Indulge in That’s S’more Like It Malts and Sundaes, Watch the 65th Princess Kay of the Milky Way Coronation and Celebrate 64 Years of the All-You-Can Drink Milk Stand
SAINT PAUL, Minn. (August 2018) – From butter sculptures to bottomless milk, it’s time once again to celebrate dairy traditions at the Minnesota State Fair! Visitors to this year’s fair have a variety of ways they can partake in all the Undeniably Dairy fun, including a visit to the Dairy Goodness Bar to enjoy the winner of Midwest Dairy’s fourth annual “Flavor of the Fair” contest: That’s S’more Like It malt or sundae. They can also make flavor suggestions for next year while watching the 65th Princess Kay of the Milky Way and the 11 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 64th 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 34th Annual Milk Run 5K early on the first Sunday of the fair.
New Flavor of the Fair for 2018
This spring, Midwest Dairy conducted its fourth annual online “Flavor of the Fair” public poll to select a new featured malt or sundae flavor for this year’s fair. The winner is…That’s S’more Like It!
That’s S’more Like It will only be available in the Dairy Building during this year’s fair. The flavor is made with Minnesota dairy farmers’ secret, State Fair-recipe vanilla ice cream or malt, topped with graham cereal, teeny marshmallows and chocolate syrup. It will take you away to weekends at the cabin, where the days start with sunshine and end with s’mores by the campfire.
Visitors to the Dairy Goodness Bar will be able to suggest potential flavor combinations for the 2019 “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. 23), $1 off malts. On Senior Days (Monday, Aug. 27, and Thursday, Aug. 30), ice cream cones are two for $5. On Kids Days (Monday, Aug. 27, and Monday, Labor Day, Sept. 3), ice cream cones are two for $5. And on Military Appreciation Day (Tuesday, Aug. 28), $1 off malts.
Minnesota’s Icon, Princess Kay
The 12 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, August 22, at the State Fair Band Shell (1302 Cooper Street).
Beginning on Thursday, August 23, the 2018 Princess Kay of the Milky Way and each of the 11 Princess Kay finalists will have their likenesses carved in butter, one each day beginning with Princess Kay, 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, August 25 from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m.
- Sunday, August 26 from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m.
- Monday, August 27 from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m.
- Friday, August 31 from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m.
- Saturday, September 1 from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m.
- Sunday, September 2 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 64th year in 2018. 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.
34th Annual Milk Run
Members of Team Dairy – a running group for dairy enthusiasts – will be behind the starting line when the 34th annual State Fair Milk Run 5K kicks off this year. The team will participate in the annual race on Sunday morning, August 26, (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.