The Kansas State Fair is a geezer, old coot, all washed up. In your dreams, young whippersnapper. At 100 years old, the fair is going stronger than ever, offering the kind of wholesome, hands-on entertainment the Internet and reality shows will never match. To prove it, here are 100 things to do during the week-long party in Hutchinson.
(Jump to the web-exclusive final 50 here.)
Uniquely Kansas
1. Wild, Weird and Wonderful Midway
Check kansasstatefair. com for special deals.2. Senior Spelling Bee Grandma is still sharp as a tack.
3. Celebrity Goat Milking Contest Yep, just what it sounds like.
4. Birthing Center See calves born and interact with baby animals.
5. Cowboy Mounted Shooting Ridin and firing, yeehaw!
6. High School Marching Bands ninety-five bands and over five thousand students perform Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday.
7. State Fair Bingo A day-long event with prizes from the fair.
8. State Fair Railroad Offers families a tour of the fairgrounds.
9. Ye Old Mill indoor water ride in operation since 1915
10. High School Debates Catch future politicians in action.
11. Dream Rocket Project Features quilts that will wrap a space rocket.
12. Plein Aire Art Contest On-location painting by artists around the fairgrounds.
13. Baking With Lard Where do I sign up do judge?
New for 2013
14. Labor Day Parade Starts at 3pm at 13th and Main in Hutchinson and ends with entertainment at the Lake Talbott Stage.
15. Food Drive Bring non-perishable items to be entered in $100 giveaway.
16. Commemorative Birthday Items Provided to first five hundred fairgoers.
17. Commemorative Kansas Lottery Ticket Feeling lucky?
18. Centennial Mosaic Tile Dedication 10:30am September 7 at the Oz Breezeway.
19. Welde's Big Bear Show Trained bears on ladders and skateboards, oh my!
20. Strolling Acts You never know when or where you'll run into Polecat Annie.
21. Mama Lou American Strongwoman If mama ain't happy
22. Time Capsule Opening Warning: 1973 capsule may contain bell bottoms.
Music/entertainment
23. Kansas (the band) September 6, tickets $13
24. Demolition Derby September 9, tickets $6 (children twelve and under free)
25. Larry Gatlin and the Gatlin Brothers September 10, tickets $23/$29
26. Jars of Clay September 12, tickets $15/$30
27. Theory of a Deadman September 13, tickets $25
28. Lynyrd Skynyrd September 14, tickets $35/$45
29. Toby Keith September 15, tickets $20 to $65
Food, glorious food
30. Purple funnel cakes on K-State Day (September 8)
Jealous, Jayhawkers?31. Purple lemonade on K-State Day Now they're just rubbing it in.
32. Dutch Apple funnel cakes with caramel topping
33. Deep-fried birthday cake
34. Deep-fried jalape no twinkies
35. Maple bacon snicker doodles
36. Deep-fried mac and cheese
37. Pronto Pup Five stands keep up with demand.
38. South Hutch Methodist's homemade chicken and noodles and pies
39. Our Lady of Guadalupe Mexican cuisine
40. Catering-For-You Healthy wraps and salads, white wedding cake cupcakes
Centennial competitions/displays
41. Birthday-themed Quilt Blocking Contest
42. Birthday-themed Governor's Cookie Jar Contest
43. Minced Meat Pies
44. Homemade Ice Cream
45. Birthday Cake Contest
46. Birthday-themed Pumpkin Contest
47. Birthday party photographs
48. Kansas State Fair memorabilia
49. Historic County Fair Posters
50. 100th Eagle Scout Display
50 more things to do at the Kansas State Fair
If you picked up Splurge magazine on a newsstand, you saw our article on 50 things to at the Kansas State Fair. Here's a day-by-by breakdown of 50 other options for entertainment, competitions, food and more:
Friday, Sept. 6
8:00am Llama Show Bison Arena
11:00am Gary Keenan, Chainsaw Woodcarver North of Lake Talbott*
12:00pm Pig Races North of Bison Arena*
12:00pm Draft Horse Show/Halter and Cart Classes Expo Center
3:00pm Midway Opens west of U.S. Cellular Grandstand
7:30pm Ron Diamond, Bretz & Young Injury Lawyers Arena*
Saturday, Sept. 7
8am Miniature Donkey Show Expo II
11am Midway opens
12pm Randy's Music Jam/Children's entertainment Gottschalk Park
1pm Judging for 'Ultimate Apple Pie contest Domestic Arts Building
3pm Celebrity Grape Stomping Contest Lake Talbott
6:30pm Team Pull Championship Heavyweight Class Expo Center
Sunday, Sept. 8
8am Quarter Horse Show Expo Center
10am Tropical Shores Steel Drum Band Gottschalk Park
11am Food Department Food Sale Domestic Arts Building
2pm Kansas Arm Wrestling Championships Gottschalk Park
3pm K-State University Band Talbott Lake
Monday, Sept. 9
8am Marching Bands Bretz & Young Injury Lawyers Arena
10:30am Anchor Inn Fresh Salsa Contest Domestic Arts Building
12:30pm Heavenly Bells For Jesus Bell Choir Gottschalk Park
6pm Prairie Rose Wranglers Bretz & Young Injury Lawyers Arena
7:30pm Demolition Derby U.S. Cellular Grandstand
Tuesday, Sept. 10
8amPaint Horse Show Expo Center
9am High School Debates Encampment Building
10am Exotic Animal Petting Zoo Opens South of U.S. Cellular Grandstand
3pm King Arthur Baking Contest Judging Domestic Arts Building
5pm $100 Food Drive Drawing Bretz & Young Injury Lawyers Arena
6pm Sheep Dog Demonstration Bison Arena
Wednesday, Sept. 11
9am "Remembering Our Fallen" photograph display Oz Gallery
10am Suffolk Sheep Show
10:30am Glenda and Mike's Magic Show Lake Talbott*
2pm Kansas Auctioneers Bid Calling Contest Bretz & Young Arena
3pm Floriculture Judging Pride of Kansas Building
7:30pm Outlaw Truck and Tractor Pulls U.S. Cellular Grandstand
Thursday, Sept. 12
9am Limousin Beef Cattle Judging Prairie Pavilion
9am Cart Driving Demo Expo Center
1pm Hampshire Swine Show Sheep Swine and Goat Building
2pm Dr. Goddard's Lab Do Art Building*
4:30pm Silver Buckle Drill Team Expo Center
Friday, Sept. 13
9am Birthing Center Opens Birthing Center*
9am Big Rig Rides U.S. Cellular Grandstand
10:30am Give A Chicken A Bath Demo Poultry Building*
11am Soil guys Bretz & Young Injury Lawyers Arena
3pm Celebrity Goat Milking Contest Sheep Swine and Goat Building
4pm INSTEP Rock & Roll Bretz & Young Injury Lawyers Arena
Saturday, Sept. 14
9am 4H Dog Show Bison Arena
10am Milking Demostration Milking Parlor*
11am Watusi Show Livestock Arena
3pm Herrold Sisters Lake Talbott
4pm Quilt Auction Bretz & Young Inury Lawyers Arena
Sunday, Sept. 15
7:30am 4H Horse Show Expo Center
10am Antique Tractor Pull Bison Arena
10am Nostalgic Car Show South of Administration Building
11am Kansas Kountree Kloggers Bretz & Young Injury Lawyers Arena
1pm Homemade Ice Cream Contest Domestic Arts Building
Indicates a daily performance
