Are You Fired Up for the Fair?

I love the Minnesota State Fair for a lot of reasons. If I had to pick one TOP reason, though, it would be easy: because it’s weird. Think about it. The Fair has everything! Where else can you watch butter sculpting, drink frozen wine slushy samples (hey, it was worth a try), ogle pumpkins as big as your car, buy wool on a stick, and watch pigs being born, all in the same day? Or, if you’re really fast, even in the same hour? There is ALWAYS something new and unique around the corner or up the street at the fair, and much of it is, well, kind of strange. Or in many cases, perhaps not strange by itself, but mixed in with everything else it becomes part of a great, random, assortment of stuff that would never coexist in any other setting, which of course is part of the appeal.

And that leads me to this place: the DNR’s indoor rifle range. Why spend your money at the Midway booths when you can do some shooting courtesy of the state of Minnesota? No, you won’t win a huge purple stuffed animal, but hey, assuming you’re over the age of six, what are you going to do with that giant bear, anyway? Now maybe a shooting range in itself isn’t weird, but it’s both odd and totally fitting that this one is tucked away inside the DNR building. Maybe it's just me, but I was surprised when I learned this place was here. I didn’t have the patience to stand in line to try it out for myself, but apparently this one lets you pretend to shoot (it’s laser – sorry, no, the DNR isn’t going to really let you shoot real firearms in their large, but not THAT large, historic building) at moving targets before moving on to shooting pretend ducks or quail.

And then you get to virtually pluck and roast the birds for your virtual lunch. Just kidding. If all that hunting has made you hungry, there are plenty of concession stands ready to sell you some turkey or chicken on a stick (I don’t believe pheasants, quail, or duck are available, although the 2013 new foods have not yet been announced…).

As far as the real guns go, please leave yours at home. The Minnesota State Fair bans guns on the premises during the duration of the fair.

Room With a View

Want one of the best views the Fair has to offer? Want it free? You'll want to check out the DNR's fire tower exhibit. I haven't had a chance to visit this place yet -- it was closed to the public for all of my youth, and in years since I have been at the fair with a young child in tow (children under six are not allowed up) -- but by all accounts this sounds like it's worth a visit. Approximately 300 people are allowed up daily, 25 at a time, and enjoy panoramic views of the Fair in all its glory. Assuming this year's rules are the same as years past, visitors must be physically able to walk up 84 steps, must leave their food and drink outside (the DNR thinks its tough to climb the stairs while holding a pronto pup in one hand and a souvenir cup of soda in the other), and need to be flexible about the time of their ascent: assigned time tickets are handed out on a first-come, first-served basis.

For a bit of context, the DNR's fire tower was built in 1966 specifically for the purpose of being a State Fair educational exhibit. It was closed to the public in 1978 due to safety concerns, but reopened in 2006 following an extensive renovation.

If you want the fire tower experience without the steps or the tickets, the DNR will once again be offering its popular fire tower webcam during the run of the Fair.