4. Restaurants

Wisconsin State Fair

640 S 84th St, West Allis, WI, 53214
  • (414) 266-7000
  • Store is closed

Wisconsin State Fair Menu

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Visit below restaurant in West Allis for healthy meals suggestion.

Applebee’s ( 2865 S 108th St )
KFC ( 2860 So. 108th St. )

Visit below restaurant in West Allis for healthy meals suggestion.

Applebee’s ( 2865 S 108th St )
KFC ( 2860 So. 108th St. )
Cold Stone Creamery ( 2935 S 108th St )

  • Regina V.

    Love the Fair, always. This year's best find...Reuben on a Stick....Jake's deli, in the Wisconsin Pavillion. Now that was worth the calories! Great corned beef and melted cheese on little rye rolls. Yes, there's a stick through the two little sandwiches, which you remove before you tackle the messy little sandwiches. No sauerkraut on them, which would have earned them five stars, but they were pretty darn good!

    (4)

  • Melanie R.

    Because who doesn't appreciate the art of taking an already unhealthy food choice and elevating it to heart-attack status by coating it in batter and throwing it in the deep fryer?! It would be nearly impossible to walk more than a few feet without spotting one of the fair's neon-colored signs advertising "Deep Fried [fill in the blank]." Deep fried Oreos. Deep fried Snickers bars. Deep Fried Milky Way bars. Oh, and in case you thought that this deep frying business was limited to just bad-for-you foods - there's also a whole 'Veggie Stand' dedicated to serving up deep fried vegetables by the flimsy paper trayful. To be fair, there are some healthy options - you just have to be willing to dig a bit deeper. I did stumble upon a booth serving up freshly prepared salads (mixed greens, juicy heirloom tomatoes & refreshing cucumber topped with buffalo mozzarella and a light vinaigrette) that almost made me forget about the two deep-fried Oreos I devoured just hours before. Mind you, it was right across from the Usinger's booth (which smelled DIVINE), so I had to fight the urge to order a jumbo hot dog as a side dish. Amidst the fried foods, you'll also find an fabulously large selection of foods on a stick. There are your usual suspects - such as corn dogs (foot long!) and ice cream paddles. But the fair vendors really get creative with the awe-inspiring cheesecake on a stick, mac 'n cheese on a stick, even spaghetti and meatballs ON A STICK! Even foods that are convenient enough to eat in their regular form (such as pizza and sandwiches) are featured on a stick! Ahhh and the piece de resistance (for me, anyhow) - the kettle corn stand. I. L-O-V-E. Kettle Corn. And none is better than the freshly-made kind that you can only seem to purchase at fairs. My hubby watched in horror as I quickly made the leap from "Maybe I'll just get the little $2 bag" to "Well, the bigger bag is not really that big..." to "Oh look! Today's special - three large bags for $10!" And all that popcorn made for the perfect spectator food for our entertainment du jour - PIG RACING! Immediately followed by DOGGIE DIVING! After already petting an adorable calf, getting up close and personal with a huge turtle, and ogling the cutest baby chicks - I was in animal paradise (cuteness overload sure to ensue). Though we didn't exactly partake in any of the concerts (doing so would have required we cough up some extra dough - and most of my cash was earmarked for food!), the music was audible from outside the stage areas - so we did get to enjoy a little bit of country as we made our way around the fair. Friendly warning -- make sure to come prepared with a wad of cash, as most vendors do not except anything but. Parking is anywhere from $5-15 depending on how much you are willing to walk, admission on a regular day is $9 per adult, and each food item pretty much starts at around $5 (save for the DELICIOUS flavored milk booth - offering yummy glasses of flavored milk for just a quarter! Get the root beer flavor - it's like a better-for-you root beer float!). Keep your wallet happy and look out for two-for days (two adults for the price of one), take advantage of the 'Crazy Grazin' day where participating vendors offer menu items at reduced prices, and if you're going to be hanging out all day - splurge on the souvenir cup which lets you refill at participating booths around the fair for a reduced $2 price. High-five to those involved in the organization of the fair, as I was extremely impressed! Though there was no shortage of people in attendance, the walkways were wide enough to prevent that gross shoulder-to-shoulder action that always creeps me out at other outdoor events. Also, major bonus - running water and SOAP stations spread throughout the fair. Only my hubby (who has previously experienced the annoyance of paying $3 for a bottled water, only to pour it over my hands as I lathered up with my brought-from-home soap) can truly understand how much this means to me - though I suspect there are other clean-freaks out there who can appreciate. Bottom Line: Go for the above-average fair fare, and stay for the entertainment (be it of the animal or musical variety). No need to bring your own soap - they've got you covered.

    (5)

  • Jennifer C.

    I have been going to the WI state fair my whole life. Even though I live in Chicago now I still go once a year. Why do I give this 5 stars? Let me count the ways: 1. 25 cent flavored milk- I LOVE the cherry vanilla and rootbeer milk 2. Sundaes in the Agriculture building- strawberry and maple are best ( I know maple sounds good, but its amazing) 3. $2 grilled cheese- sooo good 4. The Nursing trailers- what a great idea. I was taking my 4 1/2 week old baby along and this made my day a lot easier. 5. Goats- I have always loved goats and seeing these little cuties always makes my day. 6. $2 admission with canned food donation on the first day- a great deal for everyone (cheap admission for me and food for those less fortunate)

    (5)

  • Ericka A.

    This State Fair always shows us a good time. I rely on it yearly because there is no way I'm driving to the one in IL, and I am lucky if I can make it to St. Paul for the MN State Fair. My must-see State Fair attractions - wine tasting barn - food and drink building - Pottawatomie BINGO - Open bazaar for shopping - merchandise expo Word of advise, stay away from the Krispy Kreme chocolate covered bacon cheeseburger. There aren't many things you can go wrong with here, but that is one of them. Do yourself a favor, keep on walking, and grab yourself a basket of beer battered cheese curds and a Spotted Cow beer or maple root beer instead.

    (4)

  • Steve S.

    I enjoy the Wisconsin Products building! You can learn things and sample many foods.

    (4)

  • Shawn M.

    My cousin and I came here from the Chicagoland area to see how it was. Since it was a State Fair, then we thought it would have been a great 80 mile trip from the Chicagoland area. However, we got the opposite satisfaction that we were expecting. We though it would have been a good price with fun games, animals and shows. However, the show had not good shows as it was not satisfying, the games weren't that great by not offering a good price and also the price was incredibly high! First off, it was a $10 parking fee with the $9 fee to get in. But little did we know that the tickets for games and stuff were incredibly high! Just for one ticket was one dollar! For 16 tickets was $15 and 30 tickets about $30. You would need at least 30 tickets because each game charges 3 tickets each. Too expensive, too many food attractions and selling attracting and not too good of a park. We now know we will not waste the time and gas from Chicago to come up here and see a really bad state fair.

    (1)

  • Gina B.

    I just can't get enough of the Wisconsin State Fair. Every year it is a host of spectacular foods, bands, attractions, shops, vendors, drinks and the list could go on and on. There is just so much to do and see, it can easily take a whole day or two. Great place for families, couples or out of town guests. So many shops and bazaars to choose from, every food you can think of and anything deep fried you can think of too! This year you can see grizzly bears, horses, cows, sheep, camels and pig races all in the same place. Where else in the world can you do that? Go Wisconsin!

    (5)

  • Kiki H.

    BRACE YOURSELF for the best state fair of. all. time. I have been visiting my grandma in WI either alone or with family since I was a little girl and this was my favorite part of the trip because I could stuff my face and not be given dirty looks because everyone else is doing the same! The state fair is more like a marathon of eating. You can't just go and try one or two things (shame on you!). You must eat it all. My most memorable trip was a few years ago where I took it upon myself to test the limits of my body, pop a few zantac, and see where it went from there. This is my day of eating at the state fair: first stop: starbucks. must have that caffeine to get the blood flowing. this is a crucial step for preparing your body for what's coming. state fair food: CHEESE. give. me. cheese. In the distance i see a golden halo around the friend cheese stand. praise god. So, bags of delicious fried cheddar cheese. AMAZING. best cheese of my life. Elephant year: fried dough with powdered sugar. Gotta curve my sweet tooth early in the day as its crucial to clog my arteries early on fried oreos: mmmmm, its just like it sounds, and yet so so much more...don't feel bad for eating as much as your heart desires what came next, the corn on the cob layered in butter and garlic and salt or the Sheboygan Bratwursts in the beer garden with some hef? I dont know, it was all such a blur, but they happened. Next I had to try a lamb gyro while perusing the art show, i mean, why not? fried eggplant glory made its way into my life during another stop to the fried cheese guy. god what else did i have? OH yes, cream puffs! you MUST wait in line for these bad boys and you might as well get two of them for you to "share." i'm pretty sure there was a pickle, fried mac and cheese, and some other sandwich thrown into the mix, and definitely funnel cake. but at this point, whose keeping track anymore? top off the day with a burger and custard from Kopps and a light pizza dinner with the family, and you have yourself a full blown emergency situation of food overload culminating in one hell of a sleep and lots of well-earned heartburn. god i can't wait to come back, can we kick out the CA state fair and just implement the WI fair here? I think i'll champion that movement...

    (5)

  • Kim M.

    Loved coming to the fair here in the summer. Like others have said, you really haven't lived until you've had a cream puff from the Wisconsin State fair. Well, that and chocolate covered bacon, and the fair had both. Seriously. Way better than it sounds. Midwestern food isn't really known for being healthy, but boy is it good. There are some healthier choices, like the roasted corn on the cob, but mostly these folks are about beer, cheese, and frying everything they can get their hands on. Outside of the fair, the facility hosts a variety of events, including things like car and RV shows. We went for an RV show this winter, and the parking was reasonable and in good supply. Since it was in one of the indoor arenas, it was spacious, climate controlled, and clean with plenty of restrooms and a food venue on site. People around this area are generally pretty nice, and the area around the fairground isn't dicey like in some other states. All in all a good experience for all the events we have experienced here.

    (4)

  • Steve J.

    Great fair. Try everything on a stick. Only miss was potato pancakes.

    (5)

  • Melissa S.

    I risk being charged with treason against the state of Wisconsin for saying this but it's gotta be said: the cream puffs aren't that great. I mean, yes, they are big. That's pretty cool. And my son got a kick watching them being made. But in the end, it's a cream puff. Doesn't taste all that different from the stuff you get at the supermarket. And I've had my fair share of frozen and buy-in-bulk cream puffs. They weren't bad, but I'm not sure if I'd stand in line for 20 minutes and $3.50 for another one. The other thing that bothered us about the fair was the stupid teens who refuse to move out of the way even though we have one kid crying in our stroller because she's tired and hungry and 2 MONTHS OLD and another kid who just wants to be everyone's friend. OTHERWISE, we had a great time at our first state fair. Coming from California, I'm a newbie to state fairs, so I was impressed with what there was to offer. There's so much to see, so much to eat. Some of our faves: - The gyros were the best we've had in Wisconsin. Unfortunately, we forget the name of the stand. If you get a coupon book, there's a coupon for $1 a gyro and drink at this stand. - Some of the best cheese curds, as well, at Ben and Harry's Cheese Curds. Battered curds, VERY crispy, with a crag-like texture (as opposed to very smooth). - Expo center has cool food booths that we enjoyed looking at and wished we had visited before we bought our dinner. - The barns of animals were such a treat. It was just so cool to see these animals up close and personal... and clean. Our son was screaming with joy when we saw all the animals. - Flavored milk for 25 cents. It's so weird and so Wisconsin to stand in line for 15 for milk... but that's what makes it so cool. Chocolate milk was actually a disappointment but the strawberry milk was delicious. Wish we got there earlier so that we could play the games and go on the rides at the Midway, but by the time we made our way back to that side of the fairgrounds it was inundated with the aforementioned teens. We're not sure if it would've been worth it, too, if we had paid regular admission. You spend sooo much money on things like food that that paying 9 bucks per person for admission would... suck. So try to go on a day where there's some kind of promotion going on, like Hunger Task Force Day (first day, the day we went) or the Crazy Grazin' Day (Aug. 11) where the food is cheaper. Next time I'm trying a fried s'more or oreo. And I'm not getting a cream puff.

    (4)

  • Angela K.

    Ever since I was a child, I've had nothing but the fondest and silliest memories of Wisconsin's much heralded State Fair. My first recollections of State Fair include a very rainy day and subsequent puddle jumping and laughing that ensued. My most recent memories include similar amounts of joy and zeal, but now those excitements are of the foodie variety. This year was particularly epic because of the following items: 1. Deep friend macaroni and cheese on a stick. 2. Corn on the cob (the most glorious corn ever!) 3. Corn dogs. 4. Chocolate/brownie/ice cream cake with hot fudge. You can tell me all day that the cream puff is amazing, but I dare you to take a bite of this after a bite of a cream puff and tell me this isn't more amazing. 5. CHOCOLATE COVERED BACON The chocolate covered bacon was simply astounding. I loved it and will look forward to having it every year from now on. My only disappointment with State Fair this year was that my stomach wasn't large enough to accommodate more items!

    (5)

  • Char Y.

    After much hesitance due to the hot weather, we decided to embark on a 2 hour journey to the state fair, with a quick stop at kenosha for some outlet shopping. It was HUGE with lots of food options, maybe too many food options. Just think of ALL the junk food you can, then multiply it by 10. That's how much calories & trans fat that are being served on a daily basis at the fair. We had cream puff - great cream, average puff. It's just a vehicle for the cream. fried cheddar jalapeno cheese curd - yum yum yum hoagie sandwich from KK ranch - REALLY BAD. not worth $7 roasted corn with lots of butter - wow yum cedar crest ice cream - THE BEST EVER! creamy & fresh usinger's bratwurst - REALLY good we were just super stuffed and over heated after the food above, and decided to head back to chicago. I am now looking at the vendor list and realizing that there are much more food to be tried/fried. Maybe next year.

    (4)

  • Natalie S.

    I have to say it: I have never had better fried cheese in all my life. Yay, Wisconsin! I had never been to a state fair. I have some friends in Milwaukee who suggested we make the drive up from Chicago... so we did. I now heart state fairs. Must try list: Fried cheese curds Fried catfish from the cajun stand Fried oreos Fried mac and cheese Notice a trend here? I am scared for my arteries but it was all well worth it. Loved that ride that takes you across the park (the name eludes me right now). We were terrified for the first few minutes because of the height but it is a great way to get from one side to the other without getting run over by the crazy stroller people. I was impressed by the animal barns. They were so clean and there were just SO MANY animals to be seen. We were there the second to the last day and were suprised it wasn't that crowded. The longest we had to wait in line was probably 2 or 3 minutes. Loved it! Can't wait to go next summer!

    (4)

  • Liz M.

    The Top Ten Wisconsin State Fair "M" Family Traditions...(for many, many years running) 1. Watch the Piggie Races at "Pork-Chop Downs" 2. Eat a famously delicious Cream Puff (or two) 3. Stroll through the Horse Barn and fantasize about the day I retire...move out of the city limits and which gorgeous horse breed (or breeds) I will buy. 4. Sit at one of the many "beer gardens" and listen to a great (and sometimes not so great) live band. "Bobby Friss" being one of the best, "The Pink Flamingoes"...not so much. 5. Stroll through the "Wisconsin Products Hall" buy and consume Ostrich, Bison and/or Elk Jerky Sticks AND Cheese Curds. 6. The hubby winning a giant stuffed animal for the current, youngest member of the "M" family at the misshaped basketball nets-skill game. 7. Eat some type of food product on a stick. 8. Stroll through the giant, live-infomercial products hall and get sucked into buying some amazing product that never quite works as well as demonstrated. (This year it was amazing "cry-proof/smear-proof/sweat-proof"eyeliner....I'­ll let ya know) 9. Consume a freshly roasted, delicious, buttery Corn-On-The-Cob...I have since learned to always carry floss with me to the fair. 10. Promise each other to return next year to continue this tradition (we missed a few years here and there and have always regretted it) Disneyland may be the happiest place on earth...but the Wisconsin State Fair if the happiest place in the Midwest!

    (5)

  • September V.

    One of my favorite state fairs and I'm not even from Wisconsin!

    (4)

  • Danielle M.

    Wisconsin State Fair is amazing. Some of my favorite things: Benno's beer tent is a must (kill a keg). Wine tasting. Deep fried cheese curds. Fresh corn dipped in butter and salt. Fresh made cream puffs (you will wonder why the fuck you wasted your time with the frozen ones). Giant turkey legs. 25 cent milk. Amazing people watching (freaks? check. rednecks? check. people so fat they're riding a moterized scooter? check. wannabe thugs? check. drunks? check. (I'd be in this category)....the list goes on). Pretty much the only thing I don't like about the fair is the amount of children. Hot, sweaty, messy, grubby, screaming, crying, sleeping, being pushed around in a double wide strolled children. YUCK. And their parents, taking up 10 times the space that I do with those double wide strollers and their wagon. I will be sure to be extra loud and extra drunk around you. I can't wait til next year!

    (5)

  • Robert S.

    What a Great Fair !! So we just moved to Chicago and wanted some food on a stick and saw that the Wisconsin State Fair was going on, so we planned a trip north for good tasting food oh what a great time and sections of food, if you can think of it someone probably had it on a stick just had to hunt it down, and all the fresh from Wisconsin food were yummy also the Cream Puffs are huge I can see why people come for them, plus that fact that they are made fresh right there the cheese curds were good as always but deep fried just made them better, and the pork on a stick was dang good also, oh and the every thing Wisconsin Building had some great Ice-cream, and of course there is the Usinger's booth if you have never tried there Brats or other meats try them you wont be sorry and the barn's have a great rotating selection of live stock and animals from the 4H kids so if you want to see certain animals you may want to play your trip after making a game plan of the web site this place had a bunch of rides and games for the kids big and small to win stuffed animals, or to just take a break from eating, and lots of places to get beer and booze, along with the live bands that were playing by most of the areas with booze and if you are visiting like we were the # 18 bus you can catch it at 2nd and Wisconsin will drop you off at the front gate of the fair we had a great time and are looking forward to going back next year

    (5)

  • Jeanette K.

    If you're craving just about anything fried, or on a stick, knives that can cut through concrete, or endless rows of chickens, the state fair is for you. The state fair is actually a really good time, complete with some awesome people-watching. Here are some of my favorites: HOT WISCONSIN CHEESE- there are fried cheese curd trucks everywhere, but hit one of the two trucks on either side of the main pavilion. They have the best cheese (and the longest lines). CREAM PUFFS- Not to be missed. ROASTED CORN- Very cheap and delicious. There's a big area in the middle of the fair where charities sell the corn. MAIN PAVILION- More cutlery sets, cheap jewelry, knick knacks, and super shammys than you can shake a stick at. Plus, the Leinie's lodge. HERB KOHL MILK STAND- Dixie cups of flavored milk for a quarter FTW. WISCONSIN PRODUCTS PAVILION- Pork on a stick, lots of cherry products, and a pretzel roll stand. Just like any state fair, prepare to walk a lot and hear lots of really bad music. Plus the half woman/half snake tent. Overall, a good time.

    (4)

  • Carolynne M.

    The Wisconsin State Fair is probably the most fun I have during the summer. 11 days of pure, unadulterated, unapologetic, decadence. Of course, when you are in the cow barn watching a few pooping right in front of you, these may not be the first adjectives that come to mind, but trust me. if you are in the market for craziness, a million calories and unlimited entertainment, this is for you. There are barns full of animals, chickens, roosters, rabbits, sheep, goats, cows and horses (Clydesdales and Percherons). There are buildings and booths dedicated to EVERYTHING, clothes, jewelry, household goods, etc. Plus the food. Cream puffs, baked potatoes, burgers made with venison, ostrich or bison meat, cheese curds, ice cream, corn, pizza. I am convinced that simply by going to this place once a year I have successfully staved off osteoporosis for the rest of my life. Dairy, dairy, dairy a go-go. Then, throughout the day, there are contests held in the coliseum. You will see sheep and cows being judged, but my favourite is the horse shows. There are all different kinds, like pulls, carriages and carts. The horses are immaculately groomed and dressed in beautiful ribbons and polished tack. It is a lovely sight. There are concerts, with music being performed throughout the day. In the evening, they usually have a pretty well-known headline act on the main stage. I only went once to that (Savage Garden), but it was a decent show. Never, never park in the attached lot. You can easily find street parking or "ghetto parking" (where people rent out their front lawns for $5 a piece). It is so much fun. Definitely something you have to try at least once.

    (5)

  • Victoria B.

    The night before our long journey to the Wisconsin State fair, the kids and I dream of Cream Puffs, Deep Fried Cheese Curds, Sheboygan Bratwursts, Sprecher Soda, and Wine Tasting. The newest item on that list is Deep Fried Smores. I'm sure my sister-in-laws dream of the shopping since there are over 400 different vendors selling everything from junk to hand-carved creations. A moment doesn't go buy that I don't have one of the kids pointing at something followed by, "Please mommy, please!" Of course we also go to see the animals. The kids love walking through the many barns filled with cows, pigs, sheep, and goats. The Discovery Barnyard has Animal Agriculture Education Displays and Livestock Barns has the Dairy Cattle but the best is in the Coliseum where the Clydesdale Draft Horses are and Horse Pull takes place. There is live music throughout the day but the Main Stage is where the tickets shows happen. We stick with the Cousins Subs Amphitheater where the kids can dance along for free. I know I missed some things but there is always next year. I'm always bummed out about the paid parking (it's everywhere) but there are so many thing to do and experience here, it's worth it. I love this place...

    (5)

  • John Y.

    This year's far was a disappointment. Overpriced for what is was first off. $9 just to get in? ...They should pay me to bring my ass up there! I could see $5... not $9. The food vendors while ever so numerous, offered more of the same in abundance, cheap WT food and prices higher than one would expect to pay. I know the fair needs to make money but improve on the food! Gone was the fresh pig roast! Pig barns were so dirty and unkempt that pig crap was all over the main walkway, you couldn't help but step right in it. $4 for a single ride on the tilt a whirl? ......Gimme a break! While it is close to Chicago, I would not suggest coming back anytime soon.

    (2)

  • Heather L.

    Ok, after reading all the reviews I have decided we did this way, way wrong last summer. Though I am a Wisconsin native, I had never been to the State Fair before and we weren't sure what to expect. The number one thing we did wrong is we decided to eat at a sit down restaurant called Saz's. What we didn't realize is that the fried food on a stick coming out of all those little huts is where you are supposed to eat. The rib dinner, fries and fried cheese curds looked yummy but tasted reheated and blah. And we were so crowded into our little table and were rushed out of there so fast it was anything but relaxing. And for that we spent $57 for two full slab dinners, a combo platter and two beers. Then I decided to try a Berry Weiss Leinenkugel for $6 from one of the stands and that was disgusting! Seriously, who drinks that crap? The only good thing is the guy let me trade it in for an MGD albeit with a bit of attitude about it. So the cows and the chickens and the sheep and all that were fun for the kids and as many as I ever need to see in one day. And the tram ride was probably the highlight. But then we messed up again! We wanted to see the swine races and 15 minutes before they were supposed to start we saw that the bleachers were wide open so we wandered away and came back right when it was starting. And all of a sudden there were hundreds of people there standing room only and we couldn't even get near the bleachers. Very disappointing. And last but not least, we regret not buying the cream puffs. We were so stuffed from our bland ribs and cold cheese curds we just weren't hungry enough to think about desert. But after I got home, I wish we had brought some with us. They have boxes. I just really wish they had a big lawn where you could sit with your kids, listen to music and chill. The only seats to sit and listen to music are at bars or in the few restaurants. And there are a ton of bars. But , I like festivals where I can set up camp and come back to my chairs or blanket all day long and eat my food and spread out a little bit. Well, now we know and I do think we will go back and do it the right way next time. Fried food on a stick, cream puffs, tram ride and swine races! We have a date in 2011!

    (3)

  • Michael J.

    Food, Food, Food!!! I'm from IL and I know I should be going to the Illinois State Fair, but the Wisconsin State Fair is so much closer. I've been going for a long time and it never disappoints. The nice part about the fair is that everything is paved and there are some buildings that have air conditioning. The food is always good. Cream Puffs, very fresh. The Brats, Corn, Various Foods on a Stick. I also enjoy the various BBQ offerings. Don't forget the Fresh Lemonade. Make sure to visit the building in the far south end of the state fair park. It's a pretty big building that has tons of vendors selling housewares, gifts, infomercial type items.

    (5)

  • G P.

    Heck of a lot of programming goes into this thing every year, there are so many things to like and do. Food is great, so much to try and a ton to do. Its not something I can put into total classification in one box, but its the best fair I have seen.

    (4)

  • Chris W.

    1. Giant Slide 2. Lots of places to eat outside and walk around 3. Tons to try inside (lots of sweets) 4. Looking for the shamwow guy? Maybe you'll find him in the expo center 5. Cream puffs! Buy them fresh, watch them make them while you stand in line inside or order them express 6. Oriental Pavillion 7. Live entertainment everywhere 8. Pig races 9. Wine tasting 10.Livestock and judging 11. Midway There's so much to do and so much more to talk about you just need to visit to see, visit the grandstand at night to see a concert every night with a headlining band. Only in August for a limited time every year.

    (5)

  • Ryan D.

    Food and farm animals. You really can't go wrong. This fair invented the foods you see at other state fairs. I kid you not. Wisconsin is the U.S. pioneer of beer, cheese, brats, the list goes on.. Helpful tip: Don't be stingy, eat anything that looks good. Try a creme puff and 25 cent strawberry milk. Watch a pig race.

    (5)

  • Andy M.

    The Wisconsin State Fair is something that I look forward to all winter. Just the thought of the state fair keeps me just a bit warmer through the cold days of winter. There are more calories In West Allis for the two weeks of the WSF than anyplace on earth. It's a wonderful mix of red meat, cheese, and sweets that has something for everybody. For those of you who enjoy people watching, this is the greatest place on earth. The WSF is the heavy weight champion of people watching. Literally and figuratively. There are quite a few activities other than eating. There are cattle barns where you can pet the cows. There are also Horse shows which include the famous Clydesdale's and plenty of shopping to keep everyone occupied. I do have a few complaints about the WSF. First of all, when did parents start using their children's strollers as a battering Ram? Why would you use your precious children as a tool to help you get a better place in line at the Creme Puff stand? And secondly: Why would anybody who lives 700 miles of the Mason-Dixon line wear a confederate flag T-Shirt? Not only are we not in Alabama (where men are men and cattle are afraid), but why would you wear a symbol of hatred, lynchings and in-breeding? Maybe I'm just a good ole fashioned Yankee, but instead of wearing a confederate flag, why don't just wear a T-shirt saying any of the following? 1. I have an IQ below my hat size. 2. I have had sex with my sister. 3. I shoot defenseless animals to make up for the fact that I have a small penis. 4. Born to Hate. So in summary: Other than the obnoxious stroller people and the Backward-ass, Country Jackasses, the Wisconsin state fair is a wonderful venue. I would suggest not eating for at least 12 hours before your visit. That way you can enjoy all the decadence that the Wisconsin State Fair has to offer.

    (5)

  • Steve F.

    Expo center for sports event is too expensive! Don't even think about feeding your family, eat before you go! Ridiculous

    (1)

  • Justin E.

    Facility is nice. Not much willingness to have partnerships with outside organizations. All concessions are over-priced.

    (3)

  • Joe R.

    Gross food for gross people!

    (1)

  • Mark G.

    My fault that this is not getting more stars and I am hoping to save some grief. They cheeseheads in power did not plan for enough parking so if you don't get there early you have to walk really far or take the Park and ride option. That way way when you and your three small children finally make it to the fair you will have enough energy to acually see most of it. The carnival is awesome and the rides only 4-5 dollars each. The games in the kiddie section are 3-5 dollars per play but by carnival standards the prizes are pretty good. For like 150 dollars I got three really cool stuffed animals without doing anything too strenuous or challenging. I just wish it wasn't so far away so I could go back and see the racing pigs and have a cream puff. Oh yea, don't tell anyone but black cat fireworks on the way back to chicago is awesome. As where the brats at mars cheese castle. Yum

    (3)

  • Chris S.

    Better than Summerfest! Nothing beats the State Fair! Imagine ANYTHING you could possibly want to eat - on a stick! Cheesecake, pickles, you name it... And don't forget the famous State Fair cream puffs. It's the only time of the year you can get 'em and thank heaven for that, or Milwaukee would be even fatter! Of course you have plenty of music, cows, horses, pigs, sheep, goats, chickens, carnival rides a plenty... it really doesn't get any better than this.

    (5)

  • Dee S.

    Today was $9/2 admissions & Crazy Grazin' Day (Aug. 11) where the food is slightly cheaper. Creampuff line was unbelievably long & busy but except for that, no terrible wait longer than 5min despite huge Tuesday crowd. This is foodie booth heaven if you like to eat & eat & eat. We found a coupon book kiosk but gave them away & didn't use them. We found a few bargains like $3 for 8oz of chocolate fudge, $1 Usinger sausage kabob with 3 types on the stick, $2.50 chicken (or pork) kabob @ a pita place. Alot of people including us went inside to the Pavilions etc to be in a/c & out of the sun with lots of food booths & displays there.

    (3)

  • Benjamin H.

    Well, I was in Milwaukee and bumming around on tuesday afternoon and decided to head to the Wisconsin State Fair. Holy shit!! Even alone, I had a ton of fun, smell like manure and have probably gained 5lbs....ahhh, how I love thee, Wisconsin. First off, the various exhibits are really informative and fun for people of all ages. Some highlights are the DNR great lakes fish aquariums, the milking barn and the perch farming exhibit. I thought the expo center was really cool, albeit filled with more junk than useful stuff! But if you'd like to see a guy 'cut tomatoes so thin your relatives will never come back,' with a Ginsu knife, it's the place to be. I spent the most time in the 'Made in Wisconsin' tent. This was really a jewel for foods, housing everything from delicious buffalo burritos, door county cherries and Usinger Sausages. On the outside, there were some seriously good vendors, but just as many seasoned Carneys who probably weren't even from Wisconsin and just traveled around to festivals. Nonetheless, if you found a good one you may have enjoyed Wisconsin Cheddars fried on a stick, sweet corn dipped in a vat of melted butter from the Lion's Clubs, a good brat from the Brat Haus or a some delicious Gelato. If you go you absolutely cannot miss the judging barn, the cream puff epicenter and the horse, cow and pig holding areas. I can't wait to go back next year. Wisconsin's Finest festival...and so much fun.

    (5)

  • Amy G.

    THE Wisconsin State Fair...what can be said that hasn't already been said. A tradition for most. Everyone has their selected target items to see, do or eat at the fair. Each for their own reasons. Which is why this is a hard event to review. Its based on our family's opinion only. If you have younger kids, make the sacrifice and get up early to get there early, not only will you beat the crowd, you'll see a whole different side of the fair as it wakes up for the day. The gates open at 8 a.m. Multiple places offer breakfast - the Machine Shed has an all you can eat pancake breakfast (average, but nothing syrup doesn't fix) there's a country style breakfast (bacon, eggs, hash browns, biscuit) this is also the place that sells chocolate covered bacon on a stick. Its not bad. So chocolaty you almost cannot taste the bacon - other than the salt factor. Don't think of calories. Its not allowed at the fair. By 9 am most of the vendors have opened. By 10 am the music has kicked in at many of the stages. (The machine shed has acoustic live music starting at 8 am for the breakfast crowd). One of the bargains of the fair - the $3 per person one way trip on the sky glider. Not only will it give kids feet a rest - its a good way to get an aerial lay of the land view - to pinpoint anything you may have missed. The other is the Big Slide. It's just a must for kids and parents. A potato sack + big slide = big smiles. Guaranteed. Yes it gets crowded. There's a reason. It's just plain fun. If you get cream puffs, opt for the single servings - only do a 3 pack "treat pack" ($10) if you plan on leaving the fair with them (they come in a box). They are not as full as the single served ones (again, this is only our opinion). Kids enjoy watching them being made - passes the time IF you have to wait in line - however the line does move (but, if you go early, you can avoid obnoxious lines). If it's hot (as it was today) go in the WI Products Pavilion (baked potato, caramel apple sundaes & multiple other WI products) to cool off or go into the Expo building for all the crazy products and sales pitches. The 4H art projects are in there as well. If you enjoy seeing the various animals make sure you look at the schedule - either on line at the State Fair website or in the daily schedule handed out at the entrance. As the fair winds down, fewer animals are there. Avoid disappointments by planning ahead. Use the coupon book available at the gates for the various food/ beverages. Oh and this year I had a food quest for Italian sausage - a friend had posted on FB a picture but unknown vendor name. Typically I would get Millie's however last year it was so charred and dried out, no amount of onions and peppers saved it. Their appearance at both stands was similar, so I passed. Found the amazing Italian sausage at Charlie's. They cook these coils of Italians on a flat top with peppers and onions and then cut off hunks as people order. So very good for $7. They also have amazing corn dogs - good batter - sweet - much better than the mass produced ones at the other stands. (again, its our opinion - no offense meant to anyone who has other preferences). Another advantage to going early is the parking situation. You can find it on side streets if you are willing to walk a few blocks. Naturally the later in the day it gets, the less likely you will find parking on the side streets - or a few blocks will turn into many blocks. People also offer parking in their yards for a price. Parking is also available in the State Fair lot - but as it gets later in the day, the odds of parking in the lot shrink. This is always an annual favorite for the family. Planning ahead is key in order to keep it fun for parents and kids.

    (4)

  • Stephen S.

    See Andy M. and Christine W.'s reviews...AWESOME spot-on reviews! Especially Andy...ripping on the stoller-idiots and hillbillies is a one-two punch stronger than the cream puffs-Giant slide combo The Fair offers! I myself love to walk through the expo center just to see all of the odd people...those selling and those dumb enough to be buying...it's like visiting a Third World county, just cleaner than Seven Mile Fair is all! And one of there years I think they're going to have to cart me out in an ambulance here...SO MUCH food I can't stand it! I'll fast for days beforehand just to have the room when we go. Pretty certain that at some point I ate a good 10,000 calroies in one visit! And no, I'm not another one of those cliches...I'm not a fatty Cheesehead...but I will admit to being a pretty big pig at The Fair!

    (5)

  • Ali B.

    No state fair has quite the same charm as the Wisconsin State Fair. There is really something for everyone. Great people watching, fun events and things for all ages. I skipped past the rides but I could tell those riding them were having a blast. Loved walking through and seeing all the cows, a very WI thing to do! Also watched the sea lion show, which was pretty adorable. Was sad that I missed the pig races this time. Best part of the fair is food everywhere. And food you could think of! I was eyeing pizza cones but told myself no! We walked through an indoor area of all of the local foods, and drooled at everything! A grilled cheese making station..hard for me to pass up. Lots of delicious desserts as well. Stopped in the wine tent and wasn't too impressed with any of the wines unfortunately. They weren't bad, just weren't as good as I had hoped. Best part of the whole thing:creme puffs. Line always moves fast and it's so fun watching them make it. And also trying to eat it. Always a mess, a delicious mess. Love the state fair.

    (5)

  • Diana G.

    My first State Fair and it was fun. I wasn't expecting so much things to do and see actually. We got there about 11:30am and left close to closing time about 11:00pm. We did buy the coupon book and I guess for a first timer, it's a good investment. If you didn't bring your own drinks, I think buying the refillable soda for $5 is a deal. Every place that offers refills are $2.50 and there are drinking fountains spread out to fill with water. Pretty much all the foods we tried were good. We didn't think we would be a fan of the cream puffs, but we ended up picking up a pack of 3 close to closing time. We sat and ate 2 and brought one back for someone. My sister said she wished they offered a drizzle of chocolate over them. My niece had fun at the carnival ride side. The animals, shopping was nice and all the staff were nice. Big surprise for us were the porta potties and bathroom were clean and stocked with toilet paper. They were on top of things here. Overall, a great experience. Don't know if I would come every year, but every couple of years would be good.

    (4)

  • Bobb S.

    Farm Animals. Mullets. Unheathly people riding every 3 wheel device ever made. Food on a stick. Cream Puffs. Midway. Usually some of the hottest days of the year. What more can you ask for? Yes, it can be a little pricey ($10 parking, $10 admission) but the level of people watching is amazing. Check out the exposition hall for people trying to shill any and all products. There even may have been a ginshu knife sighting. All in all, a favorite summer tradition.

    (5)

  • Jerry M.

    I love the State Fair because it's always the same old thing, only it's never the same old thing! If you're a regular, you know where to find the features because the features are always in the same place. Whether you visit the livestock or not, whether you see any shows or not, whether you visit the midway or not, there are some certain requirements for the State Fair that might has well be state law: 1) Cream Puffs! You are required to consume at least one cream puff per visit. 2) New Berlin Lions Club Corn Roast. They've been here forever with proceeds going to charity. You know you want to, so just get over there and grab an ear of corn. Can't eat it off the cob? They'll strip it into a cup for you. 3) Sky Ride. (Optional if you're scared of heights.) It's the best way to get an overview of the entire fair grounds, end to end. Check out the rooftop with several shoes, hair bands and rubbish that morons toss out of the cars. 4) MILK! Be sure to stop at the Milwaukee Bucks Milk House and for the amazing sum of COUNT IT! --} 25¢ {-- COUNT IT! you can have a glass of Wisconsin's Best in one of several great flavors. 5) Commerce. Whether you wear it, consume it, attach it to your house, play it, or if it chops, dices, slices, bakes, blasts, fries or lies, you'll find it here! It's fun to listen to the hucksters spin a pitch to attract your attention and get you stop and watch an AMAZING (insert eye roll smiley here) demo of the next miracle product. The State Fair has it all, even a 1938 Buick Ambulance. We don't have Percy Kilbride telling us, "Don't miss it, don't even be late!" but he's right! Take it from Percy himself (about 1:30 into it.) youtube.com/watch?v=cMtu…

    (4)

  • Chadek P.

    I love the Wisconsin state fair. Every year there are new, fun foods. I tried two this year, the 50/50 burger from Machine shed (patty is half beef half ground bacon) and the churro Sunday from the Mexican Grill (long john and churro covered with vanilla ice cream, whip, chocolate and caramel topping) both were delicious, though the 50/50 burger was not what I envisioned. I had imagined bacon on top the patty, but this was all ground together in the patty. The flavor was excellent while presentation was lacking. I did turn down the cheese wrapped option so I can't comment on that. The plain fries were seasoned and I enjoyed them. The churro Sunday, I loved it. Churro was a bit hard, would've liked more fresh fried texture, but flavors with the donut was excellent. Enjoyed that dish a lot! I went two days, once with my partner and once solo. I saw some dogs doing fly ball relays in the coliseum, and a few glimpses of a horse competition. I visited the cows, love how you can get so close to them! The expo grounds was jam packed and hard to move around at times. I loved the horticulture building, the hand made crafts, photos and dishes are so enjoyable to explore. The grounds are crowded tight with people, so expect everything that comes along with that. I did use the restroom once in one of the permanent buildings, and it was being cleaned at the time, so overall the facility was quite clean for the number of people at the fair. Was happy with that. It's obviously hot this time of year, I felt there is a decent amount of shade offered by buildings (some like expo and horticulture have AC) and seating umbrellas and awnings. I also recommend buying the souvenir cup if you plan on going more than once, or have more than two drinks. You can get refills for less so it's a deal. They let me bring in my cup on another day. As far as parking, I paid $10 to park in the general lot near the handicapped section. It wasn't too hard to find a space. The next day, I found free parking on the street to the east of the park.

    (5)

  • Nicki S.

    What a blast! This is such a fun event and my family enjoys going every year! My husband enjoys the multiple food vendors. The kids enjoy the animals. I just love a day with my family where everyone is interested and happy. I don't feel like vendors are overly pushy and trying to sell you crap you don't need -- unless you hit up the market place in which case, you're asking for it. We love that have on site parking. It isn't super expensive as compared to Chicago parking lots. This year it was $10. It was easy getting in and out of parking. As for admission, we bought our tickets on line a few months in advance and they were much cheaper than buying them at the door. The rides are costly, and there aren't many options for smaller children. They do have a carousel, but that is about it. Cream puffs and cheese curds are a must! The lines may seem long but they go quickly. You never seem to be waiting too long! Bring cash because some of the smaller (and yummier) stands do not take credit cards or debit cards.

    (5)

  • Amber L.

    Wisconsin Native here. I think I just had bad luck at the fair yesterday but first I asked for "cheese on a stick" for $4. Unknowingly I was handed a corndog. Dont get me wrong I like them but I came for the fried crap. Then I went to Lake Front Breweries stand and got the pretzel cone with chicken and cinnamon...sounded good but tasted bland. At the same stand I ordered an IPA beer, and was not carded. The sign said "we card under 35" yeah still have a decade to go on that one..thanks. Good part: got my cream puff :) saw the baby animals including sheep, quail, piglets-adorable!!!!! Also, taking photos with the cutouts is so much fun and cracks me up like no other. The fair also had music going this year-saw some cheesy 80s band called Cherry Pie or something...cool seeing people from that era now rockin out. Of course ill go again but im cool with skipping it next year.

    (4)

  • Steven M.

    Fun time at the fair. We got there later in the day at around 4 on a Saturday. It was wall to wall already. The animal exhibits were lite on the crowd so we would use them to pass through. The food offerings were typical carnival chow, cheap and expensive. But I knew I should have eaten before I came. Then I saw what I drove 2 hours for. The cream puffs! As a first time cream puffer I bit into it like a sandwich. Which was totally wrong. As the cream shot out of the other side. Eat it like an Oreo. Take them apart and savor each side. I still got it all over my face. Delicious! We walked the place 3 times and I had had enough on my feet. But not wanting to leave just yet, we hopped on the overhead baskets for a round trip ride totaling 7 bucks. The most reasonable thing at the fair. A good time was had by all.

    (4)

  • Heidi B.

    My husband and I come here every year. One of our 1st dates when we first started dating was at State Fair and we make a point to come back every year. I love how they keep the classics (food, games, etc) but there's always something new to try or see. I always leave with something cool / unique.

    (4)

  • Nana H.

    As long as I' ve lived here this is my first State fair, I was ok. The highlights for me where Sipping on some ice cold lemonade yum!!!! and the cream puff. It was packed a little overwhelming for me. I don't know if I will go again, but it was interesting.

    (4)

  • Christine F.

    It's kinda requirement for our family to go every year. We are adventurous eaters and usually plan our way around the fair based on what we want to eat. Not much peaked our interest this year. There are some standards though we ALWAYS have to get: Cream puffs number one. A sundae in the Wisconsin products building two. Three: Something containing cheese: We chose Saz's (not Daz's as my iPhone auto corrects) And A beverage to share: This time it was a cherry lime ade for $6.00. We came early and the guy didn't have change. Before we even got into the gate we spent $30.00. We were tired and didn't want to park on our usual lawn spot a few blocks away. We parked on the track for $10.00. There are advanced admission special prices but we're procrastinators. This was the only day we could go. Also it was veterans day for reduced admission. We got there around 8:30AM on this blistery 90 degree day. Sun block is essential. There are misting stations around but they didn't seem to do any good. Hit the products pavilion to stay cool. Don't drink alcohol if possible. And go early if possible is my advice. I got a band for my child incase she got lost and ended up loosing the hubby. Wish I could have gotten one for him. Great place to people watch We didn't get any animals in this time because the pens were closed early. Well, there is always next year! I did snag some atomic Siracha though and got my ring cleaned.

    (4)

  • Sean B.

    Adding Door County Cherry Pie to the must have list of baked potato and grilled cheese. Drool!

    (4)

  • Heather P.

    Always have a great time at the fair and look forward to the time of year it comes! There are so many good choices it's a bit overwhelming, but the times I have gone all the food has been delicious. My favorite is the chocolate covered cheesecake, and I can never resist funnel cake. I really enjoy the animals and any shows or demonstrations they have going on. I do also love the horticulture building and seeing how talented people can be with their entries.

    (5)

  • George T.

    What to expect. Lots of walking around looking at the fashionable WestAllians. Listening to live music. Livestock and crafts. Eating food on a stick. Drinking beer from The Micro. Watch people get slingshot into the sky. Vendors galore. All types of food that are not on sticks. Too many days to go, some days are crazy busy expect this on the weekends and evenings. Parking is easier if you take the shuttle or ride a bike. Got a chance to see Vanilla Ice and hang out with a bunch of Yelpers PM, KR to celebrate KJK Birthday at the micro (brew bar) is by far one of the best service and quality craft around. For the non drinkers they have lemonade root beer or milk Since Herb Kohl sold off the Bucks They still have a great variety of flavored milk for just a quarter at the Bucks milk barn. F:5 A:5 S:4 L:5 V:3 86/2014

    (5)

  • Brian J.

    How can you rate it less than five stars, you get what you make of it. I'm a check in regular once every year. Big expectations of crazy stuff to eat, bacon wrapped pork belly ,deep fried cheese on a stick, pork chop on a stick , cheese curds, bacon wrapped water chestnuts on a stick, cream puffs, okay now I'm stuffed, can't do the deep fried butter! Go when they open preferably on a week day and avoid the crowds. The flavored milk is still 25 cents and free Chevy shirts with a quick survey at the Chevy booth! Next stop is to get the stomach pumped

    (5)

  • Paul W.

    I love the Wisconsin State Fair!!! I have been coming (nearly) every year since I was little! There are really too many reasons to list why I love the fair, but here are a few of my pro tips! 1.) Have at least one of your meals at the Wisconsin Products Pavilion. You will see when you get there that people love the food there! My favorites: Usingers brats on a pretzel bun ($4), FFA Ice Cream Sundaes ($3), Pork Chop Sandwich ($6), Duck Fajitas ($4), Baked Potatoes ($4). But honestly you can't really go wrong with anything. Beef, lamb, bison, apples, honey, maple syrup, cherries, cranberries, etc. All locally produced. Awesome. 2.) Saz's mozzarella sticks. ($7 for 4) Pricey, but amazing. 3.) Benno's Micro. Get some delicious, and large (20 ounce) beer(s) for $7.50. 4.) El Jefe Mexican Corn (in a bowl). ($4). Just add a squirt of lime juice and some cayenne. 5.) Cheap beer: $5.50 - 20 Ounce domestic brews. If you are paying more than $5.50 you are paying too much. (This is true as of 2014). 6.) Fresh Fries with nacho cheese sauce. They are at the Fresh Fries stand by Central Park (across from the the Budweiser Pavilion). 7. For the best deal on soda buy a souvenir cup ($5) with $2 refills. You can bring this back with you every day of the fair (if you go multiple days like I do...) 8. If you have quarter you need to stop off at the footsie wootsie (the feet vibrator)... 9. You need to go down the giant slide at least once. 10. You need to ride the sky glider at least once. 11. Check out any of the free shows around the park. For instance, the Kids From Wisconsin are definitely worth checking out... 12. Check out shows at the Case IH Coliseum. I really enjoy the horse shows. Amazing. 13. Take a stroll through the expo building to see people selling all their nifty stuff. 14. Take a stroll through the animal buildings and meet some of the people who raise the food you eat. 15. Obviously you need fried cheese curds from Ben and Jerry's. I could go on and on...but I think you get the point. Admission is only $10 (and $5 if you buy the tickets during the off season). Food and alcohol can get pricey but there is cheap (and delicious) food you can find if you look for it! The free entertainment and cheap admission price make everything else worth it!

    (5)

  • Nicole B.

    Wisconsin state fair is so much fun for the family! I enjoyed coming to the fair as a kid and my kids love the fair. My kids favorite part is the giant slide and the pig races. They also enjoy eating junk food all day!!! cream puff is always the first stop and the Mozzarella sticks are next. Wine tasting is a lot of fun too. This year coke had a free stand where you made 2 small coke cans personalized with you name. The line was long but moved fast. Enjoy !!!

    (5)

  • Emily F.

    I love the fair! I don't love any old fair. Illinois, hell no! Minnesota, it's okay. I adore the Wisconsin State Fair. I love that the crowd differs, the food is tasty and unique and all of the outdoors type venues. So maybe Melinda Myers is too cheesey for most... I rather enjoy her. The animals are what takes the cake for me. The 4-H kids that are passionate about showing their friends warms my heart. So maybe I don't like seeing the beef area of live cows on their way out. I actually run past them. It's an expensive outting no doubt. But, I say when in the radius of this fine event, one must go at least once. per season.

    (5)

  • Mike C.

    fair (fâr) - Moderately good; acceptable or satisfactory Well maybe YOUR State Fair is, but not the Wisconsin State Fair. The Wisconsin State Fair is crunchy awesomeness wrapped on a stick and deep-fried to a golden, crispy brown. I'm an unabashed and unapologetic lover of our fair. Most years I go between 3 and 4 times and this year (2013) was no exception - I've made it 3 times so far and since I'm writing this on the fair's final day ... who knows? Simply put, I love the Wisconsin State Fair because it makes me happy. We spent the entire day there yesterday and, I kid you not, after about 3 hours my face hurt I was smiling so much. Well, maybe it didn't "hurt," but I definitely felt smiling muscle fatigue. What could possibly make me smile so much? The list is long, but here's a condensed version: MUSIC. I love live music. Whether it be a stadium-sized venue hosting Paul McCartney or a beer tent rocking to a Milwaukee cover band that has played together for more than 50 years (The Skunks), live music abounds and I never have a challenge finding something that delights me. Watching folks older than me (there's still a few!) dance and clap to The Skunks (currently known as The Larry Lynde Band) made me smile immensely. The rolling Matt's Family Band and The Who tribute band (Substitute) also rounded out a great day yesterday, but if you go today or next year, make sure you don't miss cover band extraordinaire, The Bobby Friss Band. Bobby puts on the best rockin' good time show in the land and he has played nightly at the Saz's stage for years. (A note to teetotalers: Beware. Bobby's more fun when you drink!) FOOD. For the most part I bypass the weird foods on sticks and go with my tried and true favorites. A few include a Usinger's Italian sausage slathered with peppers on a Miller's pretzel roll in the Wisconsin Products Pavilion, a Hungarian sausage sandwich from Rupena's and the deep-fried green beans from Krautland. But my absolute favorite and can't miss annual culinary treat is Mexican Corn in a Cup. I love this sweet, hot and tangy treat. It's fresh corn cut of the cob and slathered in mayonnaise and queso then topped with chili powder. This is available under the Milwaukee Mile grandstand and if there was only one food to eat at the fair, this would be my choice. FARM ANIMALS & CULTURE. For a few hours each year it doesn't hurt to look at the animals that feed us and greet the hard-working people that care for these beasts. Studying the animals is some of the fun, but the real interesting study is the interaction between the farm kids from up north and the Milwaukee locals that come to see them. There's too few opportunities in the world to break down the walls that separate us, but when a young city dweller has a chance to come eye-to-eye with a swine and the 11-year old from Merrill that raises the animal, I can't help feeling that this is a step in the right direction. BEER. There's two great distinctions about Wisconsin State Fair beer: quantity and quality. To address the first, one can buy a beer EVERYWHERE on the grounds. You only need to take about 20 steps onto the grounds before you'll have a chance to buy a tall cool one, and when you're empty, you won't have a long walk to replenish your cup. Second, thanks to West Allis bar Benno's, beer nerds can now slake their thirst with some quality crafts at The Micro. Chances are if you're my friend and you're at the Fair, I'll bump into you at The Micro. The Sprecher landing on the north end of the grounds is also a good place to wrap your lips around a local craft brew. (Related: Indiana, I understand your fair is dry. How can you stand it?!) PEOPLE SELLING STUFF. I know I'm in the minority here, but I love walking through the Exhibition Center and watching snake oil salesmen pitch their peelers, dicers, choppers and slicers. I (almost) never buy anything, but an hour watching this selling circus always entertains me. PEOPLE WATCHING. Face it, this is the reason many of you who go, go. You may even play State Fair Bingo. Men with 1:1 aspect ratios, women with Hello Kitty tattoos on their calves, mullets (you've played The Mullet Game, right? See a mullet first, slug your pal!), mustachioed ladies, baby stroller sightings after dark, etc. It's all here and spot 5 cultural anomalies in a row ... BINGO!! Yep. The Wisconsin State Fair is my happy place. If you haven't gone in a while (I know quite a few of you that haven't), I suggest putting Xenophobia aside and returning with an open mind, heart and love of simple pleasures. It just may become your happy place too. :)

    (5)

  • Arthur M.

    It was after 1AM, girlfriend and I were in bed. I was reading on my phone, and in one of the feeds coming to me from the internet, I saw it. It was a savory waffle cone stuffed with fried chicken. I saw that it was available at the Wisconsin State Fair. The next day we drove the 2.5 hours from Chicago to the fair, just outside Milwaukee. I was most interested in the Wisconsin products building and the food there-in. Sometime during that rainy August Monday I had a realization that I don't really deal with "the public": the folks who come to Xoco are a very specific sliver of the general public, who want to pay more than $10 for a sandwich crafted by a nationally known chef. The folks who want to pay $5 for a pizza dough cone stuffed with cheese and pepperoni are a more diverse bunch. Here is everything we ate: Wisconsin-grown corn on the cob. I wanted a photo of the corncob getting dipped into a barrel of butter but I was too slow with my camera. I asked the thirteen (?) year-old girl to please dip the cob in the butter again. An awkward standoff ensued. Wisconsin cheddar and provolone cheese sandwiches, dipped in butter and griddled. Girlfriend got a margarita from the concession stand that contained no tequila, and then switched to Hinterland Cherry Wheat, featuring Door County cherry. I was not loving the burger made with Wisconsin beef (cooked through) so turned that over to my partner. I got Door County cherry pie, vanilla ice cream, and tart cherry juice instead. After feeling super nauseous just from looking at the rides in Spin City, I had a panic attack on the chair lift ride that takes you over the entire park, both from the height, and from the ride operators instructions to kick my legs up and tilt my neck back. I don't like to be in situations that require strangers telling me what to do with my neck. I know what to do, it's a pretty general rule that I learned from the Wu-Tang Clan: protect ya neck. To settle the stomach, I ordered the Triple Treat of cream puffs. These were the best things I ate. The pastry was pretty good, but the cream was ridiculous. It must have been more than 50% pure fat. I blacked out while eating this. My girlfriend says I was in the middle of passersby, my mouth and face covered in white cream. Wisconsin brat, for protein, and mustard. Cookie dough on a stick. I actually loved the cookie dough on a stick. I was afraid, because of how awful the cookie dough candy you get at movie theaters is, but it was way closer to the dangerous raw egg cookie dough, and covered in a delightful chocolate shell.

    (5)

  • Bobby D.

    Again, Still one of the greatest fairs or festivals around..... The Seafood & Lobster salad sandwich from Joey's was great, With adding a little Old Bay seasoning from the counter. The smelt boat from Door County Fish Boil was good as well. The Walking Taco from the Mexican Grill was foremost & fantastic, With Fritos!!!!!, Sour Cream, Lettuce. Tomatoes, Taco Meat, Shredded Cheddar Cheese. MMMMMMMMMMMM!!!!!!!. Although the Quesadilla with ground beef & Macaroni & Cheese (YES, You heard that correctly), From the same place. Wasn't that bad either. The Green Plantain Chips from Mi Lindo Cuba were great as well. The Poutine from Duke's was great as well. However, The Cincinnati-Style Chili fries from the Budweiser Pavilion were terrible. Too salty. And I've tried Cincinnati-style Chili 30 years ago, And THAT was GREAT!!!!!!!!. And The Bulk Candy Store is BAAAAAAACCCCCCKKKKKK!!!!!!!!!. More to add soon........ P.S.: The Pork Shanks from that one German place were somewhat flavorless & somewhat dry.

    (5)

  • Jennifer R.

    The Wisconsin State Fair is one of the best wholesome, family-oriented entertainment values in the Midwest. For the cost of a ticket you have entrance into a myriad of sights and attractions including championship animals musical entertainment, carnival rides, glimpse of Wisconsin products...the list goes on and on. I go to eat. You can stuff yourself silly on almost any kind of food you can think of and a few that will astound you. If it fits on a stick, you can probably enjoy it and it will be tasty to boot. I also go to people watch. Trust me you will not be disappointed in this regard. People from all walks of life gather at the Wisconsin State Fair. Hats off to the staff that produce this show annually. It is a true Wisconsin event not to be missed!

    (4)

  • Chad M.

    State fair is always fun from animals to beer to food, there is always something interesting to see and do.

    (5)

  • Carl F.

    My 300th review, and what a better place to write about ! I've been to a number of State Fairs (NY, TX, KT, CA, WA) and I would say the Wisconsin State Fair ranks at the top in my book for a number of reasons. First, I like the country feel about it. They have an abundant amount of agricultural barns which you can walk about viewing the various live stock. They also have a lot of exhibits to look at as well. Some giving you good ideas or learning about something. Second, they have a good line up of shows scattered about the fair and I've enjoyed the several I had the opportunity to sit and listen to. Third, is the family fun, atmosphere. There is plenty going on keeping all ages entertained. If something gets boring, then there is another venue just around the corner. Fourth, is the food. I don't think there is a spot at the fair, with perhaps the exception of the bathroom that you don't see a place selling food and all types of it too. By the cattle bar there is a long, non-distinguished looking building that only states, Wisconsin Food Products. If you go in here you'll find some of the best food at the fair at really great prices. I didn't stumble into this place until my "third" year visiting and you can bet I'll be going back in their every year to come. Of cours there is the midway. My kids enjoy this fairway and could spend the entire day there. As a parent, I feel the tickets for the rides are expensive, BUT, look on line for the days / times they have the wrist band option, which is a good deal. If you've not been to the Wisconsin, State Fair, then I would highly recommend coming here.

    (5)

  • Kyle H.

    In 2014, I visited the Wisconsin State Fair for the first time in over 20 years. It was enjoyable, but not an annual necessity, as some people make it out to be. There are certainly plenty of other food and street festivals in Milwaukee where you can enjoy fried food, beer, music, rides. Certainly the whole State of Wisconsin has opportunities for viewing livestock up close. At the Fair you'll see- - Lots of fried food. It's almost impossible to eat healthy here, so don't expect to. We actually found some good food like cherry wood smoked bacon wrapped pork belly, thanks to reading the Journal-Sentinel tips the week before. - Carnival rides- the giant slide is a tradition. That slingshot chair looks downright frightening! - Cover bands. My buddy's cover band the Presidents played here when I went. They were really good, and music makes sitting down and enjoying a few Wisconsin brews and food enjoyable. - Horse Pulls and Livestock. The horse pull was really interesting. And it's under cover (for rainy or hot days) and relaxing. Visit the other barns if you have any interest in livestock. We were disappointed that they were closing the barns at 3:15pm instead of advertised 4pm on the day we went. Bummer - Wisconsin DNR area is great to see some prize fish on the walls, and it has a nice relaxing path with gardening tips and Wisconsin State specific nature. They did a great job telling us about their new Ranger apps too. - More fat and infirm people than have a right to be in one place at one time. I'm not sure why but there seemed to be a ton (no pun intended) of large and injured people visiting the Fair. Stocking up on calories for the long winter ahead? Apparently you can do that here. And do it in a foot boot/walker/hoveround. Tips: - Park in the neighborhoods nearby. If you're not one of the former infirm, you can walk a few blocks and only pay $5-8 to park on someone's lawn. - Visit the Micro- a new Craft Brewery spot on the grounds, which features a great selection of Wisconsin Craft Brews. You can get flights here, too. And they show all the games on TVs throughout. Some people just come here and set all day, and I don't blame them one bit. This place is cool! - Order your cream puffs at the To Go window, don't go in and wait in line. They're the same cream puffs, you'll just be eating them outside, no bigs. After 20 years of thinking cream puffs weren't that good, I enjoyed mine in 2014. - Avoid the Exhibition Hall, which is just a bunch of infomercial junk. That is, unless you're in the market for a new Hot Tub! Oh, but The High School art winners are displayed in the lobby, do check those out. Blue Ribbon! - Lower your expectations. The Wisconsin State Fair is kind of like going to Disney World- you'll not be able to move quickly through the crowds, you'll fight with your family/kids, you'll end up with indigestion from fried food, but it's the best thing going. And it's Our State Fair, dammit!

    (3)

  • Shaun E.

    Great place to be if you're in the area looking for something to do. Lot of food, desserts and live entertainment. Come on down and check it out! The cream puffs--out of this world good. Corn on the cob delish. Pizza cones yummy delicious. You gotta come on down to experience the fun filled atmosphere!

    (5)

  • Howard L.

    Wow, how could one not enjoy having: - A peanut butter bacon bison burger on french toast - Deep fried spicy pepper jack mac n cheese on a stick - Very fresh Wisconsin cream puffs These were my food highlights anyway from the day. This is the best State Fair that I've experienced to date. What stood out also to me was that there was a nice small town culture of politeness, courtesy, and friendliness throughout the day. I don't know if this is a Milwaukee culture thing or throughout all of Wisconsin, but it definitely made a nice and memorable impression for me of the area and people that I had not noticed before anyway on other visits. One little example, but by no means the only one, was I when I did not give much thought to wearing my Bears polo shirt on this day. I saw nothing but Packer wear all day (duh), but a couple gruff looking but fun guys, said and joked, that being a Bears fan, I should go first and order up the spicy mac n cheese. Will try to be back. Lotsa good food, lotsa good music, and lotsa craft beer stands (but no beer on this driving day for me).

    (5)

  • Adam C.

    I love the state fair. I've been each year for the past three. There's only one thing that completely needs to be said: Billie's Baked Potatoes or go home! That is the only thing that I make sure to get; the potato itself is cooked so that it's really soft and tender all the way through. I recommend the Billie Special; it's slathered in butter, bacon bits, and sour cream. It sounds pretty plain when compared to the chocolate covered bacon sundaes and donut burgers, but it's probably the best tasting thing at the fair. I also recommend getting one of the big turkey legs if possible, although it's not mandatory. The cheese curds are also a must-have for any good Wisconsinite. I personally avoid the rides; on a stomach full of greasy fair food it's just not worth it, and if you go first then eating might touch something nasty off. Those who have a stronger stomach than me might enjoy them. I also don't care for walking through the animal pens. Aside from the food, the real draw is people-watching. I like to have a bit of mean-spirited fun from a vantage point and consider the back-story behind the guy wearing a confederate flag belt buckle and a wolf t-shirt or the woman in a Hoveround wearing booty shorts. This game is even more fun with alcohol and friends with a sharper wit than you. It's the mean fairgrounds version of MST3K. Difficulty of parking is inconsistent. I've sat in a car for more than an hour waiting to get in and I've pulled right in and parked in less than 10 minutes. The time of day seems to make only a partial difference. It seems to be easier if you come in from the east on surface streets (or, of course, you can park further out in someone's lawn for somewhere between $5 and $20).

    (5)

  • Becky S.

    This is my favorite event of the year. I freaking love the Wisconsin State Fair. I love that it is a juxtaposition of all things: city and country, new and traditional, cheap and expensive, animals and humans, etc. And the people watching, oh the glorious people watching. You will see all sorts of folk here. I love it. Personally, I love the pig races, the corn on the cob, the 25 cent milk, the big pickles inside the expo center, the wine tasting building, the cream puffs, Berres Brothers coffee, trying new foods (chocolate covered bacon, pb & j gelato), and the aforementioned people watching. Wear your walking shoes or you'll be sad. You can buy tickets in advance (usually in June) for $5 each. Just do a little pre-planning and you'll save some money. You know you're gonna go to the fair anyway. Parking alternatives- you can park in a nearby neighborhood for free or pay someone to park on their lawn. I once saw a dog wedding officiated by Elvis at the state fair. What the ...? Yup, that's the fair for ya. It has its traditions, but at the same time you never quite know what you're gonna see, eat, hear, or do. I love it.

    (5)

  • Mad I.

    Great food choices, jam packed full of people, and cream puffs, what else is there to say?? Get some fried butter, or fried smores, or fried cookie dough, or fried pickles, or fried Fries, or fried anything!!!!! Lol, fun times, and when you leave you might feel like all the livestock you've been looking at. P.s-the go to for me here was the milk stand!! Milk stand? Yup! $.25 for a glass of flavored yummie milk!

    (5)

  • Kelly S.

    Love the milk a cow experience except for the part where my boyfriend squirted me on the leg with milk just outta da cow! LOL Great music all over the venue and you can walk around the whole fair with beer/alcohol. Food is not super crazy prices either.

    (5)

  • Dri T.

    Horrible customer service. Tickets were suppose to be $5 before 6pm. We get there 10 mins before 6 and their system is down. They go back up after 6pm and charged full price. Tried talking to the manager and explained we were in line waiting for the system to go back up and he was just so rude. State Fair you need real managers that know about customer service, not just any mediocre. #SpinCityEntrance #Horribleservice

    (1)

  • Andy F.

    Definitely worth going to when it's in town! Try the fried, vein compacting, greasy goodness that is offered by the food vendors! Avoid the lemonade, it's overpriced, and probably the stuff sold by your average restaurant. Nonetheless, I would definitely bring friends and family here, with plenty of water, sunglasses, and a hat, because it gets hot! My other complaint has to do with one of the guys hired to operate the "loop-de-loop" ride. An older black male who looked like he was intoxicated, allowed his choice of patrons to get on without paying, which is completely unfair to the rest of us. If you do know him, call his a** out on it, because that is not right! Other than that, the fair is worth going at least once. Quite pricey, just like any fair, so bring plenty of cash, but be wise. Avoid the infomercial vendors inside the building, and wash your hands after being with the animals so you won't risk getting sick! All in all, very fun!

    (4)

  • Joseph W.

    Wisconsin State Fair is probably my favorite event in Milwaukee. It's an absolute food lover's paradise, with games, rides, animals, shopping and entertainment to keep you busy in between bites. If you want to try a lot of food, bring your significant other and share everything. A lot of food here comes in large helpings. A lot of hubbub was made about Golden Guernsey going out of business and the filling of our beloved cream puffs being handled by some other dairy. I dove into the puffs first and I'm happy to report while the puff seemed a little more limp than usual, it still tastes damn good. We bought one of those $4 coupon books. It paid for itself, plus way more. The only complaint is maybe the next time they can give us some more options. 2 coupons for burritos, 2 coupons for Tacos, 2 coupons for nachos....c'mon, give me some more coupons for that crazy fair food! Speaking of crazy fair food, my wife and I dug into the beer donuts at the Miller Lite Bar & Grill. These Miller/Leinie's/Grebe's collabo's are rather unique. They are Bismarck-style, topped with frosting and filled with a sort of a beer pudding. The Leinie's Summer Shandy doughnut was pretty tasty, but the Miller Lite Chocolate with Beer Nuts doughnut was weird to say the least. It was good up until the filling, the chocolate beer filling was too odd. I'm loving that some of the vendors have iPads/iPhones to swipe credit cards now. Hopefully more vendors get with the act, because cash is so 1980. The fish tacos at Joey's are awesome. Same with the Broccoli and Cheese Puffs at Helmut's. So is the milk at Herb's Superb. I can drink the Cherry Vanilla milk and the Root Beer milk all day. Deep Fried Brat on a stick and Corn Nuggets on a stick earn honorable mentions. People watching is awesome here. Especially when it's a 40 YO redneck in an electric scooter, complete with two bottled beers with koozies in the front basket (how did he get beer bottles in the park!?!). The best part about this dude is he pulls up behind some Grandma, waits for about 2 minutes behind here as she's looking up at something (why didn't he just pull around?), gets up out of his scooter, and walks up to her to tap her shoulder to tell her to move. Class act. Speaking of stuff I hate at the fair- Deep Fried Cheesecake? Skip it! I love the wine tasting and all, but for Pete's sake, you guys are located less than a mile outside the Brew City and I have yet to see beer tasting here! It's inexcusable! The Westside Marketplace used to be so cool, now it's barely filled with vendors and its in desperate need of some TLC. Get on it! Don't call a stand "Craft Beer Central" when you have two offerings from New Glarus and a bunch of Budweiser products. I don't consider Bud a "Craft Beer". Since when has the vendors been more obnoxious than the carnival barkers in the Midway? My first encounter with rudeness came at the Dips Stand in the Cream Puff Pavilion. My wife was interested in buying some dip packets for a party coming up. We started to try what they had to offer out of their many samples. We planned right away to buy the veggie, and we were working on deciding a second. We worked our way down the line, when the woman working offered me a bag. I already had a green bag and I didn't need another bag for 2 little packets. I said "No thanks...." and I was cut off before I could finish. The woman then said "Oh, you're only sampling? That's what I thought.." about as snotty as she could. I told my wife, and we immediately left without buying dip. And as far as the multiple "Sneaker Cleaning" guys go in the Expo Center with their multiple booths, I know my Air Jordan's are fly, but I would NEVER let you touch my shoes with your poison. Trust me, when I spend over a bill on shoes, I know how to clean them. Anyways, I had my eye on something else and zipped past, and this guy said "Hey, Jordan's!". I looked back, saw he was talking to me, and I said "No thanks" because I wanted no part of a sneaker cleaner on suede Jordan's. When I kept walking, this dude literally kept yelling "HEY!!!!" at me. I hope you don't treat the ladies like that. Not a good look homie. I was harassed every time I passed one of these booths. Can people not walk into a 6'2", 250 lb. man with a armful of goat cheese products? I know you want a sample, but they are giving them away all day and I'm just trying to get to the register to (obviously) pay for my product. What happened to manners old people! Speaking of stupid, if a full grown Clydesdale is out of his pen with only a harness clipped on to a small loop on the outside of the cage, and that horse starts bucking, it's prolly not a good idea to pet that horse or turn your back to it and take pics. On the other hand, the kid who had someone take a pic of him while he squatted over a huge pile of horse poop, you're awesome. Even with all these problems, Wisconsin State Fair is a must-see, must-do.

    (4)

  • Melanie B.

    As insane as it is sometimes, the Wisconsin Products Pavilion should not be missed. Also, the Lion's Club corn was amaze. There is so much food and drink that is very easy to become overwhelmed. If you are really serious, I say download a map and circle the stands and foods you are interested in tasting before, that way you have a game plan going in. I also suggest going to the DNR park within state fair. Amongst the concrete jungle of the park, DNR offers a beautiful green space for all to enjoy and great things for kids! Including, archery, fisheries, tee shirt making, games and much more learning of the environment and our natural resources. This park should not be missed!

    (5)

  • iddells E.

    Mmmm mmm mmm cream puffs were amazing! I wish I would've gotten a pack of 3 to take home, but then I'd gain 5 lbs. My dream would be to swim in a pool of that delicious cream!! Mini donuts-delish, battered and deep-fried cheese curds-sinful, but delish, lemonade with requested half amount of sugar-refreshing, deep-fried smores-meh. Where I should've done more eating was in the Wisconsin Products Pavillion. where they had food from local WI businesses. Too bad I was too full when I got there. Anyways, the fair was fun and HUGE with a ton of people... there's a lot to do, a lot to see, and of course, A LOT to eat! An endless junk food paradise!! I would definitely come back next year!

    (4)

  • Rachael G.

    YES PLEASE! I look forward to the state fair every year! My best friend flies up to visit and we spend the day stuffing our face, looking at bunnies, and playing the lotto. I love trying a new food each year. This year it's a little heavy handed on the bacon and meat, but the desserts are awesome, you can always find some fried veggies, and the fried oreos are cookie crack. The animals are stinky, but super cute. In the last couple years they have added doggy diving. If you haven't seen it yet, go, its worth the admission alone! They throw a toy into a huge pool and the dogs compete to see who can jump the farthest. RIDIC. Each year, my friend and I like to pretend we are fancy ladies and hit up the Wisconsin wine tasting. Its a great break from the normal fair madness, and the wine is usually really good! I believe its 1 dollar per 1 oz glass, or 6 for 5. Hit this up! Finally, each fair trip would not be complete without the 25 cent flavored milk. I usually buy 4 and then just chug them, only to feel sick immediately after. Well worth it though! Is it loud and packed? Yes. Do most of the people look like they haven't moved past 1982? Yes. Is it fun as hell? YOU BETCHA.

    (5)

  • Karen G.

    The state fair is one of the best things about living in the MIdWest. Better beer than Octoberfest, better wings than anywhere ( Goosebys), great music, super cute farm animals. You can meet "Alice in Dairyland", or get your picture taken with a cardboard cutout of her. The polka bands have players so old, you swear they will keel over right before your eyes ( Polish tent), it's so good, I can't detail it all. BUT don't drive up and park at fair. drive up and park at the park and ride parking lots. yes, it's more money, but you save the 45 min to an hour to actually find a parking place at the fair itself.

    (5)

  • Jessica P.

    I would call the Wisconsin State Fair ...Heart Attack Land.. only because everything..literally everything is deep fried! think of any food you would like... and they can deep fry it for you!! they will even make healthy veggies unhealthy by simply frying them!! :) some foods i've tried at the fair: red velvet funnel cake - no ice cream topping option. just powdered sugar on top..and didn't taste much different from a regular funnel cake; however, it's $1 more expensive... 18" corndog - tasted like a normal corndog... was difficult eating it sideways cuz it's soo long.. but it was good ...if you like corn dogs.. why not get the 18" corndog.. it's like 3 hotdogs in one.. Corn in a cup - consisted of mayo, hot powder, cheese, butter ...it was pretty tasty 25 cent flavored milk - loved the flavored milk.. very light, cheap and delicious! friends and I tried all the flavors - cherry vanilla, chocolate, strawberry, root beer, banana...favorites were chocolate, strawberry and banana... cheese curds - they were good but a little too salty.. i'm assuming cheese is usually salty?..don't know if I would pay to buy salty fried cheese again here.. blooming onions - it was ok.. the onion tasted a little too raw...i've had better at restaurants.. chocolate covered bacon - yes it tastes exactly how it sounds.. probably wouldn't buy it again.. krispy kreme cheeseburger - this tastes exactly how it sounds as well.. i don't think I could finish one on my own.. a little too much krispy kreme burger combination.. cream puffs: it tastes good..but it is kind of pricey.. not sure if it's worth it...it tastes like a cream puff that I would get from a Korean bakery...very creamy.. but not worth the wait in line/price... Events/Activities we checked out: -Pig Race: i loved it.. probably biased since i just think pigs are cute!..if you want to sit down and watch the whole show.. make sure you go and find a seat 30 mins prior to the start time -Horse competition(?): I don't know what was going on.. just saw horses & their owners....nice horses.. but didn't see them in action...eh Parking options: a lot of the residents/home owners will sell parking spots on their lawn and wisconsin state fair tickets for a cheaper price...$10 parking..$8 tickets.. not bad.. just take the offer on it.. the walking isn't bad and the offer isn't bad.. tips..you can bring drinks (i'm assuming non-alcoholic beverages only..)... I would suggest you go to the Walgreens on the way and buy bottled water or something prior to going in the fair... would i go to the wisconsin state fair again? hm.. maybe just for fun to walk around and to drink milk and watch the pigs.. but not really for the food..

    (3)

  • Kelsey P.

    State Fair is right up there with all other national holidays in my book. Food must haves are the Milk barn, corn, cream puffs, and random fried food. I get to touch as many animals as I want. The expo barn is full of random stuff that I don't need. What's not to love?

    (5)

  • Fred B.

    Love the food, I was so happy that I could charge my phone at US Cellular. But next year we won't go to Great America a week before the State Fair. But I do have one concern for any parent who has a son and uses the bathroom down in Spin City. When they use the men's bathroom the middle hand dryer gets very, very hot, it could burn a young child. The worker told me they would not fix it. So don't let that little issue ruin your great day at the State Fair.

    (5)

  • Angie O.

    State Fair is like a holiday. I look forward to it all year long and get prepared: go on a little pre-fair diet, print out and markup the annual "new foods" list, and always go at least twice, sometimes more, during its 11 day run. There are so many awesome things about the fair - the animals (omg I love the rabbits and the goats!), the pig race (a must see!), the interesting and usually delicious food, and the people watching. Oh the people watching! I love walking through the Expo center and looking at crazy items for sale, and watching people actually purchase the silly "as seen on TV" products. The Wisconsin Product Pavilion is filled with yummy food and is on average less expensive than most of the other vendor food. I recommend a $4 baked potato, and anything from the Bison booth! Also, the 25 cent flavored milk is fantastic - this year they moved the booth from its previous location near the rabbit/chicken barn to northeast corner of the Expo center. There is a band playing at every stage at all times of the fair, I'm pretty sure the WI State Fair is close to the world record of the greatest number of local cover bands at one festival haha. Weekends can get very crowded; I prefer to visit the fair on a weekday evening as there tends to be less people. However, the people-watching is not as awesome at these times either. It does hurt to see the prices of admission and food to increase every year. I sign up for the WI State Fair's email newsletter and receive notification in May when they begin the early ticket sales for $5 (that's 50% off!). There's so much to see and do and eat it's impossible to fit it all in one visit, which is why purchasing the advance sale $5 tickets is the way to go. I'm already looking forward to next year's fair :)

    (5)

  • Ellie B.

    I love the state fair. My favorite things: deep fried Oreos, flavored milks, pig races, big slide, Mexican corn, Wisconsin products building, all of the animals, checking out the prize winning food and crafts, Hot Wisconsin Cheese, and more.

    (5)

  • Dave M.

    This is pretty much my favorite thing to do in the summer. Been going here since I was born. I mean food, beverages, things to look at, people to look at, and music. Some tips for those that maybe don't visit as often as me (3-4 times each year), that you might want to give a try.... 1. Crutchee's Corn dogs. There are TWO locations, and these are the best. Skip any of the misc trucks that have it and go to these two food cart type sized spots. They are in the same spot every single year. 2. Mille's. Get an Itallian sausage with Hot peppers. Don't worry they aren't too hot. 3. Jakes. I've been eating at Jakes as long as I've been alive, but now they are at the fair. In the Agri building,. Get a Pastrami or Corned beef, but don't forget the mustard (ask for a little tub). Melt in your mouth. 4. Margarita Express. Near the grandstand. Do NOT skip this. These are the best freaking margaritas I've ever had. Get LIME Blended (Frozen). They are the real deal, you will end up back there several times. Wait for these every year. 5. Morgan's Fudge in the Argi building @ the end. I've had Fudge from everywhere but this is the best fudge I've ever had and get a slice every single year. I'm sure everyone has their favorites too. But these are ones that we never miss. Just got home from the fair!

    (5)

  • Katie S.

    So, when I was young and hip, I wanted to be at Summerfest and State Fair was not cool. Now, that I'm old, I sometimes can't handle Summerfest and State Fair is the greatest thing since deep fried pickles. There are animals. They're stinky but sometimes cute. There's a midway - start there and then get milk. No one likes milk reversing out your tummy. There were white bengal tigers this year. Oooooooooooooo. What big paws you have. There's the expo center. It's like living in a QVC Wonka-land. There's the Micro. Craft beers (real ones!) and beer flights so you can try three for the price of one! You get a shirt if you kill a keg. You can send a postcard from this state fair to another state fair just to say hi. There's the Wisconsin Products Pavilion. Baked potatoes, $2 grilled cheese, Jakes reubens, Palermos, etc. You can learn things here, too. This is my favorite spot at the fair, hands down. There's milk. For $0.25. Try the root beer flavored kind. There's deep fried everything. I think there's concerts. There are cream puffs, but I'll be honest...I don't like them. They are messy and sticky and they really don't taste like much. However, they sell thousands of them, so most people must like them. Other thoughts: Blue Moon no longer counts as 'craft beer'. The Blue Moon stage should sell Blue Moon beer, shouldn't it? I'm not sure one could experience everything there is at the fair every year. There's just so much. But, has that ever really stopped anyone before??

    (4)

  • Talia R.

    Ohhhh the Wisconsin State Fair. What is not to love? There is Tons of great music, awesome local beer and obviously kick a$& food!! Think of anything deep fried and on a stick and they probably have it. This year we tried the deep dried stuffing and it was pretty good. You clearly can't leave without having a cream puff, they are little bits of heaven. I love walking around with a Summer Shandy and enjoying the crazy people watching. It's definitely something you have to check out.

    (4)

  • Phill C.

    If you love all things deep fried, then you'll call this place heaven. From deep fried candy bars to deep fried beer, there's just too much to try. I tried a deep fried snickers bar, s'mores, scotch egg, bacon-wrapped hotdog, reuben egg roll, and even butter. Yup, exactly what you'd think it is. A pat of butter, battered and deep fried. I don't think I've ever been so confused and grossed out, biting into anything deep fried. I also had a chance to try a Krispy Kreme cheeseburger, which was interestingly not that great... There's plenty of other deep fried treats on a stick, but you can also find plenty of non-fried foods. I had some great watermelon shaved ice and freshly squeezed lemonade. I missed the pig races and didn't get a chance to try the famous cream puffs, but I'll check them out next time.

    (4)

  • Jen W.

    I love the fair. Even though, year after year, we do the same things, it never disappoints. I would highly check out the weekly/daily deals. Many of the days you can get in at a discounted price. Parking can be difficult, This year I was going to bite the bullet and save myself, and my five month pregnant body, a walk and pay for parking, but, the lots were full. So we ended up walking anyway. If you are patient enough and wear good walking shoes this should not deter you. I like to go during the day, during the week to avoid some of the crowd, but, if you don't mind crowds. Go for it! On our always must see/eat list are: - .25 Milk (sometimes we hit this stand two or three times in a visit) - Animal barns (a hit with my daughter), especially the cow barn where one can milk a cow - New yearly food on a stick...this years concoction (which I loved by he way) was a peanut butter cup, dipped in banana batter, dipped in chocolate, covered in bacon. It did not disappoint! - The tallest fair ride allowed in the U.S (new to the fair in '12), I did not personally try it but from the screams coming from the general direction I would say it was a hit. - The exhibition building where you can buy just about anything you never knew you needed (and probably don't), I end up buying something there every year.

    (5)

  • Rachel F.

    All I really want to do here is copy and paste Joanna T's review, because it's SPOT FREAKING ON. Everything she says is right on the money. So go ahead and read her review first. That said, there are a few things I might add to her highlights section: -The tent with all the three moon t-shirts and leather belts and scary rednecks... ironic t-shirts for days! -The airbrush t-shirt stand. I've always wanted an airbrushed t-shirt as an adult but always forget to get one. -Giant Clydesdale horses which are awesome and scary to walk near at the same time. -WI Products Pavilion FTW! Also, you think you'd like a baked potato from the WI products building, but you actually want it from the stand near the racetrack by the reptiles nearing the midway. It's actually better.

    (5)

  • Kyle K.

    If you don't love the State Fair then you need to move. Not kidding. Thinking about Summerfest and how soul draining it can be reminded me of how much I love the State Fair. Cream Puffs? Whatever. Go ahead and wait in that stupid line and clear the way for me to shove pork tenderloin sandwiches and duck fajitas in my face. I could probably ruin an entire summer of sensible eating and daily cycling in about 2 hours here. Pros: -Tenderloin Sanguiches -Duck Fajitas -Benno's beer tent. Totally destroys the beer selection at Summerfest. -Drinking a bunch of beer and then gushing over all the baby animals. Omygoshtheyaresolittle. -All the crazy shit for sale all over the everywhere. It makes me think I'm in the wrong business. -Talking to really nice folks about their animals. I sometimes forget that the vast majority of living in this state happens outside of Milwaukee. A change in perspective can be a really good thing. -I brushed a baby cow once. I seriously considered stealing the little bugger. -Milk Baaaaaaarn! Cons: -F@#$%ing Free Bird. Inescapable. -If you wear flip flops you will learn your lesson soon enough.

    (5)

  • Dan M.

    How can you not just LOVE the State Fair? So much people watching. So much corn. What's way awesome? -Beer. Beer everywhere (though on the slightly pricey side. They have you trapped!) -The products pavilion is equal parts hilarious and wonderful. -A slide that requires a burlap sack. You will itch. -I'm pretty sure this is the largest collective of cover bands in the northern hemisphere. -Cream Puffs. Now, I'm not crazy about cream puffs in general but everyone I know is bonkers for them. -Shapes. And by shapes I mean people. A goodly portion of them are shapes. -Fuzzy baby cows. I'll eat you some day but right now you are adorable. -The Zipper. -What's your favorite food? They have it battered and fried! -Meat. -Bathrooms that somehow don't get terrible. -More food. I love it there so much that my best pal calls me a fair slut. I am and I am proud to be a fair slut. Will whore for carnival rides!

    (5)

  • Andy K.

    Where else can you go to see a pregnant woman wearing a cut-off T with a huge tattoo on her belly, eat lots of deep fried stuff and get a set of steak knives!?

    (5)

  • Carm B.

    We love going to the Wisconsin State Fair even though it is always packed and very hot. The food is reasonable and mostly very good. (Cream Puffs & Corn are a must, lol!). Little kids love it (especially the pony rides and huge slide). Definitely worth the trip. We saved a few bucks by buying tickets from people outside the line this year. I'm pretty sure they are there every year.

    (4)

  • Lei L.

    This is our second year going to the fair. The state fair, like all state fairs, is a once a year event, and as it should be because it gets old rather quickly. But every year, it feels to me like a must go to event. Great for people watching, enjoying the summer. It can get very crowded on weekends, so we choose to go during the weekday when there is a less of a crowd (it will still be busy). The products building is fun, it is full of ridiculous stuff for sale - nothing terribly useful but lots of product displays and gadgets to play with. There is also plenty of outdoor shopping of fair goods, you know what I'm talking about, hippy flowy dresses, cheesy leather gear etc. The food is fantastic and definitely something we look forward too. Roasted corn is oh so sweet this time of year. The cream puffs are a must have (though after I polish off one I'm good for a while). Everything from fried dough to fried oreos, turkey legs, donut pork sandwich - a buffet of glutenous items that will keep the most hungry occupied. If you are a fan of animals, the cows, horses, sheep, and small animals pavilion are a lot of fun. Can be very smelly though, keep in mind not all the displays are open every day. This year we missed the small animals pavilion which made me sad. I have fun at the fair, great for the entire family, be prepared to feel fat afterwards.

    (4)

  • Susan B.

    Do you like food on a stick? How about deep fried foods? If that tickles your fancy, then you should definitely check out the Wisconsin State Fair! I haven't been to this fair in at least 21 years so I was definitely due for a visit. We went this past Saturday and had a blast. Getting here was super easy (only about an hour and a half from Chicago-land) and parking ($10) was a breeze. We were able to park in the main Gate 1 (speedway) but we passed so many homes that were offering parking on their lawn...and for the same $10 price tag which didn't really make sense as there was a further walk. Anyways, admission was reasonable, $9 adult / $6 veteran. Given that the weather was nice and it was the last Saturday, we went in completely expecting crowds and we weren't let down. There were massive amounts of people, everywhere. At least it wasn't a 90+ degree day like we've been having. There were lines everywhere though but things seemed to move quickly. I refused to stand in the long line for a cream puff (I've been fortunate enough to have had them in the past), it looked at least 45 mins long! Food is somewhat reasonably priced for fair food. It isn't healthy though. 90% of the food here is deep fried and served on a stick. I'm kicking myself that I didn't get the deep fried apple pie...next year it will be mine!!! Recommended: corn on cob, brats from Sheboygan Brat House, fried cheese curds w/ ranch, fresh squeezed lemonade, piece of cherry pie from the products pavilion and flavored milk (Strawberry, Banana, Root Beer and Cherry Vanilla...didn't get to try the Chocolate). The main expo building had TONS and TONS of vendors. I wish that there were more "crafty" type vendors than the as-seen-on-TV and big names such as Sleep Number beds but overall, it was still fun. Got a few samples of frozen wine (if you haven't had this, you must!) and bought one of the best cupcakes I've ever had in my entire life!! Visited the many animal barns as well as the new Spin City. The rides in Spin City were insane, I was getting nauseated just looking at them! Oh, and you must try the Giant Slide (located next to the pig races). AND, you must get the flavored milk, only 25 cents a cup and tons of yummy flavors. Til next year!

    (5)

  • Merete M.

    Bring your cash and comfy walking shoes, you've got a lot of ground to cover! The animal tents and craft tents are nice breaks between stuffing your face with fair food. My favorites? The Mexican-style corn and the cheese curds.

    (4)

  • Adam H.

    Awesome. Every nostalgic visit to the Wisconsin State Fair is appropriately supplemented with cream puffs, milk, beer, and deep fried [fill in the blank]s. I feel like the WSF is Wisonsin's version of a circus....which I guess does make sense. But I dont think I can accurately describe the fair because it has a sort-of atmosphere which makes the experience unique. Although I had and excellent time exploring the attractions beyond cuisine, I decided to share my visit through food and drink and make my recommendations accordingly. Food Experienced: 1. Cream Puff from the Original Cream Puff Factory. Two words come to mind, Holy ['S' word]! ...I dont know Yelp's profanity policy, and I don't want to get busted.... 2. Pulled Pork Sandwich from Saz's. I love Saz's BBQ sauce, and we even smuggle it into Illinois whenever we return from Wisconsin, however the food was weak and the fries were old. Honestly, we just wanted a place to sit and drink, the food was considered a bonus, but ultimately a disappointment. I won't hesitate to visit the restaurant though, thats for sure. In retrospect we should have stuck with eating off a stick. Drinks Experienced: 1. Bud Light Lime a rita. VERY refreshing on a really hot day, Im glad the cart bartender recommended it. 2. Pick 5 Flight at Lakefront Brewery. I took the brewery tour when I was a kid, so I guess their root beer is alright, but I have always wanted to go back for the good stuff. We found their tent at the fair so we plunked down at the end of the bar and I polished off my lime a rita then ordered five 4oz beers to sample. Champion. I was pleased with several of them but a few were too bitter for my taste. I wont go into detail about the beer, I'll just suggest that you try it and drink it if you like it, but if you don't, then don't. 3. I don't know how to classify #3 because the beer was ice cream....or the ice cream was beer, which ever. We went to Sprecher last year and loved their beer, so when we spotted the tent we were surpised too see that they were selling frozen 'somethings' by the register. After tasting, we learned that the 'something' was beer ice cream and they had individual beer pops which won an award for the best frozen treat in the entire fair. So needless to say, if you're 21 (or have a really good fake), you should really try it for yourself. 4. Crappy Light Beer at the Expo. Theyre too expensive. 5. Milk! Milk stands are everywhere and its awesome. I'm still kicking myself for never trying the Root Beer Milk...it only cost a quarter! I did have the chocolate, strawberry, and banana, but perhaps one man can handle only so much milk. Other fun stuff to see/do include the animal areas (especially the small animals), the giant slide, shops/stalls, the expo center, live music, and the DNR exhibit. Basically, there is a reason we come back from time to time. I'm glad the integrity if the Wisconsin State Fair is still intact, I feel it will certainly continue to offer a comforting and entertaining experience. For sure.

    (5)

  • Sadie T.

    I love the State Fair. I grew up in West Allis, and the fair is kind of a big deal. I would suggest it for tourists. So much to eat. A lot to see. Animals. Wisconsin information exhibits. Horticulture. Food contest entries (no, you don't get to taste). A massive expo center. You must try the maple cotton candy located in the WI products pavilion. Made with real maple syrup. Delicious.

    (4)

  • Bartleby F.

    I'm giving it four stars for one reason and one reason only: The Great Pumpkin Halloween Express in October. Other than that, I never go here.

    (4)

  • Brady G.

    It is definitely a representation of Wisconsin. Beer, cheese, fried foods, live music, and of course cream puffs. This was my first year at the Wisconsin state fair. I was quite surprised to find how many live music stages there were all around the grounds. I felt that once I couldn't hear one stage, I soon came upon another. The sound of the stages was, well.....not too good. Tons of food vendors all around. I enjoyed a pork burger which was quite good and reminded me of home in Indiana. I also was thoroughly excited to see that they had honey ice cream which has always been one of my favorite fair foods. Surprisingly, I did not try any of the deep fried foods this year. Being originally from Indiana and going to that state fair yearly, I have to say Wisconsin's unfortunately isn't as good. The overall layout of the fair is quite confusing and almost like a gridlock at times. It seems to be more focused on food and music then on 4-H projects such as the livestock and other crafts. I was there for a few hours and couldn't locate a project building which houses all the county champion projects. Maybe I missed it. I raised pigs in 4-H for 10 years and was surprised to find the swine barn smaller than my county fair's barn. Oh well still a great fair regardless of my personal disappointments. Great place to take a family on a summer evening.

    (3)

  • Michael S.

    Love State Fair! Mostly the different types of foods. My number one a plus favorite is the creme brulee from lagniappe braiserrie in the Wi products pavilion. Also had the London broil from the butcher guys. The meat was fantastic. Nice medium rare slices with a warm smokey flavor. A pretzel roll would make it infinitely better but the standard hotdog bun was still good with the nice pillowy bun contrasting with crispy edges of the meat. The candy bacon from machine shed was very good too. Very heavily crystalized with the sugar and nice and spicy. It was a perfect precursor to a nice cigar. I didn't have the courage to try the Cajun frog legs but a nice couple I talked to said they were good. . .kind of a dual chicken/fishy kind of taste. I will be going back once or twice more still so maybe I will still get a chance to try them ;)

    (5)

  • Joanna T.

    Oh how I love the State Fair! It's the best event of the summer, and in Milwaukee that's really saying something! Highlights: *People watching - the best part of the Fair! Mullets, inappropriate booty shorts, really fat people on scooters...the list is endless. *Beer - endless options and WAY cheaper than Summerfest. A regular cup can be had for as little as $4.25. *Exhibition hall window shopping. Endless amounts of total crap but someone must be buying. *Food - everywhere, generally at reasonable prices. None of it is healthy. You can get some of the best food for cheap in the WI Products building. Three grilled cheeses for $5? A huge brat on a pretzel bun for $3? Yes, please! *Giant Slide! Giant Slide! Giant Slide! *Letting your freak flag fly - the Fair isn't a fashion show like Summerfest. Want to break out those jorts and Budweiser tank top? You're in good company here. *The Crafts Building - ever wondered who makes the best banana bread? Head in and find out! *Milverine sighting today near the Giant Slide. Shirtless! Lowlights: *It can get sweaty and crowded. The buildings offer A/C though. *Huge numbers of strollers, scooters and wagons clogging the place up. *Deep fried butter - just the thought makes me want to throw up. *Leaving with a huge food baby. All I want to do after the Fair is lay quietly on the couch and hope I don't have a heart attack. The worst part of the Fair is that it's only once a year!

    (5)

  • Curtis B.

    Imagine you could somehow cross-pollinate NASCAR fans, Wal-Mart shoppers and Golden Coral eaters. They would build these people in test tubes and you could find them, very easily, at the Wisconsin State Fair. Now, to avoid sounding like a completely pretentious a-hole, I am not hatin' the player nor the game. These people are clearly comfortable in their own skin (I know because I tend to see way too much of it when I'm here) and for that, God bless 'em. If the world was full of the exact same kinds of people, it would be a boring. If you want to see some of the more interesting people WI has to offer, this is it. That's the main appeal of State Fair; you will see people from every walk of life. There is zero pretension at the WI State Fair. Come as you are, have people in the expo center try and sell you stuff, and then eat some food on a stick. Please don't take my previous paragraph as a way to mock others, I love that we have some rather eclectic people in my state and city. Let's just be real, though. There is a reason sites like People of Wal-Mart exist and you can get a whole day's worth of that site irl (acronyms for the cool kids) at the State Fair. Of my favorite things, food is number 2 on my list of reasons I love the state fair, right after people watching. Lots and lots of unhealthy, greasy, sweet, crazy food. On a stick. Deep fried. Sometimes on a stick AND deep fried... with gravy on top. I could write a ridiculously long review on the food alone, but I'll just keep it simple. My favorite things at the 2012 fair were the bacon-wrapped tator tots and the red velvet funnel cake. I finally was able to eat a Jake's corned beef sandwich and it was incredible. I had a great day of over-indulgence and I can't wait for next year to do it again. Whatever you want, the state fair has. The food ranges from the best you can dream to the worst nightmare of your life. Would you like chocolate covered bacon? Have some (it's HORRIBLE, btw). How about a cheeseburger on a Krispy Kreme doughnut? You can do that too, but I sure as hell won't. The state fair is and always will be the state fair, it (and the people) make no apologies for that. Which might sound dumb, but I love it. People comfortable being themselves, animals, crazy food and an expo center full of live infomercials. For one day a year it's a wonderful experience and when 2013 rolls around I'll do it all over again. Provided the Mayans are wrong about the whole zombie Apocalypse thing, that is.

    (5)

  • Hayley H.

    In my family, the Wisconsin State Fair is like a rite of passage. Each of my grandma's grandchildren look forward to the year when they will finally understand what all the fuss is about "just another state fair." Let me tell you, it was the experience of a lifetime. They have fried everything--from vegetables to oreos to cheese. The beer garden was the hangout for my parents. They sell cheese curds by the thousands and the Elephant Ears are bigger than your head. If your looking for an atypical state fair, go to Wisconsin. Here's a list of what I ate probably in the course of 5 hours: 8AM: Elephant ear with brown sugar, i can't even explain the holyness of this creation Sometime mid-day: cheese curds, fried eggplant, fried oreos, a lamb gyro, pickles (I realize this is an odd combination) Sometime in the afternoon: corn, brat and probably some other fried deliciousness. Mix into this probably a bunch of custard and a pizza dinner and you have yourself a heart-attack just waiting to happen. Thank god I live 1800 miles away.

    (5)

  • Rachel H.

    My sister and I have had an unnatural love of the cream puffs for years. We are weird. I'll get to the puffs in a few minutes.... It's kind of hilariously odd that a state fair is actually in a city instead of in the boondocks, and this particular state fair is perhaps a bit light on the hillbillies, but that doesn't mean you won't see some doozies. After hitting up the NRA booth for some literature to laugh at on the ride home, we spotted my new favorite... the tattooed shirtless man at a booth called Bandanna Jamboree. Oh yes. Other highlights *Watching boyfriend eat salsa called "Stupid Salsa" that made him sweat and hop around for 30 min. *Animatronic dinosaur exhibit for $1 *Sheboygan brat *The vast selection of hot tubs for sale in the exhibit hall *Sky Glider *PIG RACES (this is included some very slow potbellies) *Cream puffs as big as a burger I could go on and on and on. I love the fair so. Cream puff pavilion accepts plastic, so go ahead, get the 6 pack.

    (5)

  • Angela T.

    The day I go to the Wisconsin State Fair is my favorite day of the year- America my friends, America! There are so many reasons to love the fair- here are just a few 1- Probably the best reason to love the fair, the giant yellow slide. I mean come on, for 2 bucks you get to act like a kid again and fly down the slide, screaming the whole time. FYI, it is not a good idea to wear a skirt when doing the slide and yes I know this from experience. 2- It's amazing people watching. There really aren't many places where you can see so many different groups of people. You've got cowboys, carnies, hillbilly's, some of the most classy WT, people in multiple forms of camo, lots of mom and dad jean peeps, people who assume they are a size 6 when really they are a size 12, Canadian tux's galore and many many more wonderful people to see. 3- Pretty damn good food. My staples every year are grilled cheese and a pretzel brat from the Wisconsin building, corn even though I always regret eating it since the rest of the afternoon I have corn teeth, something from Saz's because how can you resist Saz's and lots and lots of beer 4- Nothing beats walking through the products building and seeing all the crappy stuff for sale. One it's nice because usually it's hotter than hell at the fair and the building is air conditioned. Two, it's like the As Seen on T.V store on crack- you've got your slap chop, the best knives you'll ever buy, the magic bullet, sham wow and tons and tons of other amazing things you can't live without. 5- The Sky Glider. It really comes in handy when you are done walking and want an full view of the fair. You get to see so many wonderful things and people in a short amount of time. Not to mention all the lame performing acts, tons of flip flops on buildings and all the other lazy bums who didn't feel like walking. 6- The cheapest beer at the fair tent. Yes in fact you may only be saving 50 cents a beer but it's the novelty of drinking the cheapest beer that makes it so great. Oh yeah that and the tent being right next to where Vern and the Originals play. It's kind of like a halo from heaven- cheap beer and old dudes rockin' out polka! So overall, the fair is the greatest place and I might sometimes get depressed when it ends. P.S- Not a fan of the animal barns! I don't visit them and wish they weren't there but other than that, it's America at it's finest!

    (5)

  • Brian M.

    Glorious fun, spectacular in so many ways. State Fair is such an amazing universally enjoyable source of merriment and entertainment in ways that I am only beginning to appreciate as reach middle age. Unlike events such as Summerfest, or any of the lakefront ethnic festivals, there truly is something here for anyone. Do you want to see where those delicious brats, burgers, and steaks come from? Then check out the animal barns. If you're like me and don't like to think about that, then skip that end of the fair altogether and hit up one of the numerous food vendors. Maybe you just want to drink a crap load of beer and checkout a few shitty bands, there are plenty of options for that. We spent three hours this year in the Door County Fish Boil tent listening to Vern and the Originals. They are pretty awful by Milwaukee polka band standards, but we didn't care. There was a beer vendor just outside the tent selling 20oz beers for $5.25. Cheapest beer at the fair. Hands down. Sometimes if fun to go on the last day just to check out all the "award winning" pies, cakes, breads and other assorted baked goods in the building near the Expo. They get pretty janky by the end of the fair. It's fun to ride the sky ride and count how many flip-flops, sandals, and sippy cups have been dropped onto the roofs of the buildings below. Perhaps you have some kids and want to lose them for a few hours? Ditch them in the Midway. I'm sure they'll be safe in the capable hands of the transient carnies that operate the rides. Maybe if you're lucky, some awesome band like REO Speedwagon or Cheap Trick will be on the main stage. What could be better? I suppose some people might prefer the Peruvian flutes bands to REO. Not me. In my younger days, none of this would have sounded fun to me. I guess as I age, I've learned to appreciate the finer things in life. Somehow State Fair just keeps getting better and better and Summerfest is less and less interesting to me. Can't wait until next year!!

    (5)

  • Sarah S.

    Finally I've gone to a State Fair! One thing I can check off my bucket list. I've wanted to go to this ever since I heard of all the gooey, highly unhealthy food offered. How did I not know about this sooner!? I was expecting it to be super country but it was really not that bad. I did see a couple of mullets, saw tons of people that boosted my self esteem, but all in all it was not nearly as bad as the picture I had in my head. It was basically just tonnnnns of food places with some shops, rides and strange things going on like a pretty broke fire performer and a lot of weird costumed creatures walking around. My nephews really like the giant slide which costs $2 per ride. I was not expecting all of the food that was offered. Honestly, I couldn't have even begun to try everything I wanted to! And all the portions were normal sized! I was hoping for small bite size portions so I could try a bunch of different things...but portions were huge! This list it going to truly disgust you, but I promise you I didn't consume all of these whole items...simply tried them. Today at the State Fair we got: *Reuben Rolls (reuben sandwich in eggroll form...surprisingly good!) *Deep Fried Smores (way too many marshmellows, won't be getting again) *Deep Fried Snickers (I've had this before so didn't try this myself but my friend wasn't really impressed) *Chocolate Bacon on a Stick (amazing! I've had chocolate bacon before and this was soooo much better!) *Cheeseburger on a Krispy Kreme (I don't like Krispy Kremes in the first place so I was expecting this to be all sorts of disgusting...surprisingly not bad at all...but I could only eat one bite as I felt on the brink of a heart attack) *Deep Fried Butter (Had to try this one! It was #1 on my list. We had no idea the butter would explode all over your hand when you bite into this. Tip for others, eat it in one swift bite! It wasn't as good as I heard it was goign to be. I wouldn't say it was bad either though and it had a little pepper flavor to it. Now that I've tried it though, I'm ok. Don't need to try it again! =) *Freshly squeezed lemonade (could have been a little sweeter and there was ice to the brim. A waste for $3.50) *Maple Bacon Sundae (I've had something like this before so didn't try it but my nephews friggin loved it! They gobbled it up!) *Watermelon Shaved Ice (tasted like a jolly rancher! It was sooo good! The nephews loved this one as well!) *Deep Fried Bacon Wrapped Hot Dog (I liked this one as it was not battered deep fried...just deep fried. Very tasty! Nomnomz) Things I still need to try: Deep Fried PB&J Deep Fried Beer Deep Fried Kool Aid I wish I knew they had Bingo inside! I am the bingo queen~! :P I want to go back next year just to try a few last foods and now that I know more about what to expect I can be better prepared. Admission was $9 and parking in various lots in the area is $10-$20...we got there about 1115 and got a spot right across from the park for $10.

    (4)

  • Mike P.

    I'VE NEVER SEEN SO MANY PEOPLE GO CRAZY OVER CREAM PUFFS! Side note: What is a cream puff? HIGHLIGHTS: - FOOD everywhere! I consumed pizza, hamburgers, cheese curds and root beer. - The ticket stubs have a photo of a pig on them! - The ski lift is longer than some Amtrak routes. Only $4 for a one way and a great way to see the Fair. - The PEOPLE watching. LOW LIGHTS: - Hearing a dude get a verbal beat down by his lady for looking at other girls. Sunglasses my friend. EVERYONE knows that. Duh! - A large puddle of vomit next to the Exposition Center. - Seeing my hamburger prepared by a teenager with her bare hands. POST: I didn't visit many of the buildings and exhibits as I was trying to get an idea of what the Wisconsin State Fair is all about. Any tips or reasons why I should go back this year are appreciated!

    (4)

  • Chris W.

    1. Giant Slide 2. Lots of places to eat outside and walk around 3. Tons to try inside (lots of sweets) 4. Looking for the shamwow guy? Maybe you'll find him in the expo center 5. Cream puffs! Buy them fresh, watch them make them while you stand in line inside or order them express 6. Oriental Pavillion 7. Live entertainment everywhere 8. Pig races 9. Wine tasting 10.Livestock and judging 11. Midway There's so much to do and so much more to talk about you just need to visit to see, visit the grandstand at night to see a concert every night with a headlining band. Only in August for a limited time every year.

    (5)

  • Ryan D.

    Food and farm animals. You really can't go wrong. This fair invented the foods you see at other state fairs. I kid you not. Wisconsin is the U.S. pioneer of beer, cheese, brats, the list goes on.. Helpful tip: Don't be stingy, eat anything that looks good. Try a creme puff and 25 cent strawberry milk. Watch a pig race.

    (5)

  • Craig G.

    I've been going the the Wisconsin State Fair since I was about 8 years old and have been to almost 30 of them since then. Some years I go twice. If you go buy advance tickets and save. Favorite: Racing Pigs Dog water jumping contest Livestock- cows, horses, goats, bunnies, chickens Giant Slide Wisconsin Products Pavilion Powerlifting Competition - a friend has won it Corn Roast Lemonade Music Pork Chop on a stick Skyglider My wife and I enjoy shopping in the buildings and look forward to the creative junk that is out there - but I have purchased mops there as well as some other cleaning tools.

    (5)

  • Ali B.

    No state fair has quite the same charm as the Wisconsin State Fair. There is really something for everyone. Great people watching, fun events and things for all ages. I skipped past the rides but I could tell those riding them were having a blast. Loved walking through and seeing all the cows, a very WI thing to do! Also watched the sea lion show, which was pretty adorable. Was sad that I missed the pig races this time. Best part of the fair is food everywhere. And food you could think of! I was eyeing pizza cones but told myself no! We walked through an indoor area of all of the local foods, and drooled at everything! A grilled cheese making station..hard for me to pass up. Lots of delicious desserts as well. Stopped in the wine tent and wasn't too impressed with any of the wines unfortunately. They weren't bad, just weren't as good as I had hoped. Best part of the whole thing:creme puffs. Line always moves fast and it's so fun watching them make it. And also trying to eat it. Always a mess, a delicious mess. Love the state fair.

    (5)

  • Diana G.

    My first State Fair and it was fun. I wasn't expecting so much things to do and see actually. We got there about 11:30am and left close to closing time about 11:00pm. We did buy the coupon book and I guess for a first timer, it's a good investment. If you didn't bring your own drinks, I think buying the refillable soda for $5 is a deal. Every place that offers refills are $2.50 and there are drinking fountains spread out to fill with water. Pretty much all the foods we tried were good. We didn't think we would be a fan of the cream puffs, but we ended up picking up a pack of 3 close to closing time. We sat and ate 2 and brought one back for someone. My sister said she wished they offered a drizzle of chocolate over them. My niece had fun at the carnival ride side. The animals, shopping was nice and all the staff were nice. Big surprise for us were the porta potties and bathroom were clean and stocked with toilet paper. They were on top of things here. Overall, a great experience. Don't know if I would come every year, but every couple of years would be good.

    (4)

  • Bobb S.

    Farm Animals. Mullets. Unheathly people riding every 3 wheel device ever made. Food on a stick. Cream Puffs. Midway. Usually some of the hottest days of the year. What more can you ask for? Yes, it can be a little pricey ($10 parking, $10 admission) but the level of people watching is amazing. Check out the exposition hall for people trying to shill any and all products. There even may have been a ginshu knife sighting. All in all, a favorite summer tradition.

    (5)

  • Nessie V.

    Didn't get to spend much time here, but I had fun. When I was young, I went to the New York State Fair, which is bigger but if you like one you'll like another. Definitely stop by the Maple booth for maple root beer and maple cotton candy. I'd like to come back and have more time to really explore.

    (4)

  • Jerry M.

    I love the State Fair because it's always the same old thing, only it's never the same old thing! If you're a regular, you know where to find the features because the features are always in the same place. Whether you visit the livestock or not, whether you see any shows or not, whether you visit the midway or not, there are some certain requirements for the State Fair that might has well be state law: 1) Cream Puffs! You are required to consume at least one cream puff per visit. 2) New Berlin Lions Club Corn Roast. They've been here forever with proceeds going to charity. You know you want to, so just get over there and grab an ear of corn. Can't eat it off the cob? They'll strip it into a cup for you. 3) Sky Ride. (Optional if you're scared of heights.) It's the best way to get an overview of the entire fair grounds, end to end. Check out the rooftop with several shoes, hair bands and rubbish that morons toss out of the cars. 4) MILK! Be sure to stop at the Milwaukee Bucks Milk House and for the amazing sum of COUNT IT! --} 25¢ {-- COUNT IT! you can have a glass of Wisconsin's Best in one of several great flavors. 5) Commerce. Whether you wear it, consume it, attach it to your house, play it, or if it chops, dices, slices, bakes, blasts, fries or lies, you'll find it here! It's fun to listen to the hucksters spin a pitch to attract your attention and get you stop and watch an AMAZING (insert eye roll smiley here) demo of the next miracle product. The State Fair has it all, even a 1938 Buick Ambulance. We don't have Percy Kilbride telling us, "Don't miss it, don't even be late!" but he's right! Take it from Percy himself (about 1:30 into it.) youtube.com/watch?v=cMtu…

    (4)

  • Chadek P.

    I love the Wisconsin state fair. Every year there are new, fun foods. I tried two this year, the 50/50 burger from Machine shed (patty is half beef half ground bacon) and the churro Sunday from the Mexican Grill (long john and churro covered with vanilla ice cream, whip, chocolate and caramel topping) both were delicious, though the 50/50 burger was not what I envisioned. I had imagined bacon on top the patty, but this was all ground together in the patty. The flavor was excellent while presentation was lacking. I did turn down the cheese wrapped option so I can't comment on that. The plain fries were seasoned and I enjoyed them. The churro Sunday, I loved it. Churro was a bit hard, would've liked more fresh fried texture, but flavors with the donut was excellent. Enjoyed that dish a lot! I went two days, once with my partner and once solo. I saw some dogs doing fly ball relays in the coliseum, and a few glimpses of a horse competition. I visited the cows, love how you can get so close to them! The expo grounds was jam packed and hard to move around at times. I loved the horticulture building, the hand made crafts, photos and dishes are so enjoyable to explore. The grounds are crowded tight with people, so expect everything that comes along with that. I did use the restroom once in one of the permanent buildings, and it was being cleaned at the time, so overall the facility was quite clean for the number of people at the fair. Was happy with that. It's obviously hot this time of year, I felt there is a decent amount of shade offered by buildings (some like expo and horticulture have AC) and seating umbrellas and awnings. I also recommend buying the souvenir cup if you plan on going more than once, or have more than two drinks. You can get refills for less so it's a deal. They let me bring in my cup on another day. As far as parking, I paid $10 to park in the general lot near the handicapped section. It wasn't too hard to find a space. The next day, I found free parking on the street to the east of the park.

    (5)

  • Nicki S.

    What a blast! This is such a fun event and my family enjoys going every year! My husband enjoys the multiple food vendors. The kids enjoy the animals. I just love a day with my family where everyone is interested and happy. I don't feel like vendors are overly pushy and trying to sell you crap you don't need -- unless you hit up the market place in which case, you're asking for it. We love that have on site parking. It isn't super expensive as compared to Chicago parking lots. This year it was $10. It was easy getting in and out of parking. As for admission, we bought our tickets on line a few months in advance and they were much cheaper than buying them at the door. The rides are costly, and there aren't many options for smaller children. They do have a carousel, but that is about it. Cream puffs and cheese curds are a must! The lines may seem long but they go quickly. You never seem to be waiting too long! Bring cash because some of the smaller (and yummier) stands do not take credit cards or debit cards.

    (5)

  • Amber L.

    Wisconsin Native here. I think I just had bad luck at the fair yesterday but first I asked for "cheese on a stick" for $4. Unknowingly I was handed a corndog. Dont get me wrong I like them but I came for the fried crap. Then I went to Lake Front Breweries stand and got the pretzel cone with chicken and cinnamon...sounded good but tasted bland. At the same stand I ordered an IPA beer, and was not carded. The sign said "we card under 35" yeah still have a decade to go on that one..thanks. Good part: got my cream puff :) saw the baby animals including sheep, quail, piglets-adorable!!!!! Also, taking photos with the cutouts is so much fun and cracks me up like no other. The fair also had music going this year-saw some cheesy 80s band called Cherry Pie or something...cool seeing people from that era now rockin out. Of course ill go again but im cool with skipping it next year.

    (4)

  • Steven M.

    Fun time at the fair. We got there later in the day at around 4 on a Saturday. It was wall to wall already. The animal exhibits were lite on the crowd so we would use them to pass through. The food offerings were typical carnival chow, cheap and expensive. But I knew I should have eaten before I came. Then I saw what I drove 2 hours for. The cream puffs! As a first time cream puffer I bit into it like a sandwich. Which was totally wrong. As the cream shot out of the other side. Eat it like an Oreo. Take them apart and savor each side. I still got it all over my face. Delicious! We walked the place 3 times and I had had enough on my feet. But not wanting to leave just yet, we hopped on the overhead baskets for a round trip ride totaling 7 bucks. The most reasonable thing at the fair. A good time was had by all.

    (4)

  • Dri T.

    Horrible customer service. Tickets were suppose to be $5 before 6pm. We get there 10 mins before 6 and their system is down. They go back up after 6pm and charged full price. Tried talking to the manager and explained we were in line waiting for the system to go back up and he was just so rude. State Fair you need real managers that know about customer service, not just any mediocre. #SpinCityEntrance #Horribleservice

    (1)

  • Christine F.

    It's kinda requirement for our family to go every year. We are adventurous eaters and usually plan our way around the fair based on what we want to eat. Not much peaked our interest this year. There are some standards though we ALWAYS have to get: Cream puffs number one. A sundae in the Wisconsin products building two. Three: Something containing cheese: We chose Saz's (not Daz's as my iPhone auto corrects) And A beverage to share: This time it was a cherry lime ade for $6.00. We came early and the guy didn't have change. Before we even got into the gate we spent $30.00. We were tired and didn't want to park on our usual lawn spot a few blocks away. We parked on the track for $10.00. There are advanced admission special prices but we're procrastinators. This was the only day we could go. Also it was veterans day for reduced admission. We got there around 8:30AM on this blistery 90 degree day. Sun block is essential. There are misting stations around but they didn't seem to do any good. Hit the products pavilion to stay cool. Don't drink alcohol if possible. And go early if possible is my advice. I got a band for my child incase she got lost and ended up loosing the hubby. Wish I could have gotten one for him. Great place to people watch We didn't get any animals in this time because the pens were closed early. Well, there is always next year! I did snag some atomic Siracha though and got my ring cleaned.

    (4)

  • Sean B.

    Adding Door County Cherry Pie to the must have list of baked potato and grilled cheese. Drool!

    (4)

  • Heather P.

    Always have a great time at the fair and look forward to the time of year it comes! There are so many good choices it's a bit overwhelming, but the times I have gone all the food has been delicious. My favorite is the chocolate covered cheesecake, and I can never resist funnel cake. I really enjoy the animals and any shows or demonstrations they have going on. I do also love the horticulture building and seeing how talented people can be with their entries.

    (5)

  • George T.

    What to expect. Lots of walking around looking at the fashionable WestAllians. Listening to live music. Livestock and crafts. Eating food on a stick. Drinking beer from The Micro. Watch people get slingshot into the sky. Vendors galore. All types of food that are not on sticks. Too many days to go, some days are crazy busy expect this on the weekends and evenings. Parking is easier if you take the shuttle or ride a bike. Got a chance to see Vanilla Ice and hang out with a bunch of Yelpers PM, KR to celebrate KJK Birthday at the micro (brew bar) is by far one of the best service and quality craft around. For the non drinkers they have lemonade root beer or milk Since Herb Kohl sold off the Bucks They still have a great variety of flavored milk for just a quarter at the Bucks milk barn. F:5 A:5 S:4 L:5 V:3 86/2014

    (5)

  • Brian J.

    How can you rate it less than five stars, you get what you make of it. I'm a check in regular once every year. Big expectations of crazy stuff to eat, bacon wrapped pork belly ,deep fried cheese on a stick, pork chop on a stick , cheese curds, bacon wrapped water chestnuts on a stick, cream puffs, okay now I'm stuffed, can't do the deep fried butter! Go when they open preferably on a week day and avoid the crowds. The flavored milk is still 25 cents and free Chevy shirts with a quick survey at the Chevy booth! Next stop is to get the stomach pumped

    (5)

  • Paul W.

    I love the Wisconsin State Fair!!! I have been coming (nearly) every year since I was little! There are really too many reasons to list why I love the fair, but here are a few of my pro tips! 1.) Have at least one of your meals at the Wisconsin Products Pavilion. You will see when you get there that people love the food there! My favorites: Usingers brats on a pretzel bun ($4), FFA Ice Cream Sundaes ($3), Pork Chop Sandwich ($6), Duck Fajitas ($4), Baked Potatoes ($4). But honestly you can't really go wrong with anything. Beef, lamb, bison, apples, honey, maple syrup, cherries, cranberries, etc. All locally produced. Awesome. 2.) Saz's mozzarella sticks. ($7 for 4) Pricey, but amazing. 3.) Benno's Micro. Get some delicious, and large (20 ounce) beer(s) for $7.50. 4.) El Jefe Mexican Corn (in a bowl). ($4). Just add a squirt of lime juice and some cayenne. 5.) Cheap beer: $5.50 - 20 Ounce domestic brews. If you are paying more than $5.50 you are paying too much. (This is true as of 2014). 6.) Fresh Fries with nacho cheese sauce. They are at the Fresh Fries stand by Central Park (across from the the Budweiser Pavilion). 7. For the best deal on soda buy a souvenir cup ($5) with $2 refills. You can bring this back with you every day of the fair (if you go multiple days like I do...) 8. If you have quarter you need to stop off at the footsie wootsie (the feet vibrator)... 9. You need to go down the giant slide at least once. 10. You need to ride the sky glider at least once. 11. Check out any of the free shows around the park. For instance, the Kids From Wisconsin are definitely worth checking out... 12. Check out shows at the Case IH Coliseum. I really enjoy the horse shows. Amazing. 13. Take a stroll through the expo building to see people selling all their nifty stuff. 14. Take a stroll through the animal buildings and meet some of the people who raise the food you eat. 15. Obviously you need fried cheese curds from Ben and Jerry's. I could go on and on...but I think you get the point. Admission is only $10 (and $5 if you buy the tickets during the off season). Food and alcohol can get pricey but there is cheap (and delicious) food you can find if you look for it! The free entertainment and cheap admission price make everything else worth it!

    (5)

  • Arthur M.

    It was after 1AM, girlfriend and I were in bed. I was reading on my phone, and in one of the feeds coming to me from the internet, I saw it. It was a savory waffle cone stuffed with fried chicken. I saw that it was available at the Wisconsin State Fair. The next day we drove the 2.5 hours from Chicago to the fair, just outside Milwaukee. I was most interested in the Wisconsin products building and the food there-in. Sometime during that rainy August Monday I had a realization that I don't really deal with "the public": the folks who come to Xoco are a very specific sliver of the general public, who want to pay more than $10 for a sandwich crafted by a nationally known chef. The folks who want to pay $5 for a pizza dough cone stuffed with cheese and pepperoni are a more diverse bunch. Here is everything we ate: Wisconsin-grown corn on the cob. I wanted a photo of the corncob getting dipped into a barrel of butter but I was too slow with my camera. I asked the thirteen (?) year-old girl to please dip the cob in the butter again. An awkward standoff ensued. Wisconsin cheddar and provolone cheese sandwiches, dipped in butter and griddled. Girlfriend got a margarita from the concession stand that contained no tequila, and then switched to Hinterland Cherry Wheat, featuring Door County cherry. I was not loving the burger made with Wisconsin beef (cooked through) so turned that over to my partner. I got Door County cherry pie, vanilla ice cream, and tart cherry juice instead. After feeling super nauseous just from looking at the rides in Spin City, I had a panic attack on the chair lift ride that takes you over the entire park, both from the height, and from the ride operators instructions to kick my legs up and tilt my neck back. I don't like to be in situations that require strangers telling me what to do with my neck. I know what to do, it's a pretty general rule that I learned from the Wu-Tang Clan: protect ya neck. To settle the stomach, I ordered the Triple Treat of cream puffs. These were the best things I ate. The pastry was pretty good, but the cream was ridiculous. It must have been more than 50% pure fat. I blacked out while eating this. My girlfriend says I was in the middle of passersby, my mouth and face covered in white cream. Wisconsin brat, for protein, and mustard. Cookie dough on a stick. I actually loved the cookie dough on a stick. I was afraid, because of how awful the cookie dough candy you get at movie theaters is, but it was way closer to the dangerous raw egg cookie dough, and covered in a delightful chocolate shell.

    (5)

  • Bobby D.

    Again, Still one of the greatest fairs or festivals around..... The Seafood & Lobster salad sandwich from Joey's was great, With adding a little Old Bay seasoning from the counter. The smelt boat from Door County Fish Boil was good as well. The Walking Taco from the Mexican Grill was foremost & fantastic, With Fritos!!!!!, Sour Cream, Lettuce. Tomatoes, Taco Meat, Shredded Cheddar Cheese. MMMMMMMMMMMM!!!!!!!. Although the Quesadilla with ground beef & Macaroni & Cheese (YES, You heard that correctly), From the same place. Wasn't that bad either. The Green Plantain Chips from Mi Lindo Cuba were great as well. The Poutine from Duke's was great as well. However, The Cincinnati-Style Chili fries from the Budweiser Pavilion were terrible. Too salty. And I've tried Cincinnati-style Chili 30 years ago, And THAT was GREAT!!!!!!!!. And The Bulk Candy Store is BAAAAAAACCCCCCKKKKKK!!!!!!!!!. More to add soon........ P.S.: The Pork Shanks from that one German place were somewhat flavorless & somewhat dry.

    (5)

  • Jennifer R.

    The Wisconsin State Fair is one of the best wholesome, family-oriented entertainment values in the Midwest. For the cost of a ticket you have entrance into a myriad of sights and attractions including championship animals musical entertainment, carnival rides, glimpse of Wisconsin products...the list goes on and on. I go to eat. You can stuff yourself silly on almost any kind of food you can think of and a few that will astound you. If it fits on a stick, you can probably enjoy it and it will be tasty to boot. I also go to people watch. Trust me you will not be disappointed in this regard. People from all walks of life gather at the Wisconsin State Fair. Hats off to the staff that produce this show annually. It is a true Wisconsin event not to be missed!

    (4)

  • Chad M.

    State fair is always fun from animals to beer to food, there is always something interesting to see and do.

    (5)

  • Kyle H.

    In 2014, I visited the Wisconsin State Fair for the first time in over 20 years. It was enjoyable, but not an annual necessity, as some people make it out to be. There are certainly plenty of other food and street festivals in Milwaukee where you can enjoy fried food, beer, music, rides. Certainly the whole State of Wisconsin has opportunities for viewing livestock up close. At the Fair you'll see- - Lots of fried food. It's almost impossible to eat healthy here, so don't expect to. We actually found some good food like cherry wood smoked bacon wrapped pork belly, thanks to reading the Journal-Sentinel tips the week before. - Carnival rides- the giant slide is a tradition. That slingshot chair looks downright frightening! - Cover bands. My buddy's cover band the Presidents played here when I went. They were really good, and music makes sitting down and enjoying a few Wisconsin brews and food enjoyable. - Horse Pulls and Livestock. The horse pull was really interesting. And it's under cover (for rainy or hot days) and relaxing. Visit the other barns if you have any interest in livestock. We were disappointed that they were closing the barns at 3:15pm instead of advertised 4pm on the day we went. Bummer - Wisconsin DNR area is great to see some prize fish on the walls, and it has a nice relaxing path with gardening tips and Wisconsin State specific nature. They did a great job telling us about their new Ranger apps too. - More fat and infirm people than have a right to be in one place at one time. I'm not sure why but there seemed to be a ton (no pun intended) of large and injured people visiting the Fair. Stocking up on calories for the long winter ahead? Apparently you can do that here. And do it in a foot boot/walker/hoveround. Tips: - Park in the neighborhoods nearby. If you're not one of the former infirm, you can walk a few blocks and only pay $5-8 to park on someone's lawn. - Visit the Micro- a new Craft Brewery spot on the grounds, which features a great selection of Wisconsin Craft Brews. You can get flights here, too. And they show all the games on TVs throughout. Some people just come here and set all day, and I don't blame them one bit. This place is cool! - Order your cream puffs at the To Go window, don't go in and wait in line. They're the same cream puffs, you'll just be eating them outside, no bigs. After 20 years of thinking cream puffs weren't that good, I enjoyed mine in 2014. - Avoid the Exhibition Hall, which is just a bunch of infomercial junk. That is, unless you're in the market for a new Hot Tub! Oh, but The High School art winners are displayed in the lobby, do check those out. Blue Ribbon! - Lower your expectations. The Wisconsin State Fair is kind of like going to Disney World- you'll not be able to move quickly through the crowds, you'll fight with your family/kids, you'll end up with indigestion from fried food, but it's the best thing going. And it's Our State Fair, dammit!

    (3)

  • Carl F.

    My 300th review, and what a better place to write about ! I've been to a number of State Fairs (NY, TX, KT, CA, WA) and I would say the Wisconsin State Fair ranks at the top in my book for a number of reasons. First, I like the country feel about it. They have an abundant amount of agricultural barns which you can walk about viewing the various live stock. They also have a lot of exhibits to look at as well. Some giving you good ideas or learning about something. Second, they have a good line up of shows scattered about the fair and I've enjoyed the several I had the opportunity to sit and listen to. Third, is the family fun, atmosphere. There is plenty going on keeping all ages entertained. If something gets boring, then there is another venue just around the corner. Fourth, is the food. I don't think there is a spot at the fair, with perhaps the exception of the bathroom that you don't see a place selling food and all types of it too. By the cattle bar there is a long, non-distinguished looking building that only states, Wisconsin Food Products. If you go in here you'll find some of the best food at the fair at really great prices. I didn't stumble into this place until my "third" year visiting and you can bet I'll be going back in their every year to come. Of cours there is the midway. My kids enjoy this fairway and could spend the entire day there. As a parent, I feel the tickets for the rides are expensive, BUT, look on line for the days / times they have the wrist band option, which is a good deal. If you've not been to the Wisconsin, State Fair, then I would highly recommend coming here.

    (5)

  • Howard L.

    Wow, how could one not enjoy having: - A peanut butter bacon bison burger on french toast - Deep fried spicy pepper jack mac n cheese on a stick - Very fresh Wisconsin cream puffs These were my food highlights anyway from the day. This is the best State Fair that I've experienced to date. What stood out also to me was that there was a nice small town culture of politeness, courtesy, and friendliness throughout the day. I don't know if this is a Milwaukee culture thing or throughout all of Wisconsin, but it definitely made a nice and memorable impression for me of the area and people that I had not noticed before anyway on other visits. One little example, but by no means the only one, was I when I did not give much thought to wearing my Bears polo shirt on this day. I saw nothing but Packer wear all day (duh), but a couple gruff looking but fun guys, said and joked, that being a Bears fan, I should go first and order up the spicy mac n cheese. Will try to be back. Lotsa good food, lotsa good music, and lotsa craft beer stands (but no beer on this driving day for me).

    (5)

  • Adam C.

    I love the state fair. I've been each year for the past three. There's only one thing that completely needs to be said: Billie's Baked Potatoes or go home! That is the only thing that I make sure to get; the potato itself is cooked so that it's really soft and tender all the way through. I recommend the Billie Special; it's slathered in butter, bacon bits, and sour cream. It sounds pretty plain when compared to the chocolate covered bacon sundaes and donut burgers, but it's probably the best tasting thing at the fair. I also recommend getting one of the big turkey legs if possible, although it's not mandatory. The cheese curds are also a must-have for any good Wisconsinite. I personally avoid the rides; on a stomach full of greasy fair food it's just not worth it, and if you go first then eating might touch something nasty off. Those who have a stronger stomach than me might enjoy them. I also don't care for walking through the animal pens. Aside from the food, the real draw is people-watching. I like to have a bit of mean-spirited fun from a vantage point and consider the back-story behind the guy wearing a confederate flag belt buckle and a wolf t-shirt or the woman in a Hoveround wearing booty shorts. This game is even more fun with alcohol and friends with a sharper wit than you. It's the mean fairgrounds version of MST3K. Difficulty of parking is inconsistent. I've sat in a car for more than an hour waiting to get in and I've pulled right in and parked in less than 10 minutes. The time of day seems to make only a partial difference. It seems to be easier if you come in from the east on surface streets (or, of course, you can park further out in someone's lawn for somewhere between $5 and $20).

    (5)

  • Becky S.

    This is my favorite event of the year. I freaking love the Wisconsin State Fair. I love that it is a juxtaposition of all things: city and country, new and traditional, cheap and expensive, animals and humans, etc. And the people watching, oh the glorious people watching. You will see all sorts of folk here. I love it. Personally, I love the pig races, the corn on the cob, the 25 cent milk, the big pickles inside the expo center, the wine tasting building, the cream puffs, Berres Brothers coffee, trying new foods (chocolate covered bacon, pb & j gelato), and the aforementioned people watching. Wear your walking shoes or you'll be sad. You can buy tickets in advance (usually in June) for $5 each. Just do a little pre-planning and you'll save some money. You know you're gonna go to the fair anyway. Parking alternatives- you can park in a nearby neighborhood for free or pay someone to park on their lawn. I once saw a dog wedding officiated by Elvis at the state fair. What the ...? Yup, that's the fair for ya. It has its traditions, but at the same time you never quite know what you're gonna see, eat, hear, or do. I love it.

    (5)

  • Mad I.

    Great food choices, jam packed full of people, and cream puffs, what else is there to say?? Get some fried butter, or fried smores, or fried cookie dough, or fried pickles, or fried Fries, or fried anything!!!!! Lol, fun times, and when you leave you might feel like all the livestock you've been looking at. P.s-the go to for me here was the milk stand!! Milk stand? Yup! $.25 for a glass of flavored yummie milk!

    (5)

  • Kelly S.

    Love the milk a cow experience except for the part where my boyfriend squirted me on the leg with milk just outta da cow! LOL Great music all over the venue and you can walk around the whole fair with beer/alcohol. Food is not super crazy prices either.

    (5)

  • Andy F.

    Definitely worth going to when it's in town! Try the fried, vein compacting, greasy goodness that is offered by the food vendors! Avoid the lemonade, it's overpriced, and probably the stuff sold by your average restaurant. Nonetheless, I would definitely bring friends and family here, with plenty of water, sunglasses, and a hat, because it gets hot! My other complaint has to do with one of the guys hired to operate the "loop-de-loop" ride. An older black male who looked like he was intoxicated, allowed his choice of patrons to get on without paying, which is completely unfair to the rest of us. If you do know him, call his a** out on it, because that is not right! Other than that, the fair is worth going at least once. Quite pricey, just like any fair, so bring plenty of cash, but be wise. Avoid the infomercial vendors inside the building, and wash your hands after being with the animals so you won't risk getting sick! All in all, very fun!

    (4)

  • Joseph W.

    Wisconsin State Fair is probably my favorite event in Milwaukee. It's an absolute food lover's paradise, with games, rides, animals, shopping and entertainment to keep you busy in between bites. If you want to try a lot of food, bring your significant other and share everything. A lot of food here comes in large helpings. A lot of hubbub was made about Golden Guernsey going out of business and the filling of our beloved cream puffs being handled by some other dairy. I dove into the puffs first and I'm happy to report while the puff seemed a little more limp than usual, it still tastes damn good. We bought one of those $4 coupon books. It paid for itself, plus way more. The only complaint is maybe the next time they can give us some more options. 2 coupons for burritos, 2 coupons for Tacos, 2 coupons for nachos....c'mon, give me some more coupons for that crazy fair food! Speaking of crazy fair food, my wife and I dug into the beer donuts at the Miller Lite Bar & Grill. These Miller/Leinie's/Grebe's collabo's are rather unique. They are Bismarck-style, topped with frosting and filled with a sort of a beer pudding. The Leinie's Summer Shandy doughnut was pretty tasty, but the Miller Lite Chocolate with Beer Nuts doughnut was weird to say the least. It was good up until the filling, the chocolate beer filling was too odd. I'm loving that some of the vendors have iPads/iPhones to swipe credit cards now. Hopefully more vendors get with the act, because cash is so 1980. The fish tacos at Joey's are awesome. Same with the Broccoli and Cheese Puffs at Helmut's. So is the milk at Herb's Superb. I can drink the Cherry Vanilla milk and the Root Beer milk all day. Deep Fried Brat on a stick and Corn Nuggets on a stick earn honorable mentions. People watching is awesome here. Especially when it's a 40 YO redneck in an electric scooter, complete with two bottled beers with koozies in the front basket (how did he get beer bottles in the park!?!). The best part about this dude is he pulls up behind some Grandma, waits for about 2 minutes behind here as she's looking up at something (why didn't he just pull around?), gets up out of his scooter, and walks up to her to tap her shoulder to tell her to move. Class act. Speaking of stuff I hate at the fair- Deep Fried Cheesecake? Skip it! I love the wine tasting and all, but for Pete's sake, you guys are located less than a mile outside the Brew City and I have yet to see beer tasting here! It's inexcusable! The Westside Marketplace used to be so cool, now it's barely filled with vendors and its in desperate need of some TLC. Get on it! Don't call a stand "Craft Beer Central" when you have two offerings from New Glarus and a bunch of Budweiser products. I don't consider Bud a "Craft Beer". Since when has the vendors been more obnoxious than the carnival barkers in the Midway? My first encounter with rudeness came at the Dips Stand in the Cream Puff Pavilion. My wife was interested in buying some dip packets for a party coming up. We started to try what they had to offer out of their many samples. We planned right away to buy the veggie, and we were working on deciding a second. We worked our way down the line, when the woman working offered me a bag. I already had a green bag and I didn't need another bag for 2 little packets. I said "No thanks...." and I was cut off before I could finish. The woman then said "Oh, you're only sampling? That's what I thought.." about as snotty as she could. I told my wife, and we immediately left without buying dip. And as far as the multiple "Sneaker Cleaning" guys go in the Expo Center with their multiple booths, I know my Air Jordan's are fly, but I would NEVER let you touch my shoes with your poison. Trust me, when I spend over a bill on shoes, I know how to clean them. Anyways, I had my eye on something else and zipped past, and this guy said "Hey, Jordan's!". I looked back, saw he was talking to me, and I said "No thanks" because I wanted no part of a sneaker cleaner on suede Jordan's. When I kept walking, this dude literally kept yelling "HEY!!!!" at me. I hope you don't treat the ladies like that. Not a good look homie. I was harassed every time I passed one of these booths. Can people not walk into a 6'2", 250 lb. man with a armful of goat cheese products? I know you want a sample, but they are giving them away all day and I'm just trying to get to the register to (obviously) pay for my product. What happened to manners old people! Speaking of stupid, if a full grown Clydesdale is out of his pen with only a harness clipped on to a small loop on the outside of the cage, and that horse starts bucking, it's prolly not a good idea to pet that horse or turn your back to it and take pics. On the other hand, the kid who had someone take a pic of him while he squatted over a huge pile of horse poop, you're awesome. Even with all these problems, Wisconsin State Fair is a must-see, must-do.

    (4)

  • Heidi B.

    My husband and I come here every year. One of our 1st dates when we first started dating was at State Fair and we make a point to come back every year. I love how they keep the classics (food, games, etc) but there's always something new to try or see. I always leave with something cool / unique.

    (4)

  • Nana H.

    As long as I' ve lived here this is my first State fair, I was ok. The highlights for me where Sipping on some ice cold lemonade yum!!!! and the cream puff. It was packed a little overwhelming for me. I don't know if I will go again, but it was interesting.

    (4)

  • Shaun E.

    Great place to be if you're in the area looking for something to do. Lot of food, desserts and live entertainment. Come on down and check it out! The cream puffs--out of this world good. Corn on the cob delish. Pizza cones yummy delicious. You gotta come on down to experience the fun filled atmosphere!

    (5)

  • Nicole B.

    Wisconsin state fair is so much fun for the family! I enjoyed coming to the fair as a kid and my kids love the fair. My kids favorite part is the giant slide and the pig races. They also enjoy eating junk food all day!!! cream puff is always the first stop and the Mozzarella sticks are next. Wine tasting is a lot of fun too. This year coke had a free stand where you made 2 small coke cans personalized with you name. The line was long but moved fast. Enjoy !!!

    (5)

  • Emily F.

    I love the fair! I don't love any old fair. Illinois, hell no! Minnesota, it's okay. I adore the Wisconsin State Fair. I love that the crowd differs, the food is tasty and unique and all of the outdoors type venues. So maybe Melinda Myers is too cheesey for most... I rather enjoy her. The animals are what takes the cake for me. The 4-H kids that are passionate about showing their friends warms my heart. So maybe I don't like seeing the beef area of live cows on their way out. I actually run past them. It's an expensive outting no doubt. But, I say when in the radius of this fine event, one must go at least once. per season.

    (5)

  • Mike C.

    fair (fâr) - Moderately good; acceptable or satisfactory Well maybe YOUR State Fair is, but not the Wisconsin State Fair. The Wisconsin State Fair is crunchy awesomeness wrapped on a stick and deep-fried to a golden, crispy brown. I'm an unabashed and unapologetic lover of our fair. Most years I go between 3 and 4 times and this year (2013) was no exception - I've made it 3 times so far and since I'm writing this on the fair's final day ... who knows? Simply put, I love the Wisconsin State Fair because it makes me happy. We spent the entire day there yesterday and, I kid you not, after about 3 hours my face hurt I was smiling so much. Well, maybe it didn't "hurt," but I definitely felt smiling muscle fatigue. What could possibly make me smile so much? The list is long, but here's a condensed version: MUSIC. I love live music. Whether it be a stadium-sized venue hosting Paul McCartney or a beer tent rocking to a Milwaukee cover band that has played together for more than 50 years (The Skunks), live music abounds and I never have a challenge finding something that delights me. Watching folks older than me (there's still a few!) dance and clap to The Skunks (currently known as The Larry Lynde Band) made me smile immensely. The rolling Matt's Family Band and The Who tribute band (Substitute) also rounded out a great day yesterday, but if you go today or next year, make sure you don't miss cover band extraordinaire, The Bobby Friss Band. Bobby puts on the best rockin' good time show in the land and he has played nightly at the Saz's stage for years. (A note to teetotalers: Beware. Bobby's more fun when you drink!) FOOD. For the most part I bypass the weird foods on sticks and go with my tried and true favorites. A few include a Usinger's Italian sausage slathered with peppers on a Miller's pretzel roll in the Wisconsin Products Pavilion, a Hungarian sausage sandwich from Rupena's and the deep-fried green beans from Krautland. But my absolute favorite and can't miss annual culinary treat is Mexican Corn in a Cup. I love this sweet, hot and tangy treat. It's fresh corn cut of the cob and slathered in mayonnaise and queso then topped with chili powder. This is available under the Milwaukee Mile grandstand and if there was only one food to eat at the fair, this would be my choice. FARM ANIMALS & CULTURE. For a few hours each year it doesn't hurt to look at the animals that feed us and greet the hard-working people that care for these beasts. Studying the animals is some of the fun, but the real interesting study is the interaction between the farm kids from up north and the Milwaukee locals that come to see them. There's too few opportunities in the world to break down the walls that separate us, but when a young city dweller has a chance to come eye-to-eye with a swine and the 11-year old from Merrill that raises the animal, I can't help feeling that this is a step in the right direction. BEER. There's two great distinctions about Wisconsin State Fair beer: quantity and quality. To address the first, one can buy a beer EVERYWHERE on the grounds. You only need to take about 20 steps onto the grounds before you'll have a chance to buy a tall cool one, and when you're empty, you won't have a long walk to replenish your cup. Second, thanks to West Allis bar Benno's, beer nerds can now slake their thirst with some quality crafts at The Micro. Chances are if you're my friend and you're at the Fair, I'll bump into you at The Micro. The Sprecher landing on the north end of the grounds is also a good place to wrap your lips around a local craft brew. (Related: Indiana, I understand your fair is dry. How can you stand it?!) PEOPLE SELLING STUFF. I know I'm in the minority here, but I love walking through the Exhibition Center and watching snake oil salesmen pitch their peelers, dicers, choppers and slicers. I (almost) never buy anything, but an hour watching this selling circus always entertains me. PEOPLE WATCHING. Face it, this is the reason many of you who go, go. You may even play State Fair Bingo. Men with 1:1 aspect ratios, women with Hello Kitty tattoos on their calves, mullets (you've played The Mullet Game, right? See a mullet first, slug your pal!), mustachioed ladies, baby stroller sightings after dark, etc. It's all here and spot 5 cultural anomalies in a row ... BINGO!! Yep. The Wisconsin State Fair is my happy place. If you haven't gone in a while (I know quite a few of you that haven't), I suggest putting Xenophobia aside and returning with an open mind, heart and love of simple pleasures. It just may become your happy place too. :)

    (5)

  • Melanie B.

    As insane as it is sometimes, the Wisconsin Products Pavilion should not be missed. Also, the Lion's Club corn was amaze. There is so much food and drink that is very easy to become overwhelmed. If you are really serious, I say download a map and circle the stands and foods you are interested in tasting before, that way you have a game plan going in. I also suggest going to the DNR park within state fair. Amongst the concrete jungle of the park, DNR offers a beautiful green space for all to enjoy and great things for kids! Including, archery, fisheries, tee shirt making, games and much more learning of the environment and our natural resources. This park should not be missed!

    (5)

  • iddells E.

    Mmmm mmm mmm cream puffs were amazing! I wish I would've gotten a pack of 3 to take home, but then I'd gain 5 lbs. My dream would be to swim in a pool of that delicious cream!! Mini donuts-delish, battered and deep-fried cheese curds-sinful, but delish, lemonade with requested half amount of sugar-refreshing, deep-fried smores-meh. Where I should've done more eating was in the Wisconsin Products Pavillion. where they had food from local WI businesses. Too bad I was too full when I got there. Anyways, the fair was fun and HUGE with a ton of people... there's a lot to do, a lot to see, and of course, A LOT to eat! An endless junk food paradise!! I would definitely come back next year!

    (4)

  • Jessica P.

    I would call the Wisconsin State Fair ...Heart Attack Land.. only because everything..literally everything is deep fried! think of any food you would like... and they can deep fry it for you!! they will even make healthy veggies unhealthy by simply frying them!! :) some foods i've tried at the fair: red velvet funnel cake - no ice cream topping option. just powdered sugar on top..and didn't taste much different from a regular funnel cake; however, it's $1 more expensive... 18" corndog - tasted like a normal corndog... was difficult eating it sideways cuz it's soo long.. but it was good ...if you like corn dogs.. why not get the 18" corndog.. it's like 3 hotdogs in one.. Corn in a cup - consisted of mayo, hot powder, cheese, butter ...it was pretty tasty 25 cent flavored milk - loved the flavored milk.. very light, cheap and delicious! friends and I tried all the flavors - cherry vanilla, chocolate, strawberry, root beer, banana...favorites were chocolate, strawberry and banana... cheese curds - they were good but a little too salty.. i'm assuming cheese is usually salty?..don't know if I would pay to buy salty fried cheese again here.. blooming onions - it was ok.. the onion tasted a little too raw...i've had better at restaurants.. chocolate covered bacon - yes it tastes exactly how it sounds.. probably wouldn't buy it again.. krispy kreme cheeseburger - this tastes exactly how it sounds as well.. i don't think I could finish one on my own.. a little too much krispy kreme burger combination.. cream puffs: it tastes good..but it is kind of pricey.. not sure if it's worth it...it tastes like a cream puff that I would get from a Korean bakery...very creamy.. but not worth the wait in line/price... Events/Activities we checked out: -Pig Race: i loved it.. probably biased since i just think pigs are cute!..if you want to sit down and watch the whole show.. make sure you go and find a seat 30 mins prior to the start time -Horse competition(?): I don't know what was going on.. just saw horses & their owners....nice horses.. but didn't see them in action...eh Parking options: a lot of the residents/home owners will sell parking spots on their lawn and wisconsin state fair tickets for a cheaper price...$10 parking..$8 tickets.. not bad.. just take the offer on it.. the walking isn't bad and the offer isn't bad.. tips..you can bring drinks (i'm assuming non-alcoholic beverages only..)... I would suggest you go to the Walgreens on the way and buy bottled water or something prior to going in the fair... would i go to the wisconsin state fair again? hm.. maybe just for fun to walk around and to drink milk and watch the pigs.. but not really for the food..

    (3)

  • Fred B.

    Love the food, I was so happy that I could charge my phone at US Cellular. But next year we won't go to Great America a week before the State Fair. But I do have one concern for any parent who has a son and uses the bathroom down in Spin City. When they use the men's bathroom the middle hand dryer gets very, very hot, it could burn a young child. The worker told me they would not fix it. So don't let that little issue ruin your great day at the State Fair.

    (5)

  • Rachael G.

    YES PLEASE! I look forward to the state fair every year! My best friend flies up to visit and we spend the day stuffing our face, looking at bunnies, and playing the lotto. I love trying a new food each year. This year it's a little heavy handed on the bacon and meat, but the desserts are awesome, you can always find some fried veggies, and the fried oreos are cookie crack. The animals are stinky, but super cute. In the last couple years they have added doggy diving. If you haven't seen it yet, go, its worth the admission alone! They throw a toy into a huge pool and the dogs compete to see who can jump the farthest. RIDIC. Each year, my friend and I like to pretend we are fancy ladies and hit up the Wisconsin wine tasting. Its a great break from the normal fair madness, and the wine is usually really good! I believe its 1 dollar per 1 oz glass, or 6 for 5. Hit this up! Finally, each fair trip would not be complete without the 25 cent flavored milk. I usually buy 4 and then just chug them, only to feel sick immediately after. Well worth it though! Is it loud and packed? Yes. Do most of the people look like they haven't moved past 1982? Yes. Is it fun as hell? YOU BETCHA.

    (5)

  • Angie O.

    State Fair is like a holiday. I look forward to it all year long and get prepared: go on a little pre-fair diet, print out and markup the annual "new foods" list, and always go at least twice, sometimes more, during its 11 day run. There are so many awesome things about the fair - the animals (omg I love the rabbits and the goats!), the pig race (a must see!), the interesting and usually delicious food, and the people watching. Oh the people watching! I love walking through the Expo center and looking at crazy items for sale, and watching people actually purchase the silly "as seen on TV" products. The Wisconsin Product Pavilion is filled with yummy food and is on average less expensive than most of the other vendor food. I recommend a $4 baked potato, and anything from the Bison booth! Also, the 25 cent flavored milk is fantastic - this year they moved the booth from its previous location near the rabbit/chicken barn to northeast corner of the Expo center. There is a band playing at every stage at all times of the fair, I'm pretty sure the WI State Fair is close to the world record of the greatest number of local cover bands at one festival haha. Weekends can get very crowded; I prefer to visit the fair on a weekday evening as there tends to be less people. However, the people-watching is not as awesome at these times either. It does hurt to see the prices of admission and food to increase every year. I sign up for the WI State Fair's email newsletter and receive notification in May when they begin the early ticket sales for $5 (that's 50% off!). There's so much to see and do and eat it's impossible to fit it all in one visit, which is why purchasing the advance sale $5 tickets is the way to go. I'm already looking forward to next year's fair :)

    (5)

  • Ellie B.

    I love the state fair. My favorite things: deep fried Oreos, flavored milks, pig races, big slide, Mexican corn, Wisconsin products building, all of the animals, checking out the prize winning food and crafts, Hot Wisconsin Cheese, and more.

    (5)

  • Dave M.

    This is pretty much my favorite thing to do in the summer. Been going here since I was born. I mean food, beverages, things to look at, people to look at, and music. Some tips for those that maybe don't visit as often as me (3-4 times each year), that you might want to give a try.... 1. Crutchee's Corn dogs. There are TWO locations, and these are the best. Skip any of the misc trucks that have it and go to these two food cart type sized spots. They are in the same spot every single year. 2. Mille's. Get an Itallian sausage with Hot peppers. Don't worry they aren't too hot. 3. Jakes. I've been eating at Jakes as long as I've been alive, but now they are at the fair. In the Agri building,. Get a Pastrami or Corned beef, but don't forget the mustard (ask for a little tub). Melt in your mouth. 4. Margarita Express. Near the grandstand. Do NOT skip this. These are the best freaking margaritas I've ever had. Get LIME Blended (Frozen). They are the real deal, you will end up back there several times. Wait for these every year. 5. Morgan's Fudge in the Argi building @ the end. I've had Fudge from everywhere but this is the best fudge I've ever had and get a slice every single year. I'm sure everyone has their favorites too. But these are ones that we never miss. Just got home from the fair!

    (5)

  • Katie S.

    So, when I was young and hip, I wanted to be at Summerfest and State Fair was not cool. Now, that I'm old, I sometimes can't handle Summerfest and State Fair is the greatest thing since deep fried pickles. There are animals. They're stinky but sometimes cute. There's a midway - start there and then get milk. No one likes milk reversing out your tummy. There were white bengal tigers this year. Oooooooooooooo. What big paws you have. There's the expo center. It's like living in a QVC Wonka-land. There's the Micro. Craft beers (real ones!) and beer flights so you can try three for the price of one! You get a shirt if you kill a keg. You can send a postcard from this state fair to another state fair just to say hi. There's the Wisconsin Products Pavilion. Baked potatoes, $2 grilled cheese, Jakes reubens, Palermos, etc. You can learn things here, too. This is my favorite spot at the fair, hands down. There's milk. For $0.25. Try the root beer flavored kind. There's deep fried everything. I think there's concerts. There are cream puffs, but I'll be honest...I don't like them. They are messy and sticky and they really don't taste like much. However, they sell thousands of them, so most people must like them. Other thoughts: Blue Moon no longer counts as 'craft beer'. The Blue Moon stage should sell Blue Moon beer, shouldn't it? I'm not sure one could experience everything there is at the fair every year. There's just so much. But, has that ever really stopped anyone before??

    (4)

  • Talia R.

    Ohhhh the Wisconsin State Fair. What is not to love? There is Tons of great music, awesome local beer and obviously kick a$& food!! Think of anything deep fried and on a stick and they probably have it. This year we tried the deep dried stuffing and it was pretty good. You clearly can't leave without having a cream puff, they are little bits of heaven. I love walking around with a Summer Shandy and enjoying the crazy people watching. It's definitely something you have to check out.

    (4)

  • Phill C.

    If you love all things deep fried, then you'll call this place heaven. From deep fried candy bars to deep fried beer, there's just too much to try. I tried a deep fried snickers bar, s'mores, scotch egg, bacon-wrapped hotdog, reuben egg roll, and even butter. Yup, exactly what you'd think it is. A pat of butter, battered and deep fried. I don't think I've ever been so confused and grossed out, biting into anything deep fried. I also had a chance to try a Krispy Kreme cheeseburger, which was interestingly not that great... There's plenty of other deep fried treats on a stick, but you can also find plenty of non-fried foods. I had some great watermelon shaved ice and freshly squeezed lemonade. I missed the pig races and didn't get a chance to try the famous cream puffs, but I'll check them out next time.

    (4)

  • Jen W.

    I love the fair. Even though, year after year, we do the same things, it never disappoints. I would highly check out the weekly/daily deals. Many of the days you can get in at a discounted price. Parking can be difficult, This year I was going to bite the bullet and save myself, and my five month pregnant body, a walk and pay for parking, but, the lots were full. So we ended up walking anyway. If you are patient enough and wear good walking shoes this should not deter you. I like to go during the day, during the week to avoid some of the crowd, but, if you don't mind crowds. Go for it! On our always must see/eat list are: - .25 Milk (sometimes we hit this stand two or three times in a visit) - Animal barns (a hit with my daughter), especially the cow barn where one can milk a cow - New yearly food on a stick...this years concoction (which I loved by he way) was a peanut butter cup, dipped in banana batter, dipped in chocolate, covered in bacon. It did not disappoint! - The tallest fair ride allowed in the U.S (new to the fair in '12), I did not personally try it but from the screams coming from the general direction I would say it was a hit. - The exhibition building where you can buy just about anything you never knew you needed (and probably don't), I end up buying something there every year.

    (5)

  • Rachel F.

    All I really want to do here is copy and paste Joanna T's review, because it's SPOT FREAKING ON. Everything she says is right on the money. So go ahead and read her review first. That said, there are a few things I might add to her highlights section: -The tent with all the three moon t-shirts and leather belts and scary rednecks... ironic t-shirts for days! -The airbrush t-shirt stand. I've always wanted an airbrushed t-shirt as an adult but always forget to get one. -Giant Clydesdale horses which are awesome and scary to walk near at the same time. -WI Products Pavilion FTW! Also, you think you'd like a baked potato from the WI products building, but you actually want it from the stand near the racetrack by the reptiles nearing the midway. It's actually better.

    (5)

  • Kyle K.

    If you don't love the State Fair then you need to move. Not kidding. Thinking about Summerfest and how soul draining it can be reminded me of how much I love the State Fair. Cream Puffs? Whatever. Go ahead and wait in that stupid line and clear the way for me to shove pork tenderloin sandwiches and duck fajitas in my face. I could probably ruin an entire summer of sensible eating and daily cycling in about 2 hours here. Pros: -Tenderloin Sanguiches -Duck Fajitas -Benno's beer tent. Totally destroys the beer selection at Summerfest. -Drinking a bunch of beer and then gushing over all the baby animals. Omygoshtheyaresolittle. -All the crazy shit for sale all over the everywhere. It makes me think I'm in the wrong business. -Talking to really nice folks about their animals. I sometimes forget that the vast majority of living in this state happens outside of Milwaukee. A change in perspective can be a really good thing. -I brushed a baby cow once. I seriously considered stealing the little bugger. -Milk Baaaaaaarn! Cons: -F@#$%ing Free Bird. Inescapable. -If you wear flip flops you will learn your lesson soon enough.

    (5)

  • Dan M.

    How can you not just LOVE the State Fair? So much people watching. So much corn. What's way awesome? -Beer. Beer everywhere (though on the slightly pricey side. They have you trapped!) -The products pavilion is equal parts hilarious and wonderful. -A slide that requires a burlap sack. You will itch. -I'm pretty sure this is the largest collective of cover bands in the northern hemisphere. -Cream Puffs. Now, I'm not crazy about cream puffs in general but everyone I know is bonkers for them. -Shapes. And by shapes I mean people. A goodly portion of them are shapes. -Fuzzy baby cows. I'll eat you some day but right now you are adorable. -The Zipper. -What's your favorite food? They have it battered and fried! -Meat. -Bathrooms that somehow don't get terrible. -More food. I love it there so much that my best pal calls me a fair slut. I am and I am proud to be a fair slut. Will whore for carnival rides!

    (5)

  • Andy K.

    Where else can you go to see a pregnant woman wearing a cut-off T with a huge tattoo on her belly, eat lots of deep fried stuff and get a set of steak knives!?

    (5)

  • Carm B.

    We love going to the Wisconsin State Fair even though it is always packed and very hot. The food is reasonable and mostly very good. (Cream Puffs & Corn are a must, lol!). Little kids love it (especially the pony rides and huge slide). Definitely worth the trip. We saved a few bucks by buying tickets from people outside the line this year. I'm pretty sure they are there every year.

    (4)

  • Susan B.

    Do you like food on a stick? How about deep fried foods? If that tickles your fancy, then you should definitely check out the Wisconsin State Fair! I haven't been to this fair in at least 21 years so I was definitely due for a visit. We went this past Saturday and had a blast. Getting here was super easy (only about an hour and a half from Chicago-land) and parking ($10) was a breeze. We were able to park in the main Gate 1 (speedway) but we passed so many homes that were offering parking on their lawn...and for the same $10 price tag which didn't really make sense as there was a further walk. Anyways, admission was reasonable, $9 adult / $6 veteran. Given that the weather was nice and it was the last Saturday, we went in completely expecting crowds and we weren't let down. There were massive amounts of people, everywhere. At least it wasn't a 90+ degree day like we've been having. There were lines everywhere though but things seemed to move quickly. I refused to stand in the long line for a cream puff (I've been fortunate enough to have had them in the past), it looked at least 45 mins long! Food is somewhat reasonably priced for fair food. It isn't healthy though. 90% of the food here is deep fried and served on a stick. I'm kicking myself that I didn't get the deep fried apple pie...next year it will be mine!!! Recommended: corn on cob, brats from Sheboygan Brat House, fried cheese curds w/ ranch, fresh squeezed lemonade, piece of cherry pie from the products pavilion and flavored milk (Strawberry, Banana, Root Beer and Cherry Vanilla...didn't get to try the Chocolate). The main expo building had TONS and TONS of vendors. I wish that there were more "crafty" type vendors than the as-seen-on-TV and big names such as Sleep Number beds but overall, it was still fun. Got a few samples of frozen wine (if you haven't had this, you must!) and bought one of the best cupcakes I've ever had in my entire life!! Visited the many animal barns as well as the new Spin City. The rides in Spin City were insane, I was getting nauseated just looking at them! Oh, and you must try the Giant Slide (located next to the pig races). AND, you must get the flavored milk, only 25 cents a cup and tons of yummy flavors. Til next year!

    (5)

  • Merete M.

    Bring your cash and comfy walking shoes, you've got a lot of ground to cover! The animal tents and craft tents are nice breaks between stuffing your face with fair food. My favorites? The Mexican-style corn and the cheese curds.

    (4)

  • Lei L.

    This is our second year going to the fair. The state fair, like all state fairs, is a once a year event, and as it should be because it gets old rather quickly. But every year, it feels to me like a must go to event. Great for people watching, enjoying the summer. It can get very crowded on weekends, so we choose to go during the weekday when there is a less of a crowd (it will still be busy). The products building is fun, it is full of ridiculous stuff for sale - nothing terribly useful but lots of product displays and gadgets to play with. There is also plenty of outdoor shopping of fair goods, you know what I'm talking about, hippy flowy dresses, cheesy leather gear etc. The food is fantastic and definitely something we look forward too. Roasted corn is oh so sweet this time of year. The cream puffs are a must have (though after I polish off one I'm good for a while). Everything from fried dough to fried oreos, turkey legs, donut pork sandwich - a buffet of glutenous items that will keep the most hungry occupied. If you are a fan of animals, the cows, horses, sheep, and small animals pavilion are a lot of fun. Can be very smelly though, keep in mind not all the displays are open every day. This year we missed the small animals pavilion which made me sad. I have fun at the fair, great for the entire family, be prepared to feel fat afterwards.

    (4)

  • Karen G.

    The state fair is one of the best things about living in the MIdWest. Better beer than Octoberfest, better wings than anywhere ( Goosebys), great music, super cute farm animals. You can meet "Alice in Dairyland", or get your picture taken with a cardboard cutout of her. The polka bands have players so old, you swear they will keel over right before your eyes ( Polish tent), it's so good, I can't detail it all. BUT don't drive up and park at fair. drive up and park at the park and ride parking lots. yes, it's more money, but you save the 45 min to an hour to actually find a parking place at the fair itself.

    (5)

  • Kelsey P.

    State Fair is right up there with all other national holidays in my book. Food must haves are the Milk barn, corn, cream puffs, and random fried food. I get to touch as many animals as I want. The expo barn is full of random stuff that I don't need. What's not to love?

    (5)

  • Adam H.

    Awesome. Every nostalgic visit to the Wisconsin State Fair is appropriately supplemented with cream puffs, milk, beer, and deep fried [fill in the blank]s. I feel like the WSF is Wisonsin's version of a circus....which I guess does make sense. But I dont think I can accurately describe the fair because it has a sort-of atmosphere which makes the experience unique. Although I had and excellent time exploring the attractions beyond cuisine, I decided to share my visit through food and drink and make my recommendations accordingly. Food Experienced: 1. Cream Puff from the Original Cream Puff Factory. Two words come to mind, Holy ['S' word]! ...I dont know Yelp's profanity policy, and I don't want to get busted.... 2. Pulled Pork Sandwich from Saz's. I love Saz's BBQ sauce, and we even smuggle it into Illinois whenever we return from Wisconsin, however the food was weak and the fries were old. Honestly, we just wanted a place to sit and drink, the food was considered a bonus, but ultimately a disappointment. I won't hesitate to visit the restaurant though, thats for sure. In retrospect we should have stuck with eating off a stick. Drinks Experienced: 1. Bud Light Lime a rita. VERY refreshing on a really hot day, Im glad the cart bartender recommended it. 2. Pick 5 Flight at Lakefront Brewery. I took the brewery tour when I was a kid, so I guess their root beer is alright, but I have always wanted to go back for the good stuff. We found their tent at the fair so we plunked down at the end of the bar and I polished off my lime a rita then ordered five 4oz beers to sample. Champion. I was pleased with several of them but a few were too bitter for my taste. I wont go into detail about the beer, I'll just suggest that you try it and drink it if you like it, but if you don't, then don't. 3. I don't know how to classify #3 because the beer was ice cream....or the ice cream was beer, which ever. We went to Sprecher last year and loved their beer, so when we spotted the tent we were surpised too see that they were selling frozen 'somethings' by the register. After tasting, we learned that the 'something' was beer ice cream and they had individual beer pops which won an award for the best frozen treat in the entire fair. So needless to say, if you're 21 (or have a really good fake), you should really try it for yourself. 4. Crappy Light Beer at the Expo. Theyre too expensive. 5. Milk! Milk stands are everywhere and its awesome. I'm still kicking myself for never trying the Root Beer Milk...it only cost a quarter! I did have the chocolate, strawberry, and banana, but perhaps one man can handle only so much milk. Other fun stuff to see/do include the animal areas (especially the small animals), the giant slide, shops/stalls, the expo center, live music, and the DNR exhibit. Basically, there is a reason we come back from time to time. I'm glad the integrity if the Wisconsin State Fair is still intact, I feel it will certainly continue to offer a comforting and entertaining experience. For sure.

    (5)

  • Sadie T.

    I love the State Fair. I grew up in West Allis, and the fair is kind of a big deal. I would suggest it for tourists. So much to eat. A lot to see. Animals. Wisconsin information exhibits. Horticulture. Food contest entries (no, you don't get to taste). A massive expo center. You must try the maple cotton candy located in the WI products pavilion. Made with real maple syrup. Delicious.

    (4)

  • Bartleby F.

    I'm giving it four stars for one reason and one reason only: The Great Pumpkin Halloween Express in October. Other than that, I never go here.

    (4)

  • Brady G.

    It is definitely a representation of Wisconsin. Beer, cheese, fried foods, live music, and of course cream puffs. This was my first year at the Wisconsin state fair. I was quite surprised to find how many live music stages there were all around the grounds. I felt that once I couldn't hear one stage, I soon came upon another. The sound of the stages was, well.....not too good. Tons of food vendors all around. I enjoyed a pork burger which was quite good and reminded me of home in Indiana. I also was thoroughly excited to see that they had honey ice cream which has always been one of my favorite fair foods. Surprisingly, I did not try any of the deep fried foods this year. Being originally from Indiana and going to that state fair yearly, I have to say Wisconsin's unfortunately isn't as good. The overall layout of the fair is quite confusing and almost like a gridlock at times. It seems to be more focused on food and music then on 4-H projects such as the livestock and other crafts. I was there for a few hours and couldn't locate a project building which houses all the county champion projects. Maybe I missed it. I raised pigs in 4-H for 10 years and was surprised to find the swine barn smaller than my county fair's barn. Oh well still a great fair regardless of my personal disappointments. Great place to take a family on a summer evening.

    (3)

  • Michael S.

    Love State Fair! Mostly the different types of foods. My number one a plus favorite is the creme brulee from lagniappe braiserrie in the Wi products pavilion. Also had the London broil from the butcher guys. The meat was fantastic. Nice medium rare slices with a warm smokey flavor. A pretzel roll would make it infinitely better but the standard hotdog bun was still good with the nice pillowy bun contrasting with crispy edges of the meat. The candy bacon from machine shed was very good too. Very heavily crystalized with the sugar and nice and spicy. It was a perfect precursor to a nice cigar. I didn't have the courage to try the Cajun frog legs but a nice couple I talked to said they were good. . .kind of a dual chicken/fishy kind of taste. I will be going back once or twice more still so maybe I will still get a chance to try them ;)

    (5)

  • Joanna T.

    Oh how I love the State Fair! It's the best event of the summer, and in Milwaukee that's really saying something! Highlights: *People watching - the best part of the Fair! Mullets, inappropriate booty shorts, really fat people on scooters...the list is endless. *Beer - endless options and WAY cheaper than Summerfest. A regular cup can be had for as little as $4.25. *Exhibition hall window shopping. Endless amounts of total crap but someone must be buying. *Food - everywhere, generally at reasonable prices. None of it is healthy. You can get some of the best food for cheap in the WI Products building. Three grilled cheeses for $5? A huge brat on a pretzel bun for $3? Yes, please! *Giant Slide! Giant Slide! Giant Slide! *Letting your freak flag fly - the Fair isn't a fashion show like Summerfest. Want to break out those jorts and Budweiser tank top? You're in good company here. *The Crafts Building - ever wondered who makes the best banana bread? Head in and find out! *Milverine sighting today near the Giant Slide. Shirtless! Lowlights: *It can get sweaty and crowded. The buildings offer A/C though. *Huge numbers of strollers, scooters and wagons clogging the place up. *Deep fried butter - just the thought makes me want to throw up. *Leaving with a huge food baby. All I want to do after the Fair is lay quietly on the couch and hope I don't have a heart attack. The worst part of the Fair is that it's only once a year!

    (5)

  • Curtis B.

    Imagine you could somehow cross-pollinate NASCAR fans, Wal-Mart shoppers and Golden Coral eaters. They would build these people in test tubes and you could find them, very easily, at the Wisconsin State Fair. Now, to avoid sounding like a completely pretentious a-hole, I am not hatin' the player nor the game. These people are clearly comfortable in their own skin (I know because I tend to see way too much of it when I'm here) and for that, God bless 'em. If the world was full of the exact same kinds of people, it would be a boring. If you want to see some of the more interesting people WI has to offer, this is it. That's the main appeal of State Fair; you will see people from every walk of life. There is zero pretension at the WI State Fair. Come as you are, have people in the expo center try and sell you stuff, and then eat some food on a stick. Please don't take my previous paragraph as a way to mock others, I love that we have some rather eclectic people in my state and city. Let's just be real, though. There is a reason sites like People of Wal-Mart exist and you can get a whole day's worth of that site irl (acronyms for the cool kids) at the State Fair. Of my favorite things, food is number 2 on my list of reasons I love the state fair, right after people watching. Lots and lots of unhealthy, greasy, sweet, crazy food. On a stick. Deep fried. Sometimes on a stick AND deep fried... with gravy on top. I could write a ridiculously long review on the food alone, but I'll just keep it simple. My favorite things at the 2012 fair were the bacon-wrapped tator tots and the red velvet funnel cake. I finally was able to eat a Jake's corned beef sandwich and it was incredible. I had a great day of over-indulgence and I can't wait for next year to do it again. Whatever you want, the state fair has. The food ranges from the best you can dream to the worst nightmare of your life. Would you like chocolate covered bacon? Have some (it's HORRIBLE, btw). How about a cheeseburger on a Krispy Kreme doughnut? You can do that too, but I sure as hell won't. The state fair is and always will be the state fair, it (and the people) make no apologies for that. Which might sound dumb, but I love it. People comfortable being themselves, animals, crazy food and an expo center full of live infomercials. For one day a year it's a wonderful experience and when 2013 rolls around I'll do it all over again. Provided the Mayans are wrong about the whole zombie Apocalypse thing, that is.

    (5)

  • Hayley H.

    In my family, the Wisconsin State Fair is like a rite of passage. Each of my grandma's grandchildren look forward to the year when they will finally understand what all the fuss is about "just another state fair." Let me tell you, it was the experience of a lifetime. They have fried everything--from vegetables to oreos to cheese. The beer garden was the hangout for my parents. They sell cheese curds by the thousands and the Elephant Ears are bigger than your head. If your looking for an atypical state fair, go to Wisconsin. Here's a list of what I ate probably in the course of 5 hours: 8AM: Elephant ear with brown sugar, i can't even explain the holyness of this creation Sometime mid-day: cheese curds, fried eggplant, fried oreos, a lamb gyro, pickles (I realize this is an odd combination) Sometime in the afternoon: corn, brat and probably some other fried deliciousness. Mix into this probably a bunch of custard and a pizza dinner and you have yourself a heart-attack just waiting to happen. Thank god I live 1800 miles away.

    (5)

  • Rachel H.

    My sister and I have had an unnatural love of the cream puffs for years. We are weird. I'll get to the puffs in a few minutes.... It's kind of hilariously odd that a state fair is actually in a city instead of in the boondocks, and this particular state fair is perhaps a bit light on the hillbillies, but that doesn't mean you won't see some doozies. After hitting up the NRA booth for some literature to laugh at on the ride home, we spotted my new favorite... the tattooed shirtless man at a booth called Bandanna Jamboree. Oh yes. Other highlights *Watching boyfriend eat salsa called "Stupid Salsa" that made him sweat and hop around for 30 min. *Animatronic dinosaur exhibit for $1 *Sheboygan brat *The vast selection of hot tubs for sale in the exhibit hall *Sky Glider *PIG RACES (this is included some very slow potbellies) *Cream puffs as big as a burger I could go on and on and on. I love the fair so. Cream puff pavilion accepts plastic, so go ahead, get the 6 pack.

    (5)

  • Angela T.

    The day I go to the Wisconsin State Fair is my favorite day of the year- America my friends, America! There are so many reasons to love the fair- here are just a few 1- Probably the best reason to love the fair, the giant yellow slide. I mean come on, for 2 bucks you get to act like a kid again and fly down the slide, screaming the whole time. FYI, it is not a good idea to wear a skirt when doing the slide and yes I know this from experience. 2- It's amazing people watching. There really aren't many places where you can see so many different groups of people. You've got cowboys, carnies, hillbilly's, some of the most classy WT, people in multiple forms of camo, lots of mom and dad jean peeps, people who assume they are a size 6 when really they are a size 12, Canadian tux's galore and many many more wonderful people to see. 3- Pretty damn good food. My staples every year are grilled cheese and a pretzel brat from the Wisconsin building, corn even though I always regret eating it since the rest of the afternoon I have corn teeth, something from Saz's because how can you resist Saz's and lots and lots of beer 4- Nothing beats walking through the products building and seeing all the crappy stuff for sale. One it's nice because usually it's hotter than hell at the fair and the building is air conditioned. Two, it's like the As Seen on T.V store on crack- you've got your slap chop, the best knives you'll ever buy, the magic bullet, sham wow and tons and tons of other amazing things you can't live without. 5- The Sky Glider. It really comes in handy when you are done walking and want an full view of the fair. You get to see so many wonderful things and people in a short amount of time. Not to mention all the lame performing acts, tons of flip flops on buildings and all the other lazy bums who didn't feel like walking. 6- The cheapest beer at the fair tent. Yes in fact you may only be saving 50 cents a beer but it's the novelty of drinking the cheapest beer that makes it so great. Oh yeah that and the tent being right next to where Vern and the Originals play. It's kind of like a halo from heaven- cheap beer and old dudes rockin' out polka! So overall, the fair is the greatest place and I might sometimes get depressed when it ends. P.S- Not a fan of the animal barns! I don't visit them and wish they weren't there but other than that, it's America at it's finest!

    (5)

  • Brian M.

    Glorious fun, spectacular in so many ways. State Fair is such an amazing universally enjoyable source of merriment and entertainment in ways that I am only beginning to appreciate as reach middle age. Unlike events such as Summerfest, or any of the lakefront ethnic festivals, there truly is something here for anyone. Do you want to see where those delicious brats, burgers, and steaks come from? Then check out the animal barns. If you're like me and don't like to think about that, then skip that end of the fair altogether and hit up one of the numerous food vendors. Maybe you just want to drink a crap load of beer and checkout a few shitty bands, there are plenty of options for that. We spent three hours this year in the Door County Fish Boil tent listening to Vern and the Originals. They are pretty awful by Milwaukee polka band standards, but we didn't care. There was a beer vendor just outside the tent selling 20oz beers for $5.25. Cheapest beer at the fair. Hands down. Sometimes if fun to go on the last day just to check out all the "award winning" pies, cakes, breads and other assorted baked goods in the building near the Expo. They get pretty janky by the end of the fair. It's fun to ride the sky ride and count how many flip-flops, sandals, and sippy cups have been dropped onto the roofs of the buildings below. Perhaps you have some kids and want to lose them for a few hours? Ditch them in the Midway. I'm sure they'll be safe in the capable hands of the transient carnies that operate the rides. Maybe if you're lucky, some awesome band like REO Speedwagon or Cheap Trick will be on the main stage. What could be better? I suppose some people might prefer the Peruvian flutes bands to REO. Not me. In my younger days, none of this would have sounded fun to me. I guess as I age, I've learned to appreciate the finer things in life. Somehow State Fair just keeps getting better and better and Summerfest is less and less interesting to me. Can't wait until next year!!

    (5)

  • Sarah S.

    Finally I've gone to a State Fair! One thing I can check off my bucket list. I've wanted to go to this ever since I heard of all the gooey, highly unhealthy food offered. How did I not know about this sooner!? I was expecting it to be super country but it was really not that bad. I did see a couple of mullets, saw tons of people that boosted my self esteem, but all in all it was not nearly as bad as the picture I had in my head. It was basically just tonnnnns of food places with some shops, rides and strange things going on like a pretty broke fire performer and a lot of weird costumed creatures walking around. My nephews really like the giant slide which costs $2 per ride. I was not expecting all of the food that was offered. Honestly, I couldn't have even begun to try everything I wanted to! And all the portions were normal sized! I was hoping for small bite size portions so I could try a bunch of different things...but portions were huge! This list it going to truly disgust you, but I promise you I didn't consume all of these whole items...simply tried them. Today at the State Fair we got: *Reuben Rolls (reuben sandwich in eggroll form...surprisingly good!) *Deep Fried Smores (way too many marshmellows, won't be getting again) *Deep Fried Snickers (I've had this before so didn't try this myself but my friend wasn't really impressed) *Chocolate Bacon on a Stick (amazing! I've had chocolate bacon before and this was soooo much better!) *Cheeseburger on a Krispy Kreme (I don't like Krispy Kremes in the first place so I was expecting this to be all sorts of disgusting...surprisingly not bad at all...but I could only eat one bite as I felt on the brink of a heart attack) *Deep Fried Butter (Had to try this one! It was #1 on my list. We had no idea the butter would explode all over your hand when you bite into this. Tip for others, eat it in one swift bite! It wasn't as good as I heard it was goign to be. I wouldn't say it was bad either though and it had a little pepper flavor to it. Now that I've tried it though, I'm ok. Don't need to try it again! =) *Freshly squeezed lemonade (could have been a little sweeter and there was ice to the brim. A waste for $3.50) *Maple Bacon Sundae (I've had something like this before so didn't try it but my nephews friggin loved it! They gobbled it up!) *Watermelon Shaved Ice (tasted like a jolly rancher! It was sooo good! The nephews loved this one as well!) *Deep Fried Bacon Wrapped Hot Dog (I liked this one as it was not battered deep fried...just deep fried. Very tasty! Nomnomz) Things I still need to try: Deep Fried PB&J Deep Fried Beer Deep Fried Kool Aid I wish I knew they had Bingo inside! I am the bingo queen~! :P I want to go back next year just to try a few last foods and now that I know more about what to expect I can be better prepared. Admission was $9 and parking in various lots in the area is $10-$20...we got there about 1115 and got a spot right across from the park for $10.

    (4)

  • Craig G.

    I've been going the the Wisconsin State Fair since I was about 8 years old and have been to almost 30 of them since then. Some years I go twice. If you go buy advance tickets and save. Favorite: Racing Pigs Dog water jumping contest Livestock- cows, horses, goats, bunnies, chickens Giant Slide Wisconsin Products Pavilion Powerlifting Competition - a friend has won it Corn Roast Lemonade Music Pork Chop on a stick Skyglider My wife and I enjoy shopping in the buildings and look forward to the creative junk that is out there - but I have purchased mops there as well as some other cleaning tools.

    (5)

  • Mike P.

    I'VE NEVER SEEN SO MANY PEOPLE GO CRAZY OVER CREAM PUFFS! Side note: What is a cream puff? HIGHLIGHTS: - FOOD everywhere! I consumed pizza, hamburgers, cheese curds and root beer. - The ticket stubs have a photo of a pig on them! - The ski lift is longer than some Amtrak routes. Only $4 for a one way and a great way to see the Fair. - The PEOPLE watching. LOW LIGHTS: - Hearing a dude get a verbal beat down by his lady for looking at other girls. Sunglasses my friend. EVERYONE knows that. Duh! - A large puddle of vomit next to the Exposition Center. - Seeing my hamburger prepared by a teenager with her bare hands. POST: I didn't visit many of the buildings and exhibits as I was trying to get an idea of what the Wisconsin State Fair is all about. Any tips or reasons why I should go back this year are appreciated!

    (4)

  • Melanie R.

    Because who doesn't appreciate the art of taking an already unhealthy food choice and elevating it to heart-attack status by coating it in batter and throwing it in the deep fryer?! It would be nearly impossible to walk more than a few feet without spotting one of the fair's neon-colored signs advertising "Deep Fried [fill in the blank]." Deep fried Oreos. Deep fried Snickers bars. Deep Fried Milky Way bars. Oh, and in case you thought that this deep frying business was limited to just bad-for-you foods - there's also a whole 'Veggie Stand' dedicated to serving up deep fried vegetables by the flimsy paper trayful. To be fair, there are some healthy options - you just have to be willing to dig a bit deeper. I did stumble upon a booth serving up freshly prepared salads (mixed greens, juicy heirloom tomatoes & refreshing cucumber topped with buffalo mozzarella and a light vinaigrette) that almost made me forget about the two deep-fried Oreos I devoured just hours before. Mind you, it was right across from the Usinger's booth (which smelled DIVINE), so I had to fight the urge to order a jumbo hot dog as a side dish. Amidst the fried foods, you'll also find an fabulously large selection of foods on a stick. There are your usual suspects - such as corn dogs (foot long!) and ice cream paddles. But the fair vendors really get creative with the awe-inspiring cheesecake on a stick, mac 'n cheese on a stick, even spaghetti and meatballs ON A STICK! Even foods that are convenient enough to eat in their regular form (such as pizza and sandwiches) are featured on a stick! Ahhh and the piece de resistance (for me, anyhow) - the kettle corn stand. I. L-O-V-E. Kettle Corn. And none is better than the freshly-made kind that you can only seem to purchase at fairs. My hubby watched in horror as I quickly made the leap from "Maybe I'll just get the little $2 bag" to "Well, the bigger bag is not really that big..." to "Oh look! Today's special - three large bags for $10!" And all that popcorn made for the perfect spectator food for our entertainment du jour - PIG RACING! Immediately followed by DOGGIE DIVING! After already petting an adorable calf, getting up close and personal with a huge turtle, and ogling the cutest baby chicks - I was in animal paradise (cuteness overload sure to ensue). Though we didn't exactly partake in any of the concerts (doing so would have required we cough up some extra dough - and most of my cash was earmarked for food!), the music was audible from outside the stage areas - so we did get to enjoy a little bit of country as we made our way around the fair. Friendly warning -- make sure to come prepared with a wad of cash, as most vendors do not except anything but. Parking is anywhere from $5-15 depending on how much you are willing to walk, admission on a regular day is $9 per adult, and each food item pretty much starts at around $5 (save for the DELICIOUS flavored milk booth - offering yummy glasses of flavored milk for just a quarter! Get the root beer flavor - it's like a better-for-you root beer float!). Keep your wallet happy and look out for two-for days (two adults for the price of one), take advantage of the 'Crazy Grazin' day where participating vendors offer menu items at reduced prices, and if you're going to be hanging out all day - splurge on the souvenir cup which lets you refill at participating booths around the fair for a reduced $2 price. High-five to those involved in the organization of the fair, as I was extremely impressed! Though there was no shortage of people in attendance, the walkways were wide enough to prevent that gross shoulder-to-shoulder action that always creeps me out at other outdoor events. Also, major bonus - running water and SOAP stations spread throughout the fair. Only my hubby (who has previously experienced the annoyance of paying $3 for a bottled water, only to pour it over my hands as I lathered up with my brought-from-home soap) can truly understand how much this means to me - though I suspect there are other clean-freaks out there who can appreciate. Bottom Line: Go for the above-average fair fare, and stay for the entertainment (be it of the animal or musical variety). No need to bring your own soap - they've got you covered.

    (5)

  • Regina V.

    Love the Fair, always. This year's best find...Reuben on a Stick....Jake's deli, in the Wisconsin Pavillion. Now that was worth the calories! Great corned beef and melted cheese on little rye rolls. Yes, there's a stick through the two little sandwiches, which you remove before you tackle the messy little sandwiches. No sauerkraut on them, which would have earned them five stars, but they were pretty darn good!

    (4)

  • Jennifer C.

    I have been going to the WI state fair my whole life. Even though I live in Chicago now I still go once a year. Why do I give this 5 stars? Let me count the ways: 1. 25 cent flavored milk- I LOVE the cherry vanilla and rootbeer milk 2. Sundaes in the Agriculture building- strawberry and maple are best ( I know maple sounds good, but its amazing) 3. $2 grilled cheese- sooo good 4. The Nursing trailers- what a great idea. I was taking my 4 1/2 week old baby along and this made my day a lot easier. 5. Goats- I have always loved goats and seeing these little cuties always makes my day. 6. $2 admission with canned food donation on the first day- a great deal for everyone (cheap admission for me and food for those less fortunate)

    (5)

  • Ericka A.

    This State Fair always shows us a good time. I rely on it yearly because there is no way I'm driving to the one in IL, and I am lucky if I can make it to St. Paul for the MN State Fair. My must-see State Fair attractions - wine tasting barn - food and drink building - Pottawatomie BINGO - Open bazaar for shopping - merchandise expo Word of advise, stay away from the Krispy Kreme chocolate covered bacon cheeseburger. There aren't many things you can go wrong with here, but that is one of them. Do yourself a favor, keep on walking, and grab yourself a basket of beer battered cheese curds and a Spotted Cow beer or maple root beer instead.

    (4)

  • Steve S.

    I enjoy the Wisconsin Products building! You can learn things and sample many foods.

    (4)

  • Shawn M.

    My cousin and I came here from the Chicagoland area to see how it was. Since it was a State Fair, then we thought it would have been a great 80 mile trip from the Chicagoland area. However, we got the opposite satisfaction that we were expecting. We though it would have been a good price with fun games, animals and shows. However, the show had not good shows as it was not satisfying, the games weren't that great by not offering a good price and also the price was incredibly high! First off, it was a $10 parking fee with the $9 fee to get in. But little did we know that the tickets for games and stuff were incredibly high! Just for one ticket was one dollar! For 16 tickets was $15 and 30 tickets about $30. You would need at least 30 tickets because each game charges 3 tickets each. Too expensive, too many food attractions and selling attracting and not too good of a park. We now know we will not waste the time and gas from Chicago to come up here and see a really bad state fair.

    (1)

  • Kiki H.

    BRACE YOURSELF for the best state fair of. all. time. I have been visiting my grandma in WI either alone or with family since I was a little girl and this was my favorite part of the trip because I could stuff my face and not be given dirty looks because everyone else is doing the same! The state fair is more like a marathon of eating. You can't just go and try one or two things (shame on you!). You must eat it all. My most memorable trip was a few years ago where I took it upon myself to test the limits of my body, pop a few zantac, and see where it went from there. This is my day of eating at the state fair: first stop: starbucks. must have that caffeine to get the blood flowing. this is a crucial step for preparing your body for what's coming. state fair food: CHEESE. give. me. cheese. In the distance i see a golden halo around the friend cheese stand. praise god. So, bags of delicious fried cheddar cheese. AMAZING. best cheese of my life. Elephant year: fried dough with powdered sugar. Gotta curve my sweet tooth early in the day as its crucial to clog my arteries early on fried oreos: mmmmm, its just like it sounds, and yet so so much more...don't feel bad for eating as much as your heart desires what came next, the corn on the cob layered in butter and garlic and salt or the Sheboygan Bratwursts in the beer garden with some hef? I dont know, it was all such a blur, but they happened. Next I had to try a lamb gyro while perusing the art show, i mean, why not? fried eggplant glory made its way into my life during another stop to the fried cheese guy. god what else did i have? OH yes, cream puffs! you MUST wait in line for these bad boys and you might as well get two of them for you to "share." i'm pretty sure there was a pickle, fried mac and cheese, and some other sandwich thrown into the mix, and definitely funnel cake. but at this point, whose keeping track anymore? top off the day with a burger and custard from Kopps and a light pizza dinner with the family, and you have yourself a full blown emergency situation of food overload culminating in one hell of a sleep and lots of well-earned heartburn. god i can't wait to come back, can we kick out the CA state fair and just implement the WI fair here? I think i'll champion that movement...

    (5)

  • Kim M.

    Loved coming to the fair here in the summer. Like others have said, you really haven't lived until you've had a cream puff from the Wisconsin State fair. Well, that and chocolate covered bacon, and the fair had both. Seriously. Way better than it sounds. Midwestern food isn't really known for being healthy, but boy is it good. There are some healthier choices, like the roasted corn on the cob, but mostly these folks are about beer, cheese, and frying everything they can get their hands on. Outside of the fair, the facility hosts a variety of events, including things like car and RV shows. We went for an RV show this winter, and the parking was reasonable and in good supply. Since it was in one of the indoor arenas, it was spacious, climate controlled, and clean with plenty of restrooms and a food venue on site. People around this area are generally pretty nice, and the area around the fairground isn't dicey like in some other states. All in all a good experience for all the events we have experienced here.

    (4)

  • Gina B.

    I just can't get enough of the Wisconsin State Fair. Every year it is a host of spectacular foods, bands, attractions, shops, vendors, drinks and the list could go on and on. There is just so much to do and see, it can easily take a whole day or two. Great place for families, couples or out of town guests. So many shops and bazaars to choose from, every food you can think of and anything deep fried you can think of too! This year you can see grizzly bears, horses, cows, sheep, camels and pig races all in the same place. Where else in the world can you do that? Go Wisconsin!

    (5)

  • Char Y.

    After much hesitance due to the hot weather, we decided to embark on a 2 hour journey to the state fair, with a quick stop at kenosha for some outlet shopping. It was HUGE with lots of food options, maybe too many food options. Just think of ALL the junk food you can, then multiply it by 10. That's how much calories & trans fat that are being served on a daily basis at the fair. We had cream puff - great cream, average puff. It's just a vehicle for the cream. fried cheddar jalapeno cheese curd - yum yum yum hoagie sandwich from KK ranch - REALLY BAD. not worth $7 roasted corn with lots of butter - wow yum cedar crest ice cream - THE BEST EVER! creamy & fresh usinger's bratwurst - REALLY good we were just super stuffed and over heated after the food above, and decided to head back to chicago. I am now looking at the vendor list and realizing that there are much more food to be tried/fried. Maybe next year.

    (4)

  • Natalie S.

    I have to say it: I have never had better fried cheese in all my life. Yay, Wisconsin! I had never been to a state fair. I have some friends in Milwaukee who suggested we make the drive up from Chicago... so we did. I now heart state fairs. Must try list: Fried cheese curds Fried catfish from the cajun stand Fried oreos Fried mac and cheese Notice a trend here? I am scared for my arteries but it was all well worth it. Loved that ride that takes you across the park (the name eludes me right now). We were terrified for the first few minutes because of the height but it is a great way to get from one side to the other without getting run over by the crazy stroller people. I was impressed by the animal barns. They were so clean and there were just SO MANY animals to be seen. We were there the second to the last day and were suprised it wasn't that crowded. The longest we had to wait in line was probably 2 or 3 minutes. Loved it! Can't wait to go next summer!

    (4)

  • Melissa S.

    I risk being charged with treason against the state of Wisconsin for saying this but it's gotta be said: the cream puffs aren't that great. I mean, yes, they are big. That's pretty cool. And my son got a kick watching them being made. But in the end, it's a cream puff. Doesn't taste all that different from the stuff you get at the supermarket. And I've had my fair share of frozen and buy-in-bulk cream puffs. They weren't bad, but I'm not sure if I'd stand in line for 20 minutes and $3.50 for another one. The other thing that bothered us about the fair was the stupid teens who refuse to move out of the way even though we have one kid crying in our stroller because she's tired and hungry and 2 MONTHS OLD and another kid who just wants to be everyone's friend. OTHERWISE, we had a great time at our first state fair. Coming from California, I'm a newbie to state fairs, so I was impressed with what there was to offer. There's so much to see, so much to eat. Some of our faves: - The gyros were the best we've had in Wisconsin. Unfortunately, we forget the name of the stand. If you get a coupon book, there's a coupon for $1 a gyro and drink at this stand. - Some of the best cheese curds, as well, at Ben and Harry's Cheese Curds. Battered curds, VERY crispy, with a crag-like texture (as opposed to very smooth). - Expo center has cool food booths that we enjoyed looking at and wished we had visited before we bought our dinner. - The barns of animals were such a treat. It was just so cool to see these animals up close and personal... and clean. Our son was screaming with joy when we saw all the animals. - Flavored milk for 25 cents. It's so weird and so Wisconsin to stand in line for 15 for milk... but that's what makes it so cool. Chocolate milk was actually a disappointment but the strawberry milk was delicious. Wish we got there earlier so that we could play the games and go on the rides at the Midway, but by the time we made our way back to that side of the fairgrounds it was inundated with the aforementioned teens. We're not sure if it would've been worth it, too, if we had paid regular admission. You spend sooo much money on things like food that that paying 9 bucks per person for admission would... suck. So try to go on a day where there's some kind of promotion going on, like Hunger Task Force Day (first day, the day we went) or the Crazy Grazin' Day (Aug. 11) where the food is cheaper. Next time I'm trying a fried s'more or oreo. And I'm not getting a cream puff.

    (4)

  • Angela K.

    Ever since I was a child, I've had nothing but the fondest and silliest memories of Wisconsin's much heralded State Fair. My first recollections of State Fair include a very rainy day and subsequent puddle jumping and laughing that ensued. My most recent memories include similar amounts of joy and zeal, but now those excitements are of the foodie variety. This year was particularly epic because of the following items: 1. Deep friend macaroni and cheese on a stick. 2. Corn on the cob (the most glorious corn ever!) 3. Corn dogs. 4. Chocolate/brownie/ice cream cake with hot fudge. You can tell me all day that the cream puff is amazing, but I dare you to take a bite of this after a bite of a cream puff and tell me this isn't more amazing. 5. CHOCOLATE COVERED BACON The chocolate covered bacon was simply astounding. I loved it and will look forward to having it every year from now on. My only disappointment with State Fair this year was that my stomach wasn't large enough to accommodate more items!

    (5)

  • Liz M.

    The Top Ten Wisconsin State Fair "M" Family Traditions...(for many, many years running) 1. Watch the Piggie Races at "Pork-Chop Downs" 2. Eat a famously delicious Cream Puff (or two) 3. Stroll through the Horse Barn and fantasize about the day I retire...move out of the city limits and which gorgeous horse breed (or breeds) I will buy. 4. Sit at one of the many "beer gardens" and listen to a great (and sometimes not so great) live band. "Bobby Friss" being one of the best, "The Pink Flamingoes"...not so much. 5. Stroll through the "Wisconsin Products Hall" buy and consume Ostrich, Bison and/or Elk Jerky Sticks AND Cheese Curds. 6. The hubby winning a giant stuffed animal for the current, youngest member of the "M" family at the misshaped basketball nets-skill game. 7. Eat some type of food product on a stick. 8. Stroll through the giant, live-infomercial products hall and get sucked into buying some amazing product that never quite works as well as demonstrated. (This year it was amazing "cry-proof/smear-proof/sweat-proof"eyeliner....I'­ll let ya know) 9. Consume a freshly roasted, delicious, buttery Corn-On-The-Cob...I have since learned to always carry floss with me to the fair. 10. Promise each other to return next year to continue this tradition (we missed a few years here and there and have always regretted it) Disneyland may be the happiest place on earth...but the Wisconsin State Fair if the happiest place in the Midwest!

    (5)

  • September V.

    One of my favorite state fairs and I'm not even from Wisconsin!

    (4)

  • Steve J.

    Great fair. Try everything on a stick. Only miss was potato pancakes.

    (5)

  • Danielle M.

    Wisconsin State Fair is amazing. Some of my favorite things: Benno's beer tent is a must (kill a keg). Wine tasting. Deep fried cheese curds. Fresh corn dipped in butter and salt. Fresh made cream puffs (you will wonder why the fuck you wasted your time with the frozen ones). Giant turkey legs. 25 cent milk. Amazing people watching (freaks? check. rednecks? check. people so fat they're riding a moterized scooter? check. wannabe thugs? check. drunks? check. (I'd be in this category)....the list goes on). Pretty much the only thing I don't like about the fair is the amount of children. Hot, sweaty, messy, grubby, screaming, crying, sleeping, being pushed around in a double wide strolled children. YUCK. And their parents, taking up 10 times the space that I do with those double wide strollers and their wagon. I will be sure to be extra loud and extra drunk around you. I can't wait til next year!

    (5)

  • Robert S.

    What a Great Fair !! So we just moved to Chicago and wanted some food on a stick and saw that the Wisconsin State Fair was going on, so we planned a trip north for good tasting food oh what a great time and sections of food, if you can think of it someone probably had it on a stick just had to hunt it down, and all the fresh from Wisconsin food were yummy also the Cream Puffs are huge I can see why people come for them, plus that fact that they are made fresh right there the cheese curds were good as always but deep fried just made them better, and the pork on a stick was dang good also, oh and the every thing Wisconsin Building had some great Ice-cream, and of course there is the Usinger's booth if you have never tried there Brats or other meats try them you wont be sorry and the barn's have a great rotating selection of live stock and animals from the 4H kids so if you want to see certain animals you may want to play your trip after making a game plan of the web site this place had a bunch of rides and games for the kids big and small to win stuffed animals, or to just take a break from eating, and lots of places to get beer and booze, along with the live bands that were playing by most of the areas with booze and if you are visiting like we were the # 18 bus you can catch it at 2nd and Wisconsin will drop you off at the front gate of the fair we had a great time and are looking forward to going back next year

    (5)

  • Jeanette K.

    If you're craving just about anything fried, or on a stick, knives that can cut through concrete, or endless rows of chickens, the state fair is for you. The state fair is actually a really good time, complete with some awesome people-watching. Here are some of my favorites: HOT WISCONSIN CHEESE- there are fried cheese curd trucks everywhere, but hit one of the two trucks on either side of the main pavilion. They have the best cheese (and the longest lines). CREAM PUFFS- Not to be missed. ROASTED CORN- Very cheap and delicious. There's a big area in the middle of the fair where charities sell the corn. MAIN PAVILION- More cutlery sets, cheap jewelry, knick knacks, and super shammys than you can shake a stick at. Plus, the Leinie's lodge. HERB KOHL MILK STAND- Dixie cups of flavored milk for a quarter FTW. WISCONSIN PRODUCTS PAVILION- Pork on a stick, lots of cherry products, and a pretzel roll stand. Just like any state fair, prepare to walk a lot and hear lots of really bad music. Plus the half woman/half snake tent. Overall, a good time.

    (4)

  • Carolynne M.

    The Wisconsin State Fair is probably the most fun I have during the summer. 11 days of pure, unadulterated, unapologetic, decadence. Of course, when you are in the cow barn watching a few pooping right in front of you, these may not be the first adjectives that come to mind, but trust me. if you are in the market for craziness, a million calories and unlimited entertainment, this is for you. There are barns full of animals, chickens, roosters, rabbits, sheep, goats, cows and horses (Clydesdales and Percherons). There are buildings and booths dedicated to EVERYTHING, clothes, jewelry, household goods, etc. Plus the food. Cream puffs, baked potatoes, burgers made with venison, ostrich or bison meat, cheese curds, ice cream, corn, pizza. I am convinced that simply by going to this place once a year I have successfully staved off osteoporosis for the rest of my life. Dairy, dairy, dairy a go-go. Then, throughout the day, there are contests held in the coliseum. You will see sheep and cows being judged, but my favourite is the horse shows. There are all different kinds, like pulls, carriages and carts. The horses are immaculately groomed and dressed in beautiful ribbons and polished tack. It is a lovely sight. There are concerts, with music being performed throughout the day. In the evening, they usually have a pretty well-known headline act on the main stage. I only went once to that (Savage Garden), but it was a decent show. Never, never park in the attached lot. You can easily find street parking or "ghetto parking" (where people rent out their front lawns for $5 a piece). It is so much fun. Definitely something you have to try at least once.

    (5)

  • Victoria B.

    The night before our long journey to the Wisconsin State fair, the kids and I dream of Cream Puffs, Deep Fried Cheese Curds, Sheboygan Bratwursts, Sprecher Soda, and Wine Tasting. The newest item on that list is Deep Fried Smores. I'm sure my sister-in-laws dream of the shopping since there are over 400 different vendors selling everything from junk to hand-carved creations. A moment doesn't go buy that I don't have one of the kids pointing at something followed by, "Please mommy, please!" Of course we also go to see the animals. The kids love walking through the many barns filled with cows, pigs, sheep, and goats. The Discovery Barnyard has Animal Agriculture Education Displays and Livestock Barns has the Dairy Cattle but the best is in the Coliseum where the Clydesdale Draft Horses are and Horse Pull takes place. There is live music throughout the day but the Main Stage is where the tickets shows happen. We stick with the Cousins Subs Amphitheater where the kids can dance along for free. I know I missed some things but there is always next year. I'm always bummed out about the paid parking (it's everywhere) but there are so many thing to do and experience here, it's worth it. I love this place...

    (5)

  • John Y.

    This year's far was a disappointment. Overpriced for what is was first off. $9 just to get in? ...They should pay me to bring my ass up there! I could see $5... not $9. The food vendors while ever so numerous, offered more of the same in abundance, cheap WT food and prices higher than one would expect to pay. I know the fair needs to make money but improve on the food! Gone was the fresh pig roast! Pig barns were so dirty and unkempt that pig crap was all over the main walkway, you couldn't help but step right in it. $4 for a single ride on the tilt a whirl? ......Gimme a break! While it is close to Chicago, I would not suggest coming back anytime soon.

    (2)

  • Heather L.

    Ok, after reading all the reviews I have decided we did this way, way wrong last summer. Though I am a Wisconsin native, I had never been to the State Fair before and we weren't sure what to expect. The number one thing we did wrong is we decided to eat at a sit down restaurant called Saz's. What we didn't realize is that the fried food on a stick coming out of all those little huts is where you are supposed to eat. The rib dinner, fries and fried cheese curds looked yummy but tasted reheated and blah. And we were so crowded into our little table and were rushed out of there so fast it was anything but relaxing. And for that we spent $57 for two full slab dinners, a combo platter and two beers. Then I decided to try a Berry Weiss Leinenkugel for $6 from one of the stands and that was disgusting! Seriously, who drinks that crap? The only good thing is the guy let me trade it in for an MGD albeit with a bit of attitude about it. So the cows and the chickens and the sheep and all that were fun for the kids and as many as I ever need to see in one day. And the tram ride was probably the highlight. But then we messed up again! We wanted to see the swine races and 15 minutes before they were supposed to start we saw that the bleachers were wide open so we wandered away and came back right when it was starting. And all of a sudden there were hundreds of people there standing room only and we couldn't even get near the bleachers. Very disappointing. And last but not least, we regret not buying the cream puffs. We were so stuffed from our bland ribs and cold cheese curds we just weren't hungry enough to think about desert. But after I got home, I wish we had brought some with us. They have boxes. I just really wish they had a big lawn where you could sit with your kids, listen to music and chill. The only seats to sit and listen to music are at bars or in the few restaurants. And there are a ton of bars. But , I like festivals where I can set up camp and come back to my chairs or blanket all day long and eat my food and spread out a little bit. Well, now we know and I do think we will go back and do it the right way next time. Fried food on a stick, cream puffs, tram ride and swine races! We have a date in 2011!

    (3)

  • Michael J.

    Food, Food, Food!!! I'm from IL and I know I should be going to the Illinois State Fair, but the Wisconsin State Fair is so much closer. I've been going for a long time and it never disappoints. The nice part about the fair is that everything is paved and there are some buildings that have air conditioning. The food is always good. Cream Puffs, very fresh. The Brats, Corn, Various Foods on a Stick. I also enjoy the various BBQ offerings. Don't forget the Fresh Lemonade. Make sure to visit the building in the far south end of the state fair park. It's a pretty big building that has tons of vendors selling housewares, gifts, infomercial type items.

    (5)

  • G P.

    Heck of a lot of programming goes into this thing every year, there are so many things to like and do. Food is great, so much to try and a ton to do. Its not something I can put into total classification in one box, but its the best fair I have seen.

    (4)

  • Andy M.

    The Wisconsin State Fair is something that I look forward to all winter. Just the thought of the state fair keeps me just a bit warmer through the cold days of winter. There are more calories In West Allis for the two weeks of the WSF than anyplace on earth. It's a wonderful mix of red meat, cheese, and sweets that has something for everybody. For those of you who enjoy people watching, this is the greatest place on earth. The WSF is the heavy weight champion of people watching. Literally and figuratively. There are quite a few activities other than eating. There are cattle barns where you can pet the cows. There are also Horse shows which include the famous Clydesdale's and plenty of shopping to keep everyone occupied. I do have a few complaints about the WSF. First of all, when did parents start using their children's strollers as a battering Ram? Why would you use your precious children as a tool to help you get a better place in line at the Creme Puff stand? And secondly: Why would anybody who lives 700 miles of the Mason-Dixon line wear a confederate flag T-Shirt? Not only are we not in Alabama (where men are men and cattle are afraid), but why would you wear a symbol of hatred, lynchings and in-breeding? Maybe I'm just a good ole fashioned Yankee, but instead of wearing a confederate flag, why don't just wear a T-shirt saying any of the following? 1. I have an IQ below my hat size. 2. I have had sex with my sister. 3. I shoot defenseless animals to make up for the fact that I have a small penis. 4. Born to Hate. So in summary: Other than the obnoxious stroller people and the Backward-ass, Country Jackasses, the Wisconsin state fair is a wonderful venue. I would suggest not eating for at least 12 hours before your visit. That way you can enjoy all the decadence that the Wisconsin State Fair has to offer.

    (5)

  • Steve F.

    Expo center for sports event is too expensive! Don't even think about feeding your family, eat before you go! Ridiculous

    (1)

  • Justin E.

    Facility is nice. Not much willingness to have partnerships with outside organizations. All concessions are over-priced.

    (3)

  • Joe R.

    Gross food for gross people!

    (1)

  • Mark G.

    My fault that this is not getting more stars and I am hoping to save some grief. They cheeseheads in power did not plan for enough parking so if you don't get there early you have to walk really far or take the Park and ride option. That way way when you and your three small children finally make it to the fair you will have enough energy to acually see most of it. The carnival is awesome and the rides only 4-5 dollars each. The games in the kiddie section are 3-5 dollars per play but by carnival standards the prizes are pretty good. For like 150 dollars I got three really cool stuffed animals without doing anything too strenuous or challenging. I just wish it wasn't so far away so I could go back and see the racing pigs and have a cream puff. Oh yea, don't tell anyone but black cat fireworks on the way back to chicago is awesome. As where the brats at mars cheese castle. Yum

    (3)

  • Amy G.

    THE Wisconsin State Fair...what can be said that hasn't already been said. A tradition for most. Everyone has their selected target items to see, do or eat at the fair. Each for their own reasons. Which is why this is a hard event to review. Its based on our family's opinion only. If you have younger kids, make the sacrifice and get up early to get there early, not only will you beat the crowd, you'll see a whole different side of the fair as it wakes up for the day. The gates open at 8 a.m. Multiple places offer breakfast - the Machine Shed has an all you can eat pancake breakfast (average, but nothing syrup doesn't fix) there's a country style breakfast (bacon, eggs, hash browns, biscuit) this is also the place that sells chocolate covered bacon on a stick. Its not bad. So chocolaty you almost cannot taste the bacon - other than the salt factor. Don't think of calories. Its not allowed at the fair. By 9 am most of the vendors have opened. By 10 am the music has kicked in at many of the stages. (The machine shed has acoustic live music starting at 8 am for the breakfast crowd). One of the bargains of the fair - the $3 per person one way trip on the sky glider. Not only will it give kids feet a rest - its a good way to get an aerial lay of the land view - to pinpoint anything you may have missed. The other is the Big Slide. It's just a must for kids and parents. A potato sack + big slide = big smiles. Guaranteed. Yes it gets crowded. There's a reason. It's just plain fun. If you get cream puffs, opt for the single servings - only do a 3 pack "treat pack" ($10) if you plan on leaving the fair with them (they come in a box). They are not as full as the single served ones (again, this is only our opinion). Kids enjoy watching them being made - passes the time IF you have to wait in line - however the line does move (but, if you go early, you can avoid obnoxious lines). If it's hot (as it was today) go in the WI Products Pavilion (baked potato, caramel apple sundaes & multiple other WI products) to cool off or go into the Expo building for all the crazy products and sales pitches. The 4H art projects are in there as well. If you enjoy seeing the various animals make sure you look at the schedule - either on line at the State Fair website or in the daily schedule handed out at the entrance. As the fair winds down, fewer animals are there. Avoid disappointments by planning ahead. Use the coupon book available at the gates for the various food/ beverages. Oh and this year I had a food quest for Italian sausage - a friend had posted on FB a picture but unknown vendor name. Typically I would get Millie's however last year it was so charred and dried out, no amount of onions and peppers saved it. Their appearance at both stands was similar, so I passed. Found the amazing Italian sausage at Charlie's. They cook these coils of Italians on a flat top with peppers and onions and then cut off hunks as people order. So very good for $7. They also have amazing corn dogs - good batter - sweet - much better than the mass produced ones at the other stands. (again, its our opinion - no offense meant to anyone who has other preferences). Another advantage to going early is the parking situation. You can find it on side streets if you are willing to walk a few blocks. Naturally the later in the day it gets, the less likely you will find parking on the side streets - or a few blocks will turn into many blocks. People also offer parking in their yards for a price. Parking is also available in the State Fair lot - but as it gets later in the day, the odds of parking in the lot shrink. This is always an annual favorite for the family. Planning ahead is key in order to keep it fun for parents and kids.

    (4)

  • Benjamin H.

    Well, I was in Milwaukee and bumming around on tuesday afternoon and decided to head to the Wisconsin State Fair. Holy shit!! Even alone, I had a ton of fun, smell like manure and have probably gained 5lbs....ahhh, how I love thee, Wisconsin. First off, the various exhibits are really informative and fun for people of all ages. Some highlights are the DNR great lakes fish aquariums, the milking barn and the perch farming exhibit. I thought the expo center was really cool, albeit filled with more junk than useful stuff! But if you'd like to see a guy 'cut tomatoes so thin your relatives will never come back,' with a Ginsu knife, it's the place to be. I spent the most time in the 'Made in Wisconsin' tent. This was really a jewel for foods, housing everything from delicious buffalo burritos, door county cherries and Usinger Sausages. On the outside, there were some seriously good vendors, but just as many seasoned Carneys who probably weren't even from Wisconsin and just traveled around to festivals. Nonetheless, if you found a good one you may have enjoyed Wisconsin Cheddars fried on a stick, sweet corn dipped in a vat of melted butter from the Lion's Clubs, a good brat from the Brat Haus or a some delicious Gelato. If you go you absolutely cannot miss the judging barn, the cream puff epicenter and the horse, cow and pig holding areas. I can't wait to go back next year. Wisconsin's Finest festival...and so much fun.

    (5)

  • Stephen S.

    See Andy M. and Christine W.'s reviews...AWESOME spot-on reviews! Especially Andy...ripping on the stoller-idiots and hillbillies is a one-two punch stronger than the cream puffs-Giant slide combo The Fair offers! I myself love to walk through the expo center just to see all of the odd people...those selling and those dumb enough to be buying...it's like visiting a Third World county, just cleaner than Seven Mile Fair is all! And one of there years I think they're going to have to cart me out in an ambulance here...SO MUCH food I can't stand it! I'll fast for days beforehand just to have the room when we go. Pretty certain that at some point I ate a good 10,000 calroies in one visit! And no, I'm not another one of those cliches...I'm not a fatty Cheesehead...but I will admit to being a pretty big pig at The Fair!

    (5)

  • Nessie V.

    Didn't get to spend much time here, but I had fun. When I was young, I went to the New York State Fair, which is bigger but if you like one you'll like another. Definitely stop by the Maple booth for maple root beer and maple cotton candy. I'd like to come back and have more time to really explore.

    (4)

  • Chris S.

    Better than Summerfest! Nothing beats the State Fair! Imagine ANYTHING you could possibly want to eat - on a stick! Cheesecake, pickles, you name it... And don't forget the famous State Fair cream puffs. It's the only time of the year you can get 'em and thank heaven for that, or Milwaukee would be even fatter! Of course you have plenty of music, cows, horses, pigs, sheep, goats, chickens, carnival rides a plenty... it really doesn't get any better than this.

    (5)

  • Dee S.

    Today was $9/2 admissions & Crazy Grazin' Day (Aug. 11) where the food is slightly cheaper. Creampuff line was unbelievably long & busy but except for that, no terrible wait longer than 5min despite huge Tuesday crowd. This is foodie booth heaven if you like to eat & eat & eat. We found a coupon book kiosk but gave them away & didn't use them. We found a few bargains like $3 for 8oz of chocolate fudge, $1 Usinger sausage kabob with 3 types on the stick, $2.50 chicken (or pork) kabob @ a pita place. Alot of people including us went inside to the Pavilions etc to be in a/c & out of the sun with lots of food booths & displays there.

    (3)

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Opening Hours

  • Mon :8:00 am - 11:00pm

Specialities

  • Good for Kids : Yes

Wisconsin State Fair

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