Midwestern state fairs dominate best fair food rankings
Minnesota State Fair announces new foods, vendors for 2026
The Minnesota State Fair revealed the 36 new foods and nine new vendors that will make their debut in 2026.
FALCON HEIGHTS, Minn. (FOX 9) - Yelp released its top 10 ranking for state fairs that feature the best food. The Midwest ranked highly in much of the list, including Minnesota coming in at No. 1 and Wisconsin at No. 2.
Minnesota State Fair ranks No. 1
Local perspective:
The Minnesota State Fair came in at No. 1 for having the best state fair food, according to a Yelp survey that used data from businesses at fairs across the country that had a high number of reviews mentioning food.
The Minnesota State Fair, which is one of the largest and best-attended expositions in the world, was praised for its penchant for putting everything and anything on a stick. The fair was also promoted by Yelp reviewers for having over 500 new food vendors debut each year.
"The Minnesota State Fair is not just a fair, it’s a full-blown cultural experience," wrote Yelp reviewer Chloe A.
There are 36 official new foods and nine new food vendors at the 2026 Minnesota State Fair. Some of these include a pickle pie, crackin' corn ribs and a French chouxnut sundae.
The Minnesota State Fair will run from Aug. 27 to Sept. 7 this year at the Minnesota State Fairgrounds in Falcon Heights, Minnesota.
Wisconsin State Fair takes second place
Wisconsin State Fair gate (Wisconsin State Fair)
Dig deeper:
Wisconsin's state fair, named a "cheese-lover's paradise", was lauded for featuring a variety of different dairy snacks and treats from cream puffs to cheese curds. The fair has its own unique contest that awards favorite foods every year called the "Sporkies" competition.
"Getting cream puffs is of course an absolute must but exploring the many food options is a delight as well," said Yelp user Ophelia M.
The Wisconsin State Fair is featuring 80 new foods and beverages this year. Some of those include vegan cheesesteak eggrolls, a cactus crawler drink, and a cosmic funnel cake.
The fair, which is celebrating its 175th anniversary, opened on Aug. 6 and is running until Aug. 16 at the Wisconsin State Fair Park in West Allis, Wisconsin.
Iowa State Fair at No. 3
Big picture view:
Another Midwest state trailed right behind Minnesota and Wisconsin. Iowa placed third for the best food at its state fair.
Some new features offered at the Iowa State Fair include a watermelon mint Moscow mule, an ultimate minneapple pie, and a cotton candy lemonade.
The Iowa State Fair is opening this week, running from Aug. 13 to Aug. 23 in Des Moines, Iowa.
Indiana State Fair ranks no. 5
Top 5 fair food:
The Indiana State Fair was the last Midwest state featured in Yelp's ranking. A highlight at Indiana's state fair is its "Taste of the fair" competition, which features "wacky" new food and beverages.
Some of the contestants include corn dog beer, cowboy fries, and hot Cheeto fried Oreos.
The Indiana State fair began on Aug. 7 and will run until Aug. 23 in Indianapolis.
Yelp's best fair foods ranking
The 10 state fairs listed in Yelp's ranking amassed a collective 2,500 reviews on the website, with over 80% of those reviews celebrating the food.
By the numbers:
Here is Yelp's official state fair food ranking for 2026:
- Minnesota State Fair
- Wisconsin State Fair
- Iowa State Fair
- New York State Fair
- Indiana State Fairgrounds and Event Center
- State Fair of Texas
- The Big E (Massachusetts)
- Florida State Fairgrounds
- Alaska State Fair
- N.C. State Fair
You can check out Yelp's full ranking and review here.
The Source: This story uses information provided in a Yelp press release, which notes it analyzed review volume and ratings to identify the top 10 state fairs for food. Reporting by FOX 9 and FOX 6 were also used in this story. This story was reported from Eden Prairie, Minnesota.