Samantha Bluhm and the team at Solem Concessions debuted as vendors at the 2021 Minnesota State Fair with their blueberry mini-donuts and cajun-flavored cheese curds, winning a “One of the Best” award. They were thrilled to be invited to participate as a vendor, and thought it was important to become “Friends of the Fair” in honor of their experience.
What are some of your happiest moments at the fair?
I would have to say one of the happiest moments for us was actually pulling our food trailers onto the grounds. Seeing our stands on our location, being all set up, ready for the fairgoers and just how proud our team was of their hard work to get to that point. Another great memory was winning a “One of the Best” award our first year at the Minnesota State Fair.
How long have you been involved with the Fair?
We had been applying for the Great Minnesota Get-Together for over fifteen years with our different concessions. Every year we were hopeful, but it just didn’t happen. Finally, in 2021, WE GOT IN! So, we have only participated in one Minnesota State Fair as a vendor but we have attended the fair countless times over the years as attendees.
How did you hear about the Minnesota State Fair Foundation?
Like most county fairs in Minnesota, there is usually a historical house on the grounds that some foundation or agricultural society uses to raise money for their fairs. The Minnesota State Fair has one of those as well that we had found while walking the grounds during the fair. We had been to the fair in previous years, but just never stopped in to learn about the J.V. Bailey House or the meaning behind it or the Minnesota State Fair Foundation, until this past year. I like history, whether it be a physical object I can touch, a picture or a story. It was nice to hear about the history of the house and see the county fair photographs displayed.
Your first gift to support the Foundation was in 2021 as a Grand Champion Friend of the Fair. What prompted you to give this gift?
Like I said before, we had been trying to get accepted into the fair for over fifteen years. This past year we made it and wanted to give back to the fair that we had dreamed about getting into and finally did. If people don’t give back to the events they enjoy, it gets harder and harder to keep them.
This fair is about families coming year after year to see the butterfly house or the new rides, friends getting together by walking the grounds and filling their mouths with all the fried goodness they can handle then attending a concert in the iconic Grandstand, or the high school marching bands that are invited to show their school pride in the daily parades while all the fairgoers just stop in their tracks to watch them march on through the grounds. This fair isn’t about its operators- although we would like to think so- it’s about the attendees and their experiences. The fair management doesn’t just let anyone in. They watch you work, get references and make sure you will provide quality entertainment, goods or food to their guests. We are so thankful to be a part of such a significant Minnesota tradition that we didn’t feel like there was any question as to why we wouldn’t give back to the Foundation.
What do you think other people should know about giving to the Fair through the Foundation?
Well, what I don’t think most fairgoers know is that they are probably already donating to the Foundation by way of the Blue Ribbon Book. I didn’t know that either until this year when reading up on the Foundation. It’s those little things that people are doing that can help add up funds for new events at the fair or for upkeeping of the grounds. Overall, I think readers need to know that giving back to the Foundation is helping to preserve the fair, its history and grounds, and brings new events to the fair.
