Food, fun & screams

Thrill seekers searching for food, fun and screams will hit the jackpot beginning today (Tuesday) as Minnesota’s best and largest county fair gets underway in Owatonna.
The Steele County Free Fair officially opens the gates at 5 p.m. today and runs through Sunday. In keeping with a tradition started back in 1927, admission to the fair will remain free. 
Local fair officials are often asked what their secrets are to running a successful fair that attracts as many as 350,000 people each year. President Dan Deml points to two things. “First, it’s a free fair where people keep coming back day after day,” he said. “And it’s their fair. Many people take pride in this fair.”
In 2014, the fair attracted an estimated 339,671 people, compared to the record of 350,899 set the previous year. The fair has experienced near-ideal conditions during each of the past three years. 
There are no big wholesale changes at this year’s fair, but as always fairgoers will find several new things, according to Jim Gleason, fair manager. 
Fair enthusiasts should be able to breathe a little easier when they stroll around the grounds this year. For the first time, the fairgrounds have been declared smoke-free, with six different spots scattered around as designated smoking areas. 
The new policy came about because of concerns from public health officials after they found that 83 percent of fairgoers at last year’s fair were in favor of going tobacco-free. 
Gleason is asking people to “self police themselves” in adhering to the smoking ban. 
There are several new foods for those with a sweet tooth and a hankering to try new things. Some of the new foods include: roast beef sundaes, French macaroons, potato pancakes and fry bread/Indian tacos. There will be more than 100 food vendors on the grounds.
The fair continues to blaze forward with technology. This year the fair has added a “QR Code” on all printed materials. Fairgoers can shoot the code with their iPhones and it will take them to the fair’s website to find out any information they want to know. 
“We’re trying to reach more people and we want to reach the younger folks,” Gleason explained about the technology upgrade. “It’s just another convenience thing we’ve added.”
Added Deml: “We’re on the cutting edge.”
Screams will likely fill the air as thrill-seeking kids enjoy two new rides on the midway, including a second Zipper ride and Twist and Drop. 
For those wanting to watch others enjoy thrill-seeking adventures, a showcase attraction on the midway is back again for a third straight year. The Human Cannonball will be blasting across the midway every day. 
David Smith Jr. will be shot out of a 35-foot cannon and 150-feet into the air. His daring stunt will take place at 5:30 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday and 2:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. on Sunday.
The cannonball man holds the “Guinness Book of World Records” for the longest cannonball shot at 194 feet and the highest height at 77.5 feet. 
Prior to Smith performing at the recent fairs, his father did several stunts at previous fairs before 2009. 
The grandstand will feature seven shows this year. The kickoff will be live bull riding at 7:30 p.m. tonight (Tuesday). The Battle of the Bands will take place at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday followed by Lost Highway concert.
Hairball will return as the major headliner Thursday at 7:30 p.m. The band has gained huge popularity around the Midwest in recent years.
Other grandstand shows include a NTPA tractor/truck pull at 7:30 p.m. Friday, antique tractor pull classic at 8:30 a.m. Saturday, endure race at 6 p.m. Saturday and the demolition derby will close out the fair Sunday at 4 p.m.
There will be free entertainment at various stages around the grounds throughout the entire fair. There are also four new bands performing in the beer garden this year. 
The fair is conducting an on-line survey this year to get a gauge of what people think about the local extravaganza. This will be the first time in a decade that a survey has been done, according to Todd Hale, publicity director. 
“We like to know what people think of our fair and what suggestions they may have,” Hale said, noting the survey is short and should take no more than ten minutes. 
Fairgoers can access the survey as well as other information by going to the fair’s website. The Times has created a link that can be accessed by clicking on the fair’s banner ad on our homepage at steeledodgenews.com.