America's Wacky Fair Foods

Hawaii: Chicken-Fried Bacon
Photo: Photo © Irene Chen

Cotton candy, corn dogs, and candy apples once ruled the midway at the local fair, but visitors now want food that's exotic — as long as it's on a stick, or more importantly, fried. From forehead-scratching anomalies like fried dough injected with Pepsi to squirm–inducing chocolate–dipped scorpions, the new sideshow is food. — Justine Sterling

01 of 23

Indiana: Hot Beef Sundae

Indiana: Hot Beef Sundae
Photo © Tom Coates

Indianapolis

When state fairgoers tired of the iconic rib eye steak sandwich, Indiana's Beef Cattle Association invented the Hot Beef Sundae, layered with mashed potatoes, marinated beef, gravy, cheese, corn "sprinkles," and a cherry (tomato).

02 of 23

Texas: Fried Beer

Texas: Fried Beer
Photo © Amanda Gillispie

Dallas

Even alcohol can be fried when it's pocketed in pretzel dough. The food innovation won the 2010 Big Tex Choice Awards at the Texas State Fair.

03 of 23

Montana: Fried Butter Balls

Montana: Fried Butter Balls
Photo © Heather Leah Kennedy

Great Falls

While the Montana State Fair is famous for its Big Sky Pro Rodeo Roundup, Paula Deen wannabes and other fried-food enthusiasts head for the deep-fried butter balls.

04 of 23

Kansas: Pickle Pop

Kansas: Pickle Pop
Photo © Harper Reed

Hutchinson

The Kansas State Fair's answer to a freezer pop — filled with briny pickle juice — is a chilling, super-sour pairing for the region's famous barbecue.

05 of 23

California: Python Kebabs

California: Python Kebabs
Photo © Dan Scott of The Sac Rag

Sacramento

After realizing that visitors to the California Exposition & State Fair wanted more adventurous foods, vendor George Sandefur changed his offerings from chicken to foods that "taste like chicken." Grilled python kebabs seasoned with Worcestershire sauce, liquid smoke, Old Bay, and lemon-pepper are a new favorite.

06 of 23

Massachusetts: Fried Jelly Beans

Massachusetts: Fried Jelly Beans
Melissa Rebelo

West Springfield

The Big E (a nickname for the Massachusetts State Fair) doesn't force a choice between candy and funnel cake. These jelly beans are dipped in batter before being deep-fried.

07 of 23

Wisconsin: Elvis on a Stick

Wisconsin: Elvis on a Stick
Photo © Brian Jacobson

West Allis

The now-retired Slim McGinn's stand at the Wisconsin State Fair paid homage to legendary musician Elvis Presley and his love for excess with a portable dessert called Elvis on a Stick: a deep-fried banana-battered peanut butter cup with bacon.

08 of 23

Florida: Cheeseburger with Fried Ice Cream

Florida: Cheeseburger with Fried Ice Cream
Photo © Courtesy of Dennis and Cheryl Reas

Tampa

One Florida State Fairgoer rationalized the appeal of a cheeseburger topped with deep-fried ice cream by describing the salty-sweet hybrid as a "milkshake burger."

09 of 23

Ohio: Chocolate-Covered Bacon on a Stick

Ohio: Chocolate-Covered Bacon on a Stick
Photo © A. Bill Miller

Columbus

Known as a "muddy pig," chocolate-covered bacon on a stick isn't new to fairgrounds, but the Ohio State Fair gilds the salty-sweet construction with a candied cherry.

10 of 23

Alaska: Reindeer Sausage

Alaska: Reindeer Sausage
Photo © Courtesy of FishEx

Palmer

Alaska's State Fair celebrates the sunny season with grilled local reindeer sausages and a giant-cabbage contest. The current record of nearly 139 pounds was set in 2012.

11 of 23

Minnesota: Spaghetti and Meatballs on a Stick

Minnesota: Spaghetti and Meatballs on a Stick
Photo © Mike Immekus/Leadfoot's Bar & Grill

Falcon Heights

The Minnesota State Fair (aka The Great Minnesota Get-Together) serves everything from candy apples to camel meat on a stick. To transform an iconic Italian dish into a portable novelty, spaghetti is mixed into a meatball, which is then cooked, battered, fried, skewered, and rolled in marinara sauce.

12 of 23

Alabama: Krispy Kreme Hamburgers

Alabama: Krispy Kreme Hamburgers
Photo © Bob B. Brown

Birmingham

The doughnut burger at the Alabama State Fair features a quarter-pound hamburger, bacon, cheese, and two glazed Krispy Kreme doughnuts in place of a single bun.

13 of 23

North Carolina: Kool-Aid Pickles

North Carolina: Kool-Aid Pickles
Photo © deepfriedkudzu.com

Raleigh

Also known as Koolickles, pickles soaked in the sugary kids' beverage are a Southern tradition — and a sweet-and-sour snack at North Carolina's annual state fair.

14 of 23

Illinois: Alligator on a Stick

Illinois: Alligator on a Stick
Photo © Michael Braly

Springfield

After enjoying some gator antics at the state fair's Swampmaster Alligator Show, visitors can sample the entertainment, deep-fried, on a stick.

15 of 23

Arkansas: Deep-Fried Egg on a Stick

Arkansas: Deep-Fried Egg on a Stick
Photo © Kat Robinson

Little Rock

While other fairs fry liquids and supersize burgers, the Arkansas State Fair exalted the simple hard-boiled egg with a dunk in batter and oil and a selection of dipping sauces, like jalapeño-ranch and sweet-and-sour.

16 of 23

California: Deep-Fried White Castle Burgers

California: Deep-Fried White Castle Burgers
Photo © JoAnn Maxwell Stougaard

Costa Mesa

The Orange County Fair is so dedicated to frying that a vendor called Heart Attack Café chose Deep Fried Butter Stand as its new name after being pressured with legal action by Arizona's Heart Attack Grill. Even more stupendous: Chicken Charlie's fried White Castle cheeseburgers (bun and all) at the 2011 fair.

17 of 23

New York: Kangaroo Spiedies

New York: Kangaroo Spiedies
Photo © flickr.com/people/mikes_trips/

Syracuse

The Great New York State Fair, the oldest in the United States, spotlights a local sandwich specialty known as a spiedie, featuring marinated cubes of grilled meat on a soft Italian roll. While chicken, lamb, or beef is a common filling, kangaroo loin made an unexpected replacement at 2011's event.

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Oregon: Roadkill

Oregon: Roadkill
Photo © Courtesy of Oregon State Fair

Salem

In 2011, the Oregon State Fair was home to a flattened, deep-fried dough delicacy that just looks like it tried to cross the road at the wrong time, complete with oozing fruity sauces and syrups.

19 of 23

California: Chocolate-Covered Scorpions

California: Chocolate-Covered Scorpions
Photo © Sabrina Hampton

Pleasanton

At the Alameda County Fair, raccoon on a stick was barely adventurous compared to crunchy chocolate-covered scorpions — though the dessert was no longer poisonous.

20 of 23

Oklahoma: Deep-Fried Mashed Potatoes on a Stick

Oklahoma: Deep-Fried Mashed Potatoes on a Stick
Photo © Rich Hutchinson

Tulsa

At the state fair in Tulsa, bacon-cheddar mashed potatoes are formed into balls before being beer-battered, fried, and served on a stick with ranch dressing.

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South Carolina: Fried Pepsi

South Carolina: Fried Pepsi
Photo © Sean Mellody

Columbia

Pepsi was created in North Carolina, but it's hardly recognizable in South Carolina, where state fair vendors injected fried dough with Pepsi syrup and topped the result with powdered sugar and more syrup.

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Iowa: Octo-Dog

Iowa: Octo-Dog
Photo © Cia_B of writingwithmymouthfull.com

Des Moines

Iowa's annual state fair prides itself on big animals: The Big Boar, the Largest Rabbit, the Heaviest Pigeon. The diminutive Octo-Dog is just another mutant food. Sliced so its strips curl up during cooking, a hot dog is then speared with a straw for easy pick-up and served on a "sandy floor" of macaroni.

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Hawaii: Chicken-Fried Bacon

Hawaii: Chicken-Fried Bacon
Photo © Irene Chen

Wailuku

The Maui County Fair is home to local specialties like poi (made from taro), banana lumpia (similar to spring rolls), and tuna poke (like tartare), but vendors nod to mainland tastes with chicken-fried bacon.

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