CHIPPEWA FALLS (WQOW) – The Northern Wisconsin State Fair in Chippewa Falls is back for its 125th year, and officials say it’s bigger and better than ever before.
For the first time, officials added a sixth day by starting the fair on Tuesday.
Whether it’s live entertainment or mouth-watering foods, the fair has a lot of new things to offer this year.
Six new food vendors include Agave Kitchen, Off the Hook Cookies, Live Great Food Truck, Chan’s Concessions, and Okoboji Soda.
“The other new things we got, on our of our free stages, we have a doughnut eating contest. We’ve got some fun things that way. In our Expo Hall C, we actually have some beer tasting for new beers that are out from some of the new breweries that are out there,” said Rusty Volk, executive director of the Northern Wisconsin State Fair Association.
Also new to the fair is a butterfly house, a circus comedy duo called Allez-OOPS, and the Real Beal’s One-Man Band.
“There’s a kick drum, a high hat, tambourine, a snare, a splash cymbal. I also play guitar and harmonica,” said Jeff Beal, a musician with the Real Beal’s.
Jeff and sometimes his wife Nancy of Guthrie Center, Iowa perform at various carnivals and events throughout the year.
“I saw a guy doing something like this and I was enthralled with it and wanted to try it myself,” Beal said. “And I did. I thought, ‘Maybe somebody will hire me if I strap all of this stuff to my back and play all the instruments all by myself.’ And it worked! They did.”
He said one of the hardest parts is memorizing the lyrics while playing all of his instruments.
“It is physical doing the one man band because I’m carrying this weight and I’m moving, so that’s the part that gets hard.”
Volk said many games, rides, contests, and food vendors are returning, and in his 14 years of leading this event, his favorite part is the children.
“When you see the smiles and the kids’ faces and the grandpas and grandmas that brought them, that’s my day. That makes my day. And I always have to have a corn dog!” Volk said.
Volk said this year’s fair has more carnival rides and animals than ever before.
Carnival rides are open 3 p.m. to 11 p.m. on Tuesday, 12 p.m. to 11 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday, and 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday.
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