The Dutchess County Fair!

While I was at work the other day, the lady had a fun day at the Dutchess County Fair.  She was nice enough to take some pictures for me to show all of you, and write up a little description of the tasty foods and treats available at the fair.  I've been to this fair last year and it's usually pretty fun.

Food vendors at the Dutchess County Fair.

What follows is the lady's work.  Thank you for reading and enjoy :)

Walk-a-way Sundae and Popcorn.  Time to chow down.  

August 21st marked the opening day for the Dutchess County Fair.  Set in historic Rhinebeck, New York, this fair is over 160 years old.  It is among the biggest events in the county and attending it is a tradition for many local families. 

These are the local restaurant booths.

The food isn't the only reason to go to the fair, but it's a big draw for many.  Fair food is not health food, we know this. But if you're going to splurge, why not go all-out?  Three of my must-eats at this fair are the London broil sandwich, fried Oreos and the 4-H milkshake.

Heidi Jo's Beef Jerky 

Today's lunch came from the Butcher Boys stand, the charbroiled London broil sandwich really hit the spot. You can see the slabs on the grill and watch them cook, but don't worry if you drool because they're behind glass. They offer cheese, onions and peppers as toppings, and they also have mustard, barbecue and horseradish sauces at their condiment station. If that's not your thing, they also have Italian sausage. They offer cold fountain drinks, including a $5 souvenir cup with $2 refills.

The treats aren't just about the food.  Espiritu Andino has a great sound!

Any fair is rife with fried dough stands, and they usually offer fried Oreos, among other fried horrors or wonders. For those who are late for the deep-fried train, these are the good old classic cookie dipped in batter, fried and dusted with powdered sugar. Utterly decadent, make sure yours are fresh and not been sitting under a heat lamp lest they get rubbery, because then they're just sad.

Their ice cream is really good.

Even on the rare occasion that I don't feel like having these things (because of heat, crowds, if I've already eaten too much) the absolute must-get is the milkshake from the 4-H booth. For those not in the know, 4-H is a youth organization that, in this area, primarily involves kids from the farming communities. They breed and show livestock and make crafts, and their work is a major part of the fair. 

Sausage, Pork Rib, Steak, Wings...  The fair has it all!  They even had a Vietnamese  booth.

One of the fund raisers they do is to run a snack shop, the milkshakes from which are the stuff of legend. They use Byrne Dairy ice cream and Hudson Valley Fresh milk, and these add up to a very good reason people will wait in line for them for half an hour or more. At $4 each, they're a steal because you're also helping kids to good things. Why not pay with a five and tell them to keep the change? Then go visit the cows and thank them for the milk! To learn more about 4-H visit http://www.4-h.org/

Deep fried Yes Please!

When you're thirsty, I would recommend finding one of the many Karisa's Lemonade booths. They squeeze the fruit right in front of you and make it fresh one cup at a time, plus they offer lower-priced refills when you bring back your cup. If lemon isn't your speed, they have orangeade, limeade and lime fizz. See http://www.speedwayfoods.com for more.

Moo.

The yummy eats are not limited to carnival concessions. Many local restaurants run booths in the pavilion area, and one of the pavilions features food from local and not-so-local businesses. These include the best jerky ever - I recommend the Western - from Heidi Jo's Jerky (http://www.heidijosjerky.com), maple products - including maple cotton candy! - from Shaver-Hill Farm (http://www.shaverhillfarm.com), dips and sauces from Awesome Foods (http://www.awesomespecialty.com), just to name a few. Go in and sample... trust me, you'll want to buy.

The Sidewalk Stompers sounded pretty good, and the tuba was very amusing!

On the way out of the fair, one can stop at Migliorelli's farm market table. They have fresh, gorgeous produce at good prices, and they even have an unusual item or two; today, I got Baxter some of their Purple Haze carrots. Find out more about them at http://www.migliorelli.com/

More fun at the fair!

The Dutchess County fair occurs during the last full week in August. This year it runs through August 26th. For more information, go to: http://www.dutchessfair.com

Sit and relax!

That sums it up.  If you're anywhere in the Hudson valley, the Dutchess County Fair offers a good time for the whole family - and lots and lots of tasty things to eat!   I hope you enjoyed reading about the fair and looking at the pictures.

This is the place to get lemonade at the fair.

Cheers!