SEDALIA, Mo.—Nearly 350,000 fair-goers will have the opportunity to experience dairy in a new, fun way during the Missouri State Fair. New this year, Midwest Dairy is excited to introduce a Flavor of the Fair ice cream treat at the Gerken Dairy Center. The inaugural flavor is Kingdom Crunchdown, a dairy treat selected personally by Gov. Mike Parson, and available for this fair season only. The winning combination features layers of vanilla soft serve ice cream, strawberries and crunchy milk chocolate candy, topped with chocolate syrup and gold sprinkles. It’s a touchdown for your tastebuds!
“The new Flavor of the Fair will allow for some variety at the Gerken Dairy Center but also a little mystery that will lead to a yearly unveiling of different flavors,” said Nathan Roth, Missouri dairy farmer and chair of Midwest Dairy’s Ozarks division board. “I encourage all fairgoers to stop by if they are looking for a cold and refreshing treat while enjoying the Missouri State Fair. If you stop by, thank you for supporting your local dairy farmers!”
Other delicious dairy foods are offered at the Gerken Dairy Center, including other ice cream treats and various grilled cheese sandwiches, including grilled ham and cheese, pizza grilled cheese, and grilled bacon mac and cheese sandwiches. And don’t forget the ice-cold milk; the half pint-nutritional bargain is $1! The building – located at the Northeast corner of the fairgrounds between the cattle barns and coliseum is open daily from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. In addition to ice cream, you can enjoy and learn about dairy in various ways during the Missouri State Fair. Fairgoers will have the opportunity to experience dairy in the livestock buildings, as well as family-friendly activities and milking demos twice daily at 9:30 a.m. and 6 p.m. Don’t forget to visit the popular butter cow, also located in the Gerken Dairy Center. This year’s butter cow theme is “Lost in a Dairy Tale,” an interpretation of the Fair’s 2024 theme, “Summer’s Best Story.”
“The dairy industry is important to the Midwest, and we are excited to bring dairy to life during the fair,” said Stacy Dohle, Midwest Dairy’s Missouri farmer relations manager. “State and county fairs began as a way to promote agriculture while offering a place for the community to come and learn more about farming. Today, with more people living in urban areas, the opportunity for the people of Missouri to connect with farmers and learn more about where their food comes from is more valuable than ever before.”
Midwest Dairy® represents 4,000 dairy farm families and works on their behalf to build dairy demand by inspiring consumer confidence in our products and production practices. We are committed to Bringing Dairy to Life! by giving Consumers an Excellent Dairy Experience and are funded by farmers across a 10-state region, including Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Iowa, Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, Arkansas, and eastern Oklahoma. For more information, visit MidwestDairy.com, and follow us on Facebook and YouTube.