Minnesota got some extra love this week thanks to an article by the New York Times.

A recent article by Allison Duncan -- a freelance writer for the New York Times who just moved to Minnesota in July -- shared with the world what we all already know -- the Minnesota State Fair is the best state fair in the country!

Title "A Newbie at the Minnesota State Fair," it's almost laughable as she recounts seven hours' worth of state fair sights, smells, sounds and activities most of us have come to take for granted.

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Allison shares how she joined the record-setting throngs on the opening day of the state fair and some of the tips and hints that had been suggested to her:

"...watch the Llama Costume Contest; to avoid the Kidway, whatever that is; to wear comfortable shoes; to take the SkyGlider chairlift instead of the Skyride because it’s better for photos; and to bring along a trusted guide."

Over the course of seven hours, she watched beauty pageant queens sculpted into blocks of butter; watched "buff men in plaid competing in events like the ax throw, the speed climb and the springboard chop at the Timberworks Lumberjack show;" admired the winners of the Giant Pumpkin Contest and Christmas Tree Competition; and "spent a disproportionate amount of time watching fairgoers zoom down a 170-foot-long rainbow-colored Giant Slide." She watched a sow give birth, rode the 360 degree swing-ride and SkyGlider chairlift and ate plenty of fair food.

Basically, Allison's experience was all of ours, and now the rest of the country knows how much the Great Minnesota Get Together rocks. Does that mean should we expect more record-setting crowds next year...?

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