FamiLee Life

MN State Fair :: An Auto-Ethnographic Fair Guide Service

These are photos taken last year from the Minnesota State Fair. It was my first time to the fair, even though I have lived in Minnesota since 2000. Truth be told, I am not a fair lover, of any kind. I have a strong distaste for amusement parks, monster truck rallies, and any other large, open air event that involves thousands of people crammed in a confined space. Many childhood years of such experiences have left a bad, bad taste in my psychic memory.

So why did I go last year? Well, I have a friend, Peter Haakon Thompson, who is a fair devotee. His vast experience, knowledge, and saavy helped me feel sane and safe and allowed me to enjoy the fair without feeling crammed in a sardine can and overwhelmed by too much stimuli.

Fortunately, Peter is now offering Peter Haakon Thompson’s Auto-Ethnographic Fair Guide Service for others to enjoy the fair experience. Click on read more to, well, read more!

Peter Haakon Thompson’s Auto-Ethnographic Fair Guide Service

Have you never had a good time at the Great Minnesota Get Together? Did you know that the Fair encompasses 320 acres and over 1,762,976 visitors? How could one be expected to find their way around such a place, let alone find everything that makes the Fair such a unique and amazing experience? If you go fishing in Alaska you would hire a guide, why not at the State Fair?

Peter Haakon Thompson has spent his entire life visiting the Fair with parents who believe in arriving at 8 AM and leaving at 10pm. Have you seen the Butterheads, had breakfast at the Salem Lutheran Church Dining Hall, been to the State Fair and MN Newspaper Museums? Gotten a truckers belt, collected a years supply of free pencils, eaten the ice cream of the future? These are just a few of the things you will see on the Peter Haakon Thompson tour of the State Fair.

Just added: See Peter’s photo in the Fine Arts Exhibition at the Fair!

Details:

Maximum group size is 5 plus me

Pricing:

4-5 people $125
1-3 people $100

- Each person is responsible for admission, food, & etc.
- For reservations before August 22nd, I can purchase $7 discount admission tickets.
- Everyone will receive a handmade souvenir T-shirt
- So far most of the dates are open, August 24th to Labor Day
- For questions and to schedule call or email Peter at 612 205 6710, phaakon@bitstream.net

Weddings:

Also, Peter Haakon Thompson is a Reverend of the Universal Life Church and is authorized by the State of Minnesota to perform weddings. Imagine, your special day at the Fair, the reception and honeymoon are built in, a dinner of Pronto Pups followed by a funnel wedding cake.

Testimonials:

I was a little dazed when we first got to the Fair; it's just so…big. But Peter had this great plan for getting it all in. Under Peter's super guidance, I saw everything I wanted, plus he showed me a bunch of groovy stuff I'd no idea was there and he's totally up on all of he best food, classics and new additions. -Rebecca Ditsch

Having had the unforgettable opportunity to take the PHT Fair tour for a couple of years now I can tell you that the excitement and wonder continues throughout the years, Peter has been perfecting his course, studied and mastered the art of the food and 4H circuit. mapped and reviewed the building locations. I mean, the way he moves throughout the crowds is enough reason to sign up in itself. Don't let this amazing gift pass you by. -Kari Reardon, PHT fair tour-ee since 2002

Posted by richlee at August 24, 2006 07:13 AM