In 1999, even before moving to Minnesota, Donna Swedin attended her first Minnesota State Fair and hasn’t missed one since! Donna grew up on the East Coast, and her partner, Phil Whipple, is an Illinois farm kid and former member of 4-H. They agree it is the best state fair they have ever attended. Now they come at least three times a year, sometimes four, arriving shortly after the gates open and staying until after the fireworks.
After attending your first Minnesota State Fair in 1999, your addiction to attending the fair grew?
Exactly. The addiction grew. There was a time when once became twice, and then, okay, we’re going to go three times. And now he’s saying, I think four is a good number. So, we have been going four times!
As you’ve come more often, are your days shorter?
No. It’s gates open to close. Or at least until after the fireworks. We have pictures of us being the first car in the front of the parking lot. We have pictures of us being that last car under a lamppost. And we like that distinction!
Your first gift was in 2007. You became Friends of the Fair. Do you remember how that came about?
We were coming every year, so why not become a Friend of the Fair? And it was a bonus to get the tickets and the Blue Ribbon Bargain book and know we were all set.
And then in 2015, you donated your first bench.
I bought it as a surprise for Phil. We entertained thoughts of a bench for years, just like the Vitamix.
Like a Vitamix?
Yes, we “visited” the Vitamix at the fair for years, asking lots of questions as we are known to do! Then we decided we were going to buy it. That year we got there bright and early, and as a sign, the vendor we stopped at on our way to get a smoothie was using a Vitamix. It was meant to be!
In the same way, we contemplated a bench every year. Ultimately, I bought one as a surprise for Phil. I found a little wooden bench at Michael’s, painted it yellow with our names on it and wrapped it up and put it under the tree. Phil had no idea when he opened it, thinking it was solely for our train display. Once he realized what I had done, he was thrilled! Our first bench!!
In 2018, you came to Taste of the Fair for the first time.
Yes, and now, it’s just natural that we’re going to attend. We look at it as a way to continue our giving. It is a way to give and get a little something. We go with the intent of hopefully picking up something in the auction, but it is also a natural lead into the fair.
This year you made a big gift. And what prompted that?
Two things.
It was the fact I could do it and do it in a way that was going to benefit the fair and not be difficult for me. I had stock options through my employer, and by giving stock, I didn’t have to worry about the cost of the capital gains. I discussed it with my financial planner. I said to her, “I can do this, right?” And she said, “You absolutely can,” so I did!
It was also a sincere feeling, knowing the fair was in need. If I could do this, why not? I have this discussion with Phil a lot, this idea of only in-death giving money. I am also a member of the 1854 Society, so the fair will receive some money from my estate. But I want to be able to give now, too. I like being able to see it.
I like the idea of giving to programs that are in need. That’s one of the things I’m thinking about in retirement, not giving impulsively but thinking more universally about how I contribute. So it becomes important to stop and think, how much do I have? What’s the right amount every year to give? And, with that, it seemed like a no-brainer to help the fair.
Why is it a no-brainer?
It just made sense to me. It is such a major event. People come to it and enjoy a really nice day out with their families. When I tell people about why I give to the fair, I always say to them, “Do people spend money at the fair? Absolutely, you can, but you don’t have to. You can have a wonderful time no matter how much or how little you spend.”
A variety of people benefit when I give to the fair. I see the value of the fair for the state, not just our area. I like the idea of it having been around so long, and it going into perpetuity. It clearly is a fun, diverse cultural event that brings us all together.”
You made a big gift in a time when the fair really needed support. It was a tough time for the fair. How did you feel when we decided to spend the money on replacing and upgrading the lights in the Grandstand?
I thought it was cool. As silly as it sounds, it really does come down to, the fair knows best what the fair needs. I thought, the Grandstand is a space I go into, whether it’s for the Friends’ Plant Sale, Back to the 50’s or other events we’ve come to at the fairgrounds during the off-season. And we always walk through there during the fair to check out the vendors. I liked the idea that there was something visible that I contributed to. It was nice going in there and thinking I helped pay for these lights. These are my lights and they were needed.
I don’t think of anything you would ask me for as being frivolous. At the heart of what I do is the fact that I started my career working in nonprofits. I’ve managed those agencies where you’re figuring out how you’re going to pay for different, everyday things. At the fair, I know the money is being applied in the right places.
How do you and Phil come together with your giving?
He’s my partner and has been for 30-plus years. Our giving is separate because we do have different priorities we care about. The fair is one of a couple of organizations where we both choose to give.
I wouldn’t be sitting here if it wasn’t for Phil initially falling in love with the fair. He came by himself. I remember his phone call telling me that he had gone to the fair, and how he couldn’t believe the greenery of it. Minimal asphalt!
You are a Purple Ribbon Friend of the Fair. What do you do with your ribbon?
Show it off to the world and everything. I like to wear it around the fair. When people ask, what did you do to get your purple ribbon? I say, I gave them money. And I always tell them they can give too!
How do you spend your time at the fair?
We barely get through everything. Every year, before going, we write a new list of things we need to see and do. Now that we attend more than one day, we keep adding things to our list. We always go through all the barns, and we go through the 4-H building, Fine Arts and all the other buildings. We enjoy the llama costume contest. At the end of the fair, we check our list, and inevitably we missed something. I mean, we missed the swine barn one year! We think, oh no, and decide whatever it was has to go to the top of the list for next year.
Favorite foods at the fair?
We always start with bag of Tom Thumb mini donuts, and then we go to The Peg (We just started doing that two years ago — should have done it sooner), or some other breakfast spot. We make at least one stop at a church dining hall. One important thing is that we always share our food. So that allows us to try a lot more. Absolutely no one ever buys something just for themselves!
We peruse the new foods list and mark which ones we want to try. Then put them into the rotation. We always have the Turkey sandwich; we call it our real food. The honey ice cream is a must have too! There is no such thing as too much honey!
What would you tell people not to miss?
The barns. Many people I know don’t go to the barns if they don’t have kids. And they are missing out. If you’re lucky, you’ll be there for something fun like the crowing contest.
Also, we always watch the parade. It’s a time to sit down on a curb and relax a little bit.
I recommend finding one of those benches you can sit on and relax and watch the world go by.
You said you bought a Vitamix at the fair? Is there another product you bought the fair and absolutely love?
We shopped at the fair for many items. I built a townhome, and then we built our house together. We researched our water filtration system, grill, and lawn furniture here. We tend to visit things for a few years then pull the plug and buy it. It’s an excellent opportunity to visit vendors and talk to people about their products in a non-threatening way. We get to ask all our questions and always go home with a bunch of business cards.
In addition to learning about products? What other things to you take in?
It’s great to visit the Ag-Hort Building and learn. We gain so much from the Master Gardeners. We look for the sessions that are being held – Phil has his dahlias and flower gardens, and I have a vegetable garden so there is always something new to learn.
People don’t realize the amount of information that exists here. When I was deciding I was going to get my MBA, I visited the Education building and talked to all of the schools. I saw what was available to me, collected information, and met people. I went home and finished my research based on what I learned at the fair.
Are there any fairs that stand out to you?
Our oddest year was the year Phil didn’t get to the fair because he was serving in Iraq. He actually discovered that the Star Tribune had a webcam off the back of their building. So, I came early one Sunday morning by myself and we figured out a time to call each other. I was able to talk to him, and he could see me at the fair. We felt really very lucky we were able to connect that day.
I was able to submit an ornament for their Christmas tree overseas. It had a picture of us that said, “The year you attended the fair via webcam only.” He brought it home, and it still hangs on our tree. I will always have that memory, every time I walk by the Grandstand ramp, of standing there, with my phone and talking to him, while surrounded by the comfort of the fair.
It seems like the fair is a big part of your life.
It is absolutely something that we look forward to every year. We are already discussing what’s on the list for this year’s fair.
Anything else?
It’s such a cliché, but it is our happy place. This may be a 45-minute drive from our house, but when I come onto these grounds, anytime of year, I feel a sense of happy and peace. If I lived closer, I’d be here even more, whether it is taking walks or volunteering at the fair.
The first brick we got says, THE FAIR!! All in caps, and that’s how Phil and I think of it. We don’t ever send one another an email or a text about the fair and not put it all in caps. And the closer it gets, the more exclamation points.