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With the end of summer drawing near and school just around the corner, a Minnesota State Fair trip is on many people’s minds right now.  The Minnesota State Fair is in it’s last weekend, so if you haven’t gone, you have until Monday!

The fair offers a variety of things to do and many are free, but the one attraction that gets everyone, is the food!

When you go, you must try the Fudge Puppies, which are chocolate covered Belgian waffles on a stick, then topped with whipped cream and sprinkles.  An old favorite, are the Luigi Fries; these fries are bread sticks covered with Italian red sauce with traditional pizza toppings.  Don’t forget to buy a refreshing beverage to wash everything down -- a freshly-squeezed lemonade perhaps?                                                                                                                              

If you enjoy rides and games, head to the Mighty Midway.  If you go Monday, September 6, all rides are reduced one ticket!  The Mighty Midway has 9 new rides this year:  Avalanche, Hard Rock, Magic Maze Glass House, Magnum, Rock-It and Windstorm.  Wind Storm is an amusement park-size roller coaster with a 30-foot drop that has sharp twists and turns that may make your stomach do a flip.

If your on a time crunch, definitely try to plan ahead on what to see/do/eat; it can get overwhelming with the large crowds.  Parking at the fair can get crowded, and expensive.  Check out the shuttles where you can park and ride for FREE!

Check out my fair fun and suggestions in this video:

So, rally up your friends and family (a little cash too) and head to the Minnesota State Fair!

Minnesota State Fair

1265 Snelling Avenue North

Saint Paul, MN 55108

Cost:  Adults, $11; Seniors, $9; Kids $8; under 5, FREE

Hours:  6am -- midnight, but some building do open later and close earlier, so check that out here

Courtesy of Minnesota State Fair

We are back with some Minnesota State Fair trivia to bring some fun to your morning.

The first person to e-mail stacy@capcitypartnership.com the correct answers, will receive a $10 gift certificate to Saint Paul Classic Cookies!

1)  When was the first Minnesota State Fair held?  1859

2)  During a typical year, how many gallons of milk are served at the
American Dairy Association’s All-You-Can-Drink Milk concession?  20,000

3)  On average, what’s the total number of corn dogs typically consumed by
fair guests each year?  500,000

4)  Approximately how many rolls of toilet paper are used during the fair?  22,000

5)  Which fair food contains the most calories?  Deep-fried candy bars

GOOD LUCK AND HAVE FUN!

Great service and cheap food at Kelly's.

Saint Paul’s bar scene runs the gamut from complete dive like The Spot Bar to ritzy high end places like Barrio and everything in between.  One of those in between joints is Kelly’s Depot Bar located across the street from Union Depot.  This is a working man’s, neighborhood establishment.  You won’t find a fancy website for it but you will find some great reviews online!

Walk into this place and the decor will underwhelm you.  Decorations range from neon beer signs to old model cars to beer steins.  Grab a seat at the bar or at a table (high or low) a few feet from the bar.  The place is a shoebox so you better not mind being close to people.

The place has all the amenities you could ask for with four nice sized flat panel TVs, an electronic jukebox, pull tabs, Silver Strike Bowling arcade, pistachios, cashews and Hot Tamales for $.25 and an ATM.

The bar has eight beers on tap including Summit EPA and Fat Tire.  Drinks are cheap and free flowing.

If you think the above is good, I haven’t even gotten to the food yet.  Kelly’s kitchen is just an extension at the far end of the bar producing some of the best greasy spoon food around.  The soup is always homemade and delicious.  I had turkey vegetable wild rice when I visited and it hit the spot on a cold rainy day.  The menu is full of tasty sandwiches and salads.  My favorite is the bacon cheeseburger basket for $6.50.  The burgers are simply delicious!  They also have coneys–I recommend having two with fries for $6.   Stop in Wednesday for the spaghetti special and ask for Susie.  She waits the floor while sister Renee works the bar.  Susie just celebrated 25 years with the USPS and she is anything but postal.  Sweetest lady you’ll ever meet.

Save room for a bite sized homemade dessert.

My favorite feature is the tupperware full of homemade desserts that Susie brings over after the meal.  They are tasty and a staple at Kelly’s Depot.

Even the folks from Minneapolis like it evidenced by this online review from Michael M in Minneapolis:

“As an avid dive bar fan, I’m always on the hunt for a good hole in the wall.  I stopped in here back in April on recommendation from one of my friends that has an art studio down the block.  It’s a perfect place for an after-work beer or catching up with some friends.  The service was great and the prices were spectacular!  Also, how many dive bars have Fat Tire on tap these days?  After sitting there for about 3 hours with friends, we all ended up owing about $10 (which might have been a record.)

I stopped by here again after the Irish Fair again this weekend and had a similar experience.  The prices have gone up a little on the Fat Tire, but it was still a great time.  The jukebox was pumping various 90s tunes all night and the waitress was extremely attentive despite having a reasonably full set of tables.

If I lived in Saint Paul, I’d be a regular here.”

Come on down to Kelly’s Depot and formulate your own opinion on this fun spot.

241 E Kellogg Blvd
St Paul, MN 55101
(651) 298-0099