The Oklahoma State Fair is over the 100 year mark by 7 years. Wow to be over 100 years in existence and still an Oklahoma annual favorite. With everything you love about the fair from crazy fried food and rides to events and entertainment, the 2013 Oklahoma State Fair runs from September 12th through the 22nd.
My family has been coming to the OK State Fair for 9 years now and If you're not on a ride at the fair there's a good chance you're eating some good old fried fair food or in the exhibit halls.
From corn dogs to turkey legs to chocolate coved bacon to cotton candy and funnel cakes...the food is what lures us and many others to the fairgrounds. And many fairgoers say a day with the family at the fair isn't cheap. A cashier at our local grocery store said he spent $150.00 between admission, food and rides for him and two sons. It costs $5.00 for Parking and Admission is $9.00
I clearly remember when we moved here in 2004 admission prices were $6.00 and food prices were affordable. You could get like a meal deal for $5.00. It wasn't a lot of food but you had a plate with a couple of items. Carnival rides had a promotion. Bring a Dr Pepper can and save $8 off the price of a carnival ride wristband. ($20 without a can $12 with a can). Now rides are $35.00 for wristbands.
The cost of most fair food in 2013 ranges anywhere from three to ten dollars. And at some places re-fills on drinks will cost two to three dollars. Now, depending on which vendor you go to... fair favorites like cotton candy could cost you five dollars and larger bags could cost eight dollars. Vendors set the costs.
Prices really have made a difference, with less options bought and tried in our family. It seems like when folks come to the fair they already expect to pay the higher prices for food, but these are getting ridiculous was the general opinion we heard. And some folks say the fair is just a once a year thing, so they say they might as well just accept the higher prices and enjoy the good and crazy food but in moderation by sharing. Some goers eat a meal before and just come for desserts like fried oreos, fried twinkles, fried beer, fried PB&J, fried butter, fried coke, fried and batter dipped bacon, fried chicken with cornflakes, fried Pop-Tarts, fried jelly Beans, fried... whatever you want.
It's high, but we just bite the bullet and keep going because i love the Auto show, Home show type vendors (tornado shelters is what we looked at) the 4-H displays, Fine Arts, Food competitions, Largest Pumpkin, best bread, cake, cookies, pie, canned vegetables, canned pickles, canned peaches, jams, jellies, Decorative Painting, Hand Painted Furniture, Collections, Crafts, Miniatures like Doll houses, Trash 2 Treasure: Recycled Crafts, Egg Art , Woodcarving, Woodworking and Woodburning, Let’s Celebrate , Stamping and Scrapbooking , Leathercrafting, Wood Turning, Beadwork, Polymer Clay Creations , Basketweaving, Dev. Disabled Crafts, Sticky Fingers: Duct Tape Creations, Fancy Feet, Best Dressed Pumpkin Contest, Breast Cancer Awareness: Beautiful Bras, Scrapbook pages, Greeting Cards and other exhibitions for livestock, horses, goats challenges for ribbons and my favorite People watching.
Hubby, Doug and I ended up spending $58.00. Despite the higher costs, we plan to keep coming to the fair so we can have a good time and enjoy what we can afford of the fair food. Hopefully they'll have some coupons next year.
