A New Minnesota State Fair Tradition Begins Here

Toteonia Roberts, Journalism I
October 18, 2017

The Minnesota State Fair is a special time of year for many families. For my family, it is one of the few times we spend a whole day together. For Mr. David Terry, the cross-country and boys’ distance coach at North High, it’s about something just as, if not more, meaningful.

David Terry went to the State Fair all twelve it was open. For him, it wasn’t about the rides and general amusement-in fact, he didn’t go on any rides. “It’s a great way to re-establish our connection to humanity…I would shut off the part of my brain that said I needed to be somewhere else…I saw very few people on their cell phones. Everyone was relaxed.”

The people you go to the Fair with makes the experience unique for everyone. It was the same for Terry. Sometimes he went with friends but sometimes he went alone and did something that’s uncommon in a normal setting but normal at the Fair. If there was two empty chairs, he would sit in one and wait for someone to sit in the other, and then he would talk to them about both his and their experiences so far at the Fair. He noticed that people wanted to talk.

His mindset wasn’t just to amuse himself but to “add to the State Fair.” There was one day when he wore a lime green shirt that said “Your Life Matters.” One person stopped and took a picture of him for a friend that was going through a hard time. Another woman called to him, saying ,”Your life matters too. God Bless!”

Even though he was focused on something else, he still made time to eat new foods. He has declared the turkey ribs as one of his Top Ten foods. He is no stranger to the annual tradition of Minnesotans making a State Fair Top Ten list. His Top Ten list of foods was actually featured in the Pioneer Press in 2016. He is open to trying new foods–“If I get a referral, I’m going to try it.” His final Top Ten list for 2017 is as follows:

1. big fat bacon on a stick
2. swine and spuds (in horse coliseum)
3. big egg roll on a stick
4. roasted corn
5. jerk pork chop (at East Indies vendor in International Bazaar)
6. scotch egg (across from sheep barn)
7. strawberry shortcake (a few vendors down from scotch egg)
8. deep fried ribs (at Ballpark Café)
9. turkey rib (at Turkey to Go)
10. Polish corn dog (North of Dan Patch Ave. from Snelling entrance)
Best beverages: 1919 root beer and honey lemonade (outside of horticulture building)

Next time you go to the Minnesota State Fair, look for a familiar North High face, and continue this newly declared tradition…join Mr. Terry in making the Great Minnesota Get Together a truly happy and positive place.