an increasingly larger percentage of GDP. Oddly, there is no showcase at the Fair. The Fine Arts Pavilion is excellent, however it highlights a very narrow slice of what aesthetics and visual language means to our society. There could very easily be exhibits dedicated to the visual identity of companies and organizations, small start-up websites and magazines, and Minnesota made apparel and fashions. Architecture is also sorely missed. A pavilion devoted to excellent building projects in the State could showcase important trends in design and green building as well as give some recognition to the large economic engine that is the construction trades.

Independent Culture

“The scene” is a key part of attracting and retaining talent in a creative economy. The cultural production of crafters, bands and artists contribute greatly to making Minnesota an interesting and exciting place to live. I appreciate that many independent musicians perform at the Fair but it is not necessary that a visitor must catch a show in order to hear their work. An excellent contribution to the Fair could include listening stations where visitors could listen, and maybe even purchase, the recordings of Minnesota artists. A fashion show with Minnesota Designers could also he held to highlight Minnesota’s contribution to the apparel industry.

Technological Innovation

Key technological breakthroughs are being made in Minnesota every day. For example, one of my colleagues at business school recently helped to develop an MRI safe pace maker at Medtronic, a very important Minnesota company. This is a huge accomplishment and deserves to be exhibited to the general public. Why is there not an innovation pavilion at the Fair? This seems like a no brainer to me.

Travel and Tourism

When I was discussing my visit to the Fair with some friends and I brought up some of these ideas one of them said to me “Well, the Fair is traditionally dedicated to rural Minnesota.”

I said, “Fine”.

There is much more to rural Minnesota than just agricultural production. Tourism and recreation are huge parts of rural economies and I would are even bet larger employers than agriculture. An entire area at the Fair could be dedicated to Outdoor Life, including camping, cottages, water sports, hunting, fishing and winter activities. Winter alone is a huge part of life in Minnesota that gets very little attention at the Fair.

KEY HIGHLIGHT

International Bazaar

Not everything at the Fair is wrong. I snapped a photo of Holy Land, a food vendor in the International Bazaar area because I was happy to see them there. The International Bazaar was rebuilt this past off-season. I think that it is fabulous. It gives much deserved attention to the ethnic communities of Minnesota and their contribution to our culture. It also shows that the State Fair can move in the right direction and create exhibits pertinent to the contemporary economic and cultural landscape of our State. The Fair needs to continue moving in this direction in order fully live up to its mission of being “a mirror…of the best thought and effort in all lines of endeavor.”

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