State Fairs and What Makes Them Special. One of the most quintessentially American traditions of all is the State Fair. New Englander Elkanah Watson is credited with creating the first agricultural fair in the U. S. the Pittsfield, Massachusetts Cattle Show in 1. In the next few years, county fairs popped up throughout New England, and by 1. Syracuse, New York, designed to show off New Yorks agricultural prowess with livestock and giant vegetable competitions. Today, there are over 3. North America each year, according to the International Association of Fairs and Expositions, and attendance is booming. New York State Dairy Princess Program Cast' title='New York State Dairy Princess Program Cast' />Springfields State is a generic name for the U. S. state where Springfield is located in. Its. Fox 5 NY, New York News, Breaking News, weather, sports, traffic, entertainment. New York State Dairy Princess Program IndySeveral draw over a million visitors each year. Youll still find most of the things youd have seen at those early fairs today a chance to show off the best agriculture, livestock, horticulture and other products from that region, even though far fewer Americans are involved in agriculture than when they got started. But youll also find a whole lot more, and part of the appeal is unabashed celebration of sheer quirkinesswhere else can you find veggies on steroids, moose calling contests, butter sculptures, and not just racing pigs, but racing dogs with monkey jockeys Here are a few highlights of what youll find at fairs across the country today. Location Pelham, ALIn operation since 1. Standout events Alabama might be the only fair with more events in the modeling and talent competitions than livestock competitions. Theyre serious, too Aspiring models ages 4 to 2. Winners get photo shoots and meetings with agentsa big step up from the ribbons sheep and horse show winners get. Location Palmer, AKIn operation since 1. Standout events Lets face it, youre probably not going to Alaska for the state fair. New York State Dairy Princess Program Application' title='New York State Dairy Princess Program Application' />But if you happen to be in town, you can witness a peculiarly Alaskan pastimegiant cabbage growing. Alaskas farmers seem to have a knack for growing steroidal vegetables. The most recent world record, in 2. Scott Rabb and his 1. If mega vegetables arent your thing, maybe youd have better luck in the speed texting or moose calling competitions. Note must know the difference betweenand demonstrateseparate bull and cow calls. Location Phoenix, AZIn operation since 1. Standout events Most states fairs feature unique sources of state pride, so youd think that Arizona might have gone with the Grand Canyon. Instead they created Trekkie Mecca. Of course, there are all the standard state fair attractionsperformances, cooking and livestock competitions, a demolition derby and midwaybut according to their website, organizers are especially proud of the exhibit featuring sets, costumes, and props from all five Star Trek TV series and 1. Corrupted Error Code File Please Reinstall The Game Gta 5. Live long and prosper. Location Little Rock, ARIn operation since 1. UB9YDdqDTQ/R64Qf--VcyI/AAAAAAAAAFk/m0lhUQW-xiw/S700/new-york-city-night-life-rmc-3.jpg' alt='New York State Dairy Princess Program' title='New York State Dairy Princess Program' />Standout events Arkansass events include the Great American Spam Cooking contest, but the real competition centers on the pageants, where fairgoers vie for the title of Fair Queen, Rodeo Queen, Mrs. Fair Queen, and Little Mr. Miss Pageant. For those craving more adrenaline fueled competition, its also a tour stop for a team of professional bull riders. Big. Fun. org. Location Sacramento, CAIn operation since 1. Standout events The highlight of Californias state fair in the early 1. It came to an end around WWI, when wrecking much needed locomotives just for the fun of it was deemed a little too wasteful. Today, fairgoers can enjoy a calmer spectacle the state fair is home to the oldest wine competition in North America, with over 2. Yes, fairgoers get to taste. Saffire. Event. Location Pueblo, COIn operation since 1. Standout events Lots of states have pageants, but only Colorado crowns a silver queen. Its your typical pageant with one catch all competitors must be nursing home residents. At the other end of the spectrum is the Little Britches Rodeo National Championships these kids can ride. But theres a competition for everyone in Colorado, even the less athletically oriented its the only state fair offering a Pet Rock Olympics. Location Harrington, DEIn operation since 1. Standout events Delawares fair features a no less than five day horseshoe pitching contest, and crowns a whole family the Sheep and Wool Queen, Sheep and Wool Lass, Little Boy Blue and Little Bo Peep. Perhaps they get a leg up in the wool contest displaying the best quality wool outfit and coordinating wool sheep Location of fair Tampa, FLIn operation since 1. Standout events Florida is one of a surprising number of fairs that have added llamas to their livestock competitions. Some of last years winners had racehorse worthy namesOakrests First Snow, Moose Aladdins Sneak Preview, Peruvian Edisonbut theres also the less exotic Yeti. Young llama farmers are still second to the more traditional main attraction Only kids showing steers get a portrait with their champion. Location Macon, GAIn operation since 1. Standout events One fair wasnt enough for Georgia. The official state sponsored fair is the Georgia National Fair, but the longest running is the Georgia State Fair. Perhaps its because only the State Fair offers the Banana Derby. The race features Americas favorite monkey jockeyselaborately costumed capuchins that race on canine steeds. Location Honolulu, HIIn operation since 1. Standout events At Hawaiis 5. State Fair, its all about the rides, some of which are shipped in from the mainland just for the event. According to an interview with fair organizers in Honolulu Pulse, the Zipper is the fairs best loved ride. The ride, in which fairgoers ride in spinning cages that dangle from chains flung around by a rotating arm, was so beloved that when the company organizing the fair sold the ride, the outcry was so strong they went out and bought a new one. The fair had a bit of an identity crisis in its early years, when for over a decade it was known as the 4. State Fair. Apparently, no one expected theyd get beat out by Alaska. Location Blackfoot, IDIn operation since 1. Standout events For a truly one of a kind sport, check out Idahos Indian Relays. Tribal teams from throughout the Rockies and High Plains regions come to compete in a dangerous bareback race requiring teams of three horses and four people. A rider must make three laps around the track, leaping to a new horse after each lap. Two teammates calm the waiting horse, while the fourth catches the arriving horse as the rider dismounts. Broken bones are not uncommon, but the 2. Location Springfield, ILIn operation since 1. Standout events Need for speed The fairs one mile dirt track is considered one of the fastest in the world. Numerous horse racing records have been set there, including the fastest mile ever paced, but its now home to stock car racing as wellraising the speed limit considerably. Theres also a celebrity harness race, a lesser known form of horse racing in which the celebrity is jammed into a small, lightweight cart rolling on bicycle wheels and must guide his team of two horses to victory. Celebrity is a relative termits decidedly local, generally drawing state politicians and officials. Location Indianapolis, INIn operation since 1. Standout events Its the year of popcorn in Indiana, the second largest popcorn producing state in the nation we can barely imagine what theyd have done were they the biggest. Each year, fairgoers consume 4. No word yet whether fairgoers will get to sneak a bite. Location Des Moines, IAIn operation since 1.