Wisconsin State Fair: Bizarre New Foods And Drinks You Can’t Resist
When’s the last time you’ve had a truly unique food and drink experience? The 2023 Wisconsin State Fair challenges the status quo and offers bizarre foods and mocktails. After having that giant cream puff (a State Fair staple), check out some tasty, out-of-this-world creations. The Sporkies is the state’s competition for unique and unusual foods. And this year, they are adding drinks to the Sporkie Finalists competition (yes, you heard that right). They make you look twice at what you’re about to taste and sip — and they're all delicious. Here are a few new foods and drinks that you can’t get anywhere else.
Out-Of-This-World Creations
Wisconsin Beer Cheese Lava Cake
What’s better than the combo of pretzels and cheese? (we’ll wait). Pull apart a warm pretzel filled with ooey gooey beer cheese goodness. Feel like you can already taste it? If you’re a fan of cheese and pretzels, you’ll be doing your happy food dance after trying this one.
Coastal Corn Nuggets
When you pair breaded corn bites, queso and homemade coleslaw, you get the perfect savory snack. To finish it off, it’s garnished with pineapple mango salsa and sprinkled with crumbly cotija cheese. Is your mouth watering yet? This dish sure is one to add to your state fair bucket list.
Deep-Fried Apple Pie
Start the day off on a sweet note with this one. At the state fair, they love to deep fry all the best foods. This staple dessert is deep fried to perfection and drizzled with caramel sauce. Try a bite, you will be sure to want another.
Dill Pickle Donut
If you and your friends are feeling adventurous, try a creation that started as an April Fool’s Day joke. A donut is glazed with pickle juice, spread with whipped cream cheese and topped with thick cut dill pickles. You can’t have a donut without sprinkles – this sweet and savory donut is sprinkled with dill pickle seasoning.
Irish Dipper
Here’s to trying new foods for lunch. Grab a top-notch sandwich with layers of tender Irish beef, Guinness cream cheese, caramelized onions, and Irish cheddar, all served on a French role. Served with gravy on the side, so you can dunk this delicious sandwich for the perfect meal.
The Porkie
This treat says summer all the way. Here’s the inside scoop – this sundae combines vanilla ice cream, rich hot fudge, graham cracker crust, cheesecake bites, and warm caramel. It’s garnished with a graham cracker cookie, candied bacon dipped in chocolate and dusted in sprinkles, and a cherry on top (of course). This top-tier dessert is a great one to share (or you can each get your own).
Funnel Cake Fries
After coasting down the classic giant slide or enjoying SpinCity, it’s time for a treat. Enjoy this iconic dessert with a twist – share a plate of funnel cake pieces drizzled in chocolate (you can’t get better than that). This dish will bring you back to memories with your friends at an amusement park or a night at the carnival.
Wisconsin Quesadilla
Wisconsin’s iconic foods in a tortilla: a warm flour tortilla is stuffed with cheese curds, brats, onions, peppers and sprinkled with shredded cheese. To make it even more tasty, it’s served with sour cream and salsa. And this must-experience fair food is a great one to share with your festie bestie.
One-Of-A-Kind Sips
Brown Sugar Sweet Potato Iced Latte
Looking for a sweet summer drink to sip on? This latte combines brown sugar, sweet potato puree, a pinch of cinnamon, a splash of brown sugar and boba pearls. To make it even better, it’s topped with a toasted marshmallow.
Cotton Candy Lemonade
If you have a sweet tooth, you will love sipping on this refreshing creation. Your favorite sweet treat as a kid is combined with this classic summer drink. Swirl it together and you get Cotton Candy Lemonade.
The Ferris Mule
Need a refreshing mocktail to cool off after riding the Ferris wheel? Crafted to perfection, this summer sip is made with fresh blackberries, ginger beer, lime juice, agave nectar and is garnished with juicy blackberries, a rosemary sprig and a lime wheel.
The Mango Tango Tajín
This Caribbean themed smoothie is sweet with a kick of spice. It’s layered with juicy mangoes, pineapple and sweet strawberries. To top it off, it’s drizzled with sweet and spicey chamoy sauce and dusted with tajÍn seasoning. If you like a splash of spice, then this mocktail is for you.
Winner Gets the Golden Spork
These creative dishes and drinks could win this year’s Sporkie Awards. All these foods and drinks are qualified Sporkie finalists - the state fair’s annual competition for unique and unusual foods, and the winner gets a golden spork, literally.
The Wisconsin State Fair (held every year in early August) is the perfect way to celebrate summer with your crew. Looking to learn what else to explore at the state fair? See how you can Celebrate Fun at the Wisconsin State Fair.