ST. PAUL, Minn. – Food, friends and fun are annually abundant at the Minnesota State Fair – just like bottomless milk, creamy malts and flavorful cheese. This year, visitors to the fair have a variety of ways to celebrate the dairy tradition and can partake in all the Undeniably Dairy fun, including a visit to the Dairy Goodness Bar to enjoy the winner of Midwest Dairy’s fifth annual “Flavor of the Fair” contest: Birthday Batter Blast malt or sundae. They can also make flavor suggestions for next year while watching the 66th Princess Kay of the Milky Way and the nine finalists have their likenesses carved in butter. Also, not to be missed is the All-You-Can-Drink Milk Stand, owned by Minnesota’s dairy farm families. Celebrating its 65th year at the fair, visitors to the All-You-Can-Drink Milk Stand can purchase a bottomless cup of 2 percent white or low-fat chocolate milk for just $2. Guests can also join other dairy devotees for the 35th Annual Milk Run 5K early on the first Sunday of the fair.
New Flavor of the Fair for 2019: This spring, Midwest Dairy conducted its fifth annual online “Flavor of the Fair” public poll to select a new featured malt or sundae flavor for this year’s fair. The winner was…Birthday Batter Blast!
Birthday Batter Blast will only be available in the Dairy Building during this year’s fair. This flavor combines two things we look forward to all year round: the Great Minnesota Get-Together and birthdays. Celebrate with creamy vanilla ice cream or malt topped with birthday cake bites and rainbow sprinkles.
Visitors to the Dairy Goodness Bar will be able to suggest potential flavor combinations for the 2020 “Flavor of the Fair.” As always, the Dairy Goodness Bar will serve up its variety of famous malts, sundaes and cones, as well as milk, yogurt, Greek yogurt, cheese sticks and fresh cheese curds.
At the Dairy Goodness Bar, on Thrifty Thursday (Opening Day, Aug. 22), receive $1 off malts. On Senior Days (Monday, Aug. 26, and Thursday, Aug. 29), ice cream cones are two for $5. On Kids’ Days (Monday, Aug. 26, and Monday, Labor Day, Sept. 3), ice cream cones are two for $5. And on Military Appreciation Day (Tuesday, Aug. 27), $1 off malts for all guests.
Minnesota’s Icon, Princess Kay: The 10 Princess Kay of the Milky Way candidates have been preparing for judging and coronation since they were selected in May. From the start of the Princess Kay program in 1954, the coronation has served as the unofficial kick-off to the fair, bringing together State Fair and dairy enthusiasts
to celebrate the dairy community’s important contribution to Minnesota. The coronation ceremony starts at 8 p.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 21, at the State Fair Band Shell (1302 Cooper Street).
Beginning on Thursday, Aug. 22, the 2019 Princess Kay of the Milky Way and each of the nine Princess Kay finalists will have their likenesses carved in butter. Princess Kay’s likeness will be carved over two days, on Thursday, Aug. 22, and Friday, Aug. 23, with one of the nine finalists’ likenesses carved each day of the fair through Sunday, Sept. 1, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the Dairy Building (1694 Judson Avenue). Princess Kay and the finalists will share their dairy stories and answer questions from the crowd as they sit for artist Linda Christensen inside the 40-degree, rotating sculpting booth. They will also appear in Midwest Dairy’s educational area across from the butter sculptures, bringing dairy to life with fair-goers by sharing stories and answering questions about farmers’ commitment to health, animal care and the environment.
Princess Kay and the finalists will also provide family activities and games at the Christensen Farm Stage near the FFA Miracle of Birth Center (Judson and Clough) at the following times throughout the fair: • Saturday, Aug. 24 from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. • Sunday, Aug. 26 from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. • Monday, Aug. 27 from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. • Friday, Aug. 30 from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. • Saturday, Aug. 31 from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. • Sunday, Sept. 1 from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Fair-goers can follow the Princess Kay coronation live and see updates from the Fair on Twitter, @MidwestDairy and with the hashtag #MNPrincessKay, as well as on Princess Kay’s Facebook page.
All-You-Can-Drink Milk: The Best Value at the Fair – Fairgoers seeking their fill of fresh, cold, 2 percent white or low-fat chocolate milk can do so for just $2 per cup at the All-You-Can-Drink Milk Stand, which will celebrate its 65th year in 2019. The all-you-can-drink tradition began in 1955 when the stand was a tent on Machinery Hill, charging a dime for a bottomless cup of white milk. It later moved to its current location on the corner of Judson and Clough (kitty-corner from the Coliseum), and following a rebuild of the stand in 2004, chocolate milk was added to the menu. It is the only food or drink item offered at the fair as an unlimited item.
35th Annual Milk Run: Runners will be behind the starting line when the 35th annual State Fair Milk Walk/Run 5K kicks off this year on Sunday morning, Aug. 25, (7:45 a.m.; on West Dan Patch south of the West End Market). Midwest Dairy is sponsoring the event again this year, with Kemps providing the free chocolate milk to runners as they cross the finish line. All runners will also receive a coupon for a complimentary treat from the Dairy Goodness Bar, courtesy of Minnesota’s dairy farmers. Princess Kay of the Milky Way will give the signal for the race to begin.