Sunday, September 5, 2010

Has the State Fair become too expensive for the average family?


You tell me:

* Admission: $30

* Tom Thumb Donuts: $7

* Coffee/water: $4.50

* Breakfast Burrito: $3.75

* Six total rides of the Giant Slide (4 for kids, 2 for adults): $12

* Skyride for two kids and two adults: $11

* Two Pronto Pups: $7.50

* One cup of cookies and one small milk: $6

* One ear of corn: $3

* One chocolate malt and one ice cream cone: $8

* One order of italian fries: $4.75

Grand total: $98.50

Now, keep in mind, we split most of these food items four ways (the cookies, the donuts, the ice cream). This number could have been much, much higher.

However, when you look at it from a different perspective, it doesn't seem so bad. $25 a person for six-plus hours of entertainment. That's cheaper than a lot of other events we attend or activities we do. And, truth be told, we love the fair.

But, I'll ask again: Has the State Fair become too expensive for the average Minnesotan family?

Note: Photo courtesy of Mr. Outdoor Guy via FlickR Creative Commons.

2 comments:

darcie said...

yes! $3 per ride minimum - and the fact that parents must all pay the same to accompany a child on said rides? (My daughter is an anxious kid & refused to go on anything!) Even with just her brother using all the tickets - it sure didn't take us long to blow through the budget...& then some.
Next year, we return to our regularly scheduled family fun...ie: the smaller county fairs! Unlimited ride wrist bands, similar food, 200,000 less people per day!

Arik C. Hanson, APR said...

$3 a ride? By my math, wasn't it $5 a ride (for some) in the Kiddie Midway? We left as fast as we could ;)