The 2023 edition of the Wisconsin State Fair opened Thursday and will run through August 13. Last year, the fair’s attendance was 1,003,450, a 19% increase compared to the 2021 State Fair.
Among several new attractions at Wisconsin State Fair this year is Cirque at the Fair, which is a free, Cirque du Soleil-style show featuring aerial and acrobatic performers.
The idea for Cirque at the Fair was inspired by a similar show that Wisconsin State Fair CEO Shari Black and other members of the management team saw while attending another fair last year. They enjoyed it and thought it would be well received back home, she said. Some may remember the fair’s popular circus show that ended in 2001, but this new spectacle does not feature animals like that one did.
Cirque at the Fair is one way the organization is leaning into live entertainment to “increase the value of our ticket,” said Black. It’s one of her main objectives now in her second year at the helm.
The production runs multiple times a day in a new custom-built Big Top Tent on the south end of the fairgrounds. It’s free with state fair admission, but VIP ringside seats are available for $10 per person.
Other additions to the fair this year include several new rides at Spin City and the new 1851 Steel & Stone installation in Central Park, paying homage to Wisconsin’s industrial roots and located near a monument honoring Abraham Lincoln, who once delivered a speech at the fair.
And what’s more, Wisconsin State Fair’s iconic food competition, The Sporkies, returned for its 10th year with a new non-alcoholic beverage contest known as The Drinkies. Winners of both competitions were announced earlier this week. Coming in first place was WürstBar with is Beer Cheese Wisconsin Lava Cake, second place was Camp Bar’s The Porkie ice cream sundae, and third place was Saz’s with its Deep-Fried Apple Pie. Old Fashioned Sipper Club won The Drinkies with its Ferris Mule.
Fairgoers will also notice that the northwest bathrooms have gotten a refresh. The project – originally set for a 2022 completion but was delayed due to a shortage of building materials – replaced the old facilities with a new area that includes gender-neutral and family restrooms and outdoor sinks, aimed at “making fair-going experience more comfortable,” said Black.
