W.Va. Interstate Fair food draws many
By RACHEL LANE, rlane@newsandsentinel.comMINERAL WELLS - Everyone from children to queens enjoy the food, games and music at the West Virginia Interstate Fair and Exposition.
About 30 food booths were mixed among the 30 dry goods vendors, eight craft vendors and 10 commercial vendors, said fair board vice president Russ Collins.
He said more vendors are hoped for next year.
"A few years ago, they had fried veggies... now I guess my favorite's the blooming onion. It's basically a fried vegetable. It's just bad enough for you that it's really good," Collins said Friday.
Miss West Virginia Interstate Fair Queen Kristina Snider, turning 19 today, said she likes many of the foods available at the fair.
"I really like the Kettle corn and the frozen lemonade," she said.
She said she has participated in everything she was invited to join, including a ride through the mud bog and eating contests.
"I just won the watermelon-eating contest and got third place in the bubble gum- chewing contest," she said on Friday. On Wednesday, she participated in a Jell-O eating contest.
"I've waited so long to be here... I wanted to do everything," Snider said. "It's not about being the queen to me, it's about being a special part of the fair."
Her father, Dr. Karl Snider, an active leader of 4-H, died from colon cancer almost seven years ago. Snider said he would bring her to the fair before she was 2 and almost every year, the family celebrated her birthday by taking her friends to the fair.
"So far, I've really liked going through the barns. I think it's because of my dad and everyone still remembers him," she said.
Snider said the crowd wanted her to go through the mud bog, so she did.
"They all cheered for me when I was done. The window was down and I had mud all over my hair," she said. "It's been a long week, but it's been really fun."
J.B. Skidmore, a fair volunteer, said he has eaten several meals at the fair.
"I always like the things like cheese steak - nothing too sweet," he said. "The food's a welcome change from needing to make it yourself."
He said he sees iced beverages and ice cream sell best during the day while funnel cakes seem to be purchased more often in the evening.
"It brings back memories of eating cotton candy as a kid at the fair," he said. "Give up one evening of counting calories and don't worry about preparing food."
Courtney Williams, 18, of Vienna attended the fair with her young brothers, Drew, 14, and Kyle, 10.
"The fries aren't bad, just burnt and thin," Kyle said. The chicken strips they ate were good.
"The funnel cake is definitely a highlight of the fair," Drew said.
Courtney said the food was freshly made and hot, but expensive.
"It's usually pretty good," she said.
The fair continues today, finishing with a performance by Jason Michael Carroll at 10 p.m.
