I spy a mullet and a TO jersey!

September 30, 2009 7:14 PM

ScavengerHuntFilter: My friends and I are attending the excellentness that is the Texas State Fair sometime in the coming weeks. Last year, we enjoyed simply taking in the craziness and consuming the large quantities of fried foods. This year, we want to do a scavenger hunt - that is, taking pictures of certain things that are often seen (and perhaps not so often seen) at a state fair. Any ideas as to what should be on the list?

We've come up with a few things, such as:

1. Kid on a leash
2. Tony Romo jersey
3. Fanny pack
4. Mullet
5. Someone barefoot.
6. Someone not wearing enough clothes.
8. Baby drinking Coke.
9. Someone carrying too many stuffed animal prizes.
10. Kid having a tantrum.
11. Someone eating fried butter.
12. Someone vomiting.
13. Vomit on the ground.
14. Someone wearing high heels.

We're also looking for suggestions on superlatives - take a picture of the largest pig, the largest child, etc. etc.

Note that while we're sort of taking in the craziness that is the fair, the suggestions don't have to revel in the tackiness, and can include more positive aspects as well. As long as they can be photographed, covertly or otherwise.

posted by SNWidget to grab bag (18 answers total)

I had fun at the MN state fair this year trying to take a picture of a food booth for every letter of the alphabet (Apples with caramel, Bison on a stick, Cheese Curds, etc.)
posted by vytae at 7:34 PM on September 30, 2009

Egg on a stick. I ate one at the Iowa State Fair this summer—for free, even. Also, variants of pork products.
posted by limeonaire at 8:00 PM on September 30, 2009

most unholy unnatural deep friend item
most dangerous carnival ride
most egregious violation of proper food handling procedure
awesomest 4H project
worst 4H project
person wearing a Tweety bird t-shirt
person getting arrested (I don't know if this occurs at the state fair with sufficient frequency to be appropriate for your purposes, I presume state fairs to be more civilized than my favorite local festivals where this would be embarassingly easy to find)

I am not sure how you could incorporate it, but the vegetable competition is my favorite part of the state fair. The vegetable competition is fascinating.
posted by little e at 8:02 PM on September 30, 2009

most unholy unnatural deep friend item

With fried butter being the centerpiece of this Fair, I feel like this is unfair. The other ideas are great, especially about the people being arrested. It's gotta happen...
posted by SNWidget at 8:06 PM on September 30, 2009

whoops, that should be deep FRIED item
I don't know what a deep friend item is but I don't want one from the fair
posted by little e at 8:06 PM on September 30, 2009 [1 favorite]

Oh dear god, fried butter? I didn't even catch that when I read the question, that is WRONG and I want to try it.
posted by little e at 8:08 PM on September 30, 2009

how about someone throwing trash in a trash can instead of on the ground? they always look full but you just rarely see anyone use them. or how about the biggest piece of food in facial hair?
posted by Redhush at 8:20 PM on September 30, 2009

15. Stereotypes
16. Dickwads laughing at people that are different
posted by CharlesV42 at 8:23 PM on September 30, 2009 [1 favorite]

carnie with fewest teeth
The half man in a booth thing
Multiple corndog eating (@the same time)
People pretending to drive cars in the car show
Kitchen gadget demonstrator taking self VERY SERIOUSLY
Crying children
People looking unusually satisfied unop exiting the ferris wheel
posted by kristymcj at 8:35 PM on September 30, 2009

Oh my god, this is making me so nostalgic for the fair. I went every year until I went to college. So sad right now. A few suggestions:

-Most atrocious arts and crafts project (in the competition building, I don't recall the name)
-Arts and crafts project with the highest time:ugly ratio (hint: check out the handmade doll clothes or the quilt competition)
-Most... unique collection on display in the competition building.
-Most disgusting canned/jarred item in the competition building.
-Butter sculpture.
-Someone milking a cow.
-Most ridiculous gadget on sale in the embarcadero.
-Someone getting a flowbee.
-Anything in the food and fiber pavilion. Actually maybe just take a picture of the name.
-Police horse! They usually have them in a barn on the fringes of the fair.
-Most exotic animal in the petting zoo.
-Youngest animal in the petting zoo.
-Most ridiculous example of whatever they have on display in the animal barns- I went once when they were judging pigeons. I had no idea pigeons got so... fancy.
-Most outrageous Texas pride paraphernalia.
-Ironic/unironic pairs (points for getting both in one shot, extra credit++ if you get the examples to pose together): mullets, tattoos, cowboy hats, flannel, giant belt buckles, unkempt mountain man beards, etc.
-Best grills/tooth bling.
-Largest ass in the smallest shorts.
-Tackiest airbrush tattoo or facepaint.
-Most impressive tattoo. Photorealistic a plus.
-World's smallest horse- they usually have this on display somewhere.
-Classic carnival/freak show type things- think bearded lady, etc.
-Jalepeno corny dog. Actually maybe just eat that.

God, I love the fair. Have fun, and remember that the best stuff is off the midway. I gotta say, I'm jealous :).
posted by MadamM at 8:36 PM on September 30, 2009

food labeled "vegan" (does that exist at state fairs?)
winter coat
food in the form of other things, a la the butter princess/Conan O'Brien sculptures at the MN State Fair or carrots carved like roses
posted by ramenopres at 8:40 PM on September 30, 2009

Great stuff guys - thanks for the ideas!

I love the state fair for many reasons - nostalgia for my childhood, the general atmosphere of the whole thing, along with the wide array of people there.

We've done things like this for small festivals (you know the types, the Small Town Apple Festival, the Moderate Town Cowboy Days, etc etc), but this is the big leagues, so I needed some help compiling a list!
posted by SNWidget at 8:54 PM on September 30, 2009

Photos of as many different kinds of food on sticks as you can find
Scariest carney
Ugliest prize you can win at a booth
Someone eating a corndog
Two teenagers making out
Big Tex
posted by MsMolly at 9:36 PM on September 30, 2009

fattest dude in overalls
snot-covered face-painted child
most ridiculous entry in hobby category
food entry that resembles barf
scariest game prize
celebrity wanna-be lookalike
big ugly fat guy with a hot babe
fullest, grossest trash can
little girl wearing angel wings
posted by Acacia at 10:57 PM on September 30, 2009

Ugliest/boxiest/weirdest new car in the auto pavilion (or whatever it's called)
Someone upside down (on a ride, presumably?)
Someone having their weight being guessed
Weirdest new use of a food/crop (pens made of recycled corn, for instance)
Someone texting or bluetoothing while on a ride
A balloon that has escaped the grasp of its owner
Get a stranger to pose with the "Our wurst is the best" sign (if that still exists?)
The most people in one photo looking up at Big Tex
The fluffiest animal (cross-species challenge!)
The most kinds of candied/caramelled apples sold by one vendor

Have fun! Texas State Fair is all kinds of awesome.
posted by unknowncommand at 6:12 AM on October 1, 2009

Well, as long as we're laughing at people that are different: teenage girl you'd least like your (future?) daughter to come home looking like.
posted by malp at 6:41 AM on October 1, 2009

Sweetest Mustache
Kid riding around on Dad's shoulders
posted by 23skidoo at 8:09 AM on October 1, 2009

Also, might I suggest, since it's a scavenger hunt:

Finding a shirt in the $5 "mistake" bin at the airbrush shirt stand that's close to your name and buying it (I loved the one I got one year) for bonus points

Awarding 5 or 10 extra bonus points for each extra round you can get the controller to spin you on the Disco Inferno ride (this will require another player to stand outside the ride and count, you will be experiencing vertigo at the time)

Figure out how many brochures can be had in the area where they sell things like SofTubs and magic cleaning products. (Somebody has to count them all). Award an automatic plus 10 points for anyone who brings back ONE OF EACH.

Look out for whore suits; this is what we call adult women in teenage-sized rompers and uncomfortable shoes, usually in bright, matching colors (i.e. their hair is metallic blue, and matches their mini-unitard and plastic shoes).

Another suggestion, one that might get you into trouble though: Automatic win of the scavenger hunt for anyone who can get more than 20 feet away from the petting zoo with a baby animal (chick, duckling, kitten, etc.) or who jumps in and participates with the dogs during the dog-herding show without getting trampled or thrown out of the fair.
posted by Unicorn on the cob at 10:45 AM on October 1, 2009