THE LOUISIANA STATE FAIR LIGHTS UP THE MIDWAY

Shreveport’s Lee Grigsby travels to fairs and festivals throughout the country, selling his tasty invention — the WonderStick.

But there’s nothing like playing in your home stadium. For Grigsby, that’s the State Fair of Louisiana. “The customers know us,” Grigsby said. “They come to the booth, and the WonderStick is no longer unusual to them. They know exactly what to order, along with our other products.”

Grigsby and his WonderStick will be at the 119th state fair, which runs Oct. 30-Nov. 16 (Closed Mondays and Tuesdays). It will be Grigsby’s 11th Louisiana State Fair, during which he will sell his addictive product.

“It’s a long (18 inches), crunchy cone that’s gluten-free. Soft serve ice cream goes all the way through it. You have a cone on each end of the stick in a “J” shape. It doesn’t get soggy, and you get a crunch in every bite.”

The WonderStick will be one of 30 food items from more than 100 vendors available along the midway. You will find traditional fair food – funnel cakes, corn dogs and turkey legs. But there will be other delicacies, like pit-smoked oxtails, Hawaiian, bourbon and teriyaki chicken and gator on a stick.

“We try to balance the grounds,” said Robb Brazzel, in his third year as the fair’s president and general manager.

“We’re always looking for new and unique stuff. We check out other fairs during the year to see what’s happening — if they’re bringing in anyone new — then we reach out to those folks. If we have a BBQ stand, we don’t really want another one that’s 20 feet away.”

Food is just one part of the fair experience. “For us, it’s really all about value for the dollar for the consumer who comes to the fair,” Brazzel said. “We spend a lot of money bringing in music artists and attractions, and all of that is included in your gate admission purchase. You come to the fair after 3 o’clock, when we start charging for admission, and you get to see the circus, the zoo, the magic show and any concerts we have. That’s all included with your gate admission. We’re trying to provide something for families where they can get multiple hours of entertainment value, not just an hour or two.”

Like any other business, the fair has had to evolve over the years. With that in mind, some new VIP experiences are being offered this fall.

“How do we take our fair to another level?” Brazzel asked. “Being in this industry for quite some time, I see what other fairs are doing. If we’re going to go to another level, we have to up our game.”

Among the VIP experiences: Build a Midway Mate: Your child can stuff a 16-inch elephant, which will come with its own birth certificate and a custom T-shirt. Your child will also receive a bag of cotton candy and admission to the fair.

Fairtacular Birthday Party: The fair can be the backdrop for your child and 10 of their friends. The cost includes a variety of things, like food, free shows and party favors.

Glitz and Grit: Elevate your LRCA Finals rodeo experience. Before the evening performance on Nov. 1, you can enjoy a catered meal and live music. Afterwards, you will watch the rodeo from box seats.

Food Crawl: Nov. 6 and 12, one price will let you sample food from 11 different vendors. You will also get a T-shirt and a Ferris wheel ride.

Fiesta en la Feria: You must be at least 21 years old to take part in this Latino Day experience on Nov. 15, which features a catered meal by Ki Mexico, live music and cultural entertainment.

For the second straight year, 60 carnival rides will be provided by Talley Amusements, the same company that offers rides at the State Fair of Texas. One of their newest attractions will be a large Ferris wheel with enclosed seating.

“You’re getting more of an amusement park feel,” Brazzel said of the atmosphere Talley provides.

“They have the phone charging stations, the diaper changing stations, the photo op cutouts. They have their own mascot, Little Tate, who comes out and walks around. Everything they have is first class. There’s not a light out. They’re top two, top three in the country.”

The State Fair continues to host the largest livestock shows in Louisiana. State 4-H and FFA members will compete in market animal shows and breeding shows. The fair will also be the site of the Ark-La-Tex Agricultural Council’s Junior Livestock Sale. There will also be Ag Magic at the State Fair, an interactive display for children to engage in agriculture.

While Brazzel welcomes everyone, he especially likes to see families at the fair. Brazzel knows the importance of those families feeling safe, which is why, in the past two years, there has been increased security. Brazzel said the level of protection this year will remain high.

“If you want families at your fair, you need to have a safe environment. We have done nothing but focus on that for the last two and a half years. We have had back-to-back runs with absolutely no problems, no issues.”

Brazzel said that it is because of two reasons. One is the fair’s partnerships with the City Marshall, the Shreveport Police Department and the Caddo Parish Sheriff’s Office. The other reason is the polices the fair has put in place, such as a clear bag policy and a Youth & Minor policy. After 6 p.m., anyone under 18 years old on the fairgrounds must be accompanied by a parent, guardian or chaperone who is at least 21 years old.

“(Safety) has been a huge focus of ours, and so far, we have seen a difference,” Brazzel said.

“We’ve seen more families out here. They’re staying longer. That tells us we’re at least headed in the right direction.”

Family Day discounts will be offered on Nov. 5 and 13. Special days at the Fair include Veterans & Military Appreciation Day, Nov. 16; Faith at the Fair, Nov. 16; and Latino Day, Nov. 15. Parking is free each day of the fair, and there is free gate admission until 3 p.m. each weekday.

“We’ve been here 119 years, and obviously the plans are not to go anywhere,” Brazzel said.

“Something’s working, and people are still attending the fair. We have to evolve, and we’ve tried to do so in my last three fairs. We’ve made a lot of changes and will continue to make those changes.”

To learn more about the State Fair of Louisiana, you may visit statefairoflouisiana.com.