From alligator to ice cream, the State Fair presents new and innovative tastes to visitors.
It’s finally that time of the year again, and the state fair has come to Tulsa. With it comes incredible amounts of food that cater to your wildest imagination. On top of some old fashioned classics, there are new treats to surprise and delight you, as well as hidden gems yet to be discovered.
Speaking of old favorites, there are lemonade and funnel cakes as far as the eye can see and the nose can smell at the fair this year. If you go, you certainly won’t be lacking in sugar and comfort food. There was no shortage of footlong corn dogs or giant turkey legs, as many of the fairgoers were enjoying some while walking. After asking a few people how everything tasted, the general consensus was that everything tasted amazing and the food definitely wasn’t disappointing.
Similarly, there were new foods and treats all over the fairgrounds. Some such items included alligator tacos or alligator on a stick. Of course, I had to give the alligator on a stick a shot. While it was nowhere near fresh alligator, I can confidently say it was amazing and something one should consider trying.
In an attempt to see what it was like from a vendor’s point of view, I spoke to a few of them. Quite a few vendors are actually volunteer groups such as Broken Arrow Band or Cheer. One such pair of Volunteers were Sarah and Rodney Harris, who were volunteering with Broken Arrow band.
Sarah, who happens to be a member of the staff at The University of Tulsa as well, spoke briefly on how she enjoyed volunteering at the fair and the hours weren’t bad at all. The volunteers usually only work 5 to 6-hour shifts and then have some time to explore the fair themselves.
Another Vendor, that gave me their opinion was Mike Kudirka, from Omaha, Nebraska. Kudirka has been coming to the Tulsa and Oklahoma State fairs for 11 years now, as the owner of the Nitro Ice Cream stand. He gave some insight into how much work goes into preparation for the fairs, saying, “I’m pretty much an Oklahoma resident for an entire month when the fair comes down here.”
While Nitro Ice Cream may not be a hidden gem, I was surprised to see how many people had never heard of it. The stand, located in Exchange Center building, serves Ice Cream that has been made by the cooling of cream through the use of liquid nitrogen. It is quite possibly the smoothest, creamiest and tastiest ice cream I have ever tasted, and I go back for more every year.
A common misconception about the fair is that all of the food is located outside. Luckily at the Tulsa State Fair, there is an abundance of food both outside and inside. The River Spirit Expo building contains an incredible amount of food vendors located in a massive food court area which also contains seating. So for those who want to buy and eat their food in the refreshing AC, worry not, there is a way.
For those who can find the time, I suggest going to the fair and trying some new bites, there is a world of food out there just waiting for you and no matter how picky you may be, there will be something you’ll enjoy!