Anoka County Fair goes on, with modifications to beat the heat
ANOKA, Minn. -- Enjoying the fair can become a bit more difficult when the heat and humidity reach the dangerous levels we're seeing this week.
High temperatures are something officials with the Anoka County Fair prepare for every year, since the fair occurs during what's often the hottest time of year.
"This isn't anything new to us, to have weather in the 80s and 90 degrees," Mike Ahlers, president of the Anoka County Agricultural Society, said.
Ahlers has been helping the fair prepare for brutal summer temps for decades.
The buildings here are insulated on the roof to stop a lot of radiant heat, and there are plenty of fans to keep people and livestock cool in the buildings.
Fair employees are also driving around to vendors, regularly passing out water and wet towels.
Fair officials say most of the vendors have fans, and in some cases even air conditioning. But not every vendor has A/C, like Amish Annie Donuts, where temperatures can reach well over 100 degrees. There, they have a pretty unique way of staying cool.
"We've got a cooler so we put some towels and wrap them around us to cool us down. It's like frozen, and we just keep rotating them in and out," Madison Olson said. "The deep fryer keeps it pretty hot in here."
For some fairgoers, it's about finding the sweet spot. Fairgoer Bruce Byker found a tent close to a mister. There are three of them scattered around the fairgrounds to help people stay cool.
"We found this tent, which appears to be owned by the fairgrounds, and decided to get out of the shade. And then they started the mister up and we're getting misted, and it's blowing it over here so we're getting a little bit of windchill," Byker said.
On days like these, hydration is key. Those attending the fair are encouraged to bring water, even an entire cooler of it.
"We drive around with golf carts and coolers making sure that they're hydrated wet towels," said Ahlers, referring to the efforts to keep vendors cool.
Whatever it takes, since the fair must go on.
