The Big Wheel
The Ferris wheel may not have been a new idea, but the revolving structure offered fun—from the fairgrounds to the classroom.
Judging Families at the State Fair
"Better Baby Contests" began as part of the Progressive Era push to improve children’s health and reduce infant mortality. Then eugenicists got involved.
The Decadent Art of Butter Sculpture
Butter sculpture is a fixture of American state fairs. The practice of using food as a medium for art dates back centuries.
