Nebraska State Fair kicks off with flavor

GRAND ISLAND, Neb. -- The 2023 Nebraska State Fair has begun.

Early Friday morning, the gates opened for the first day at 11 a.m. of the Nebraska State Fair.

Volunteer Ed Meedle said he’s been volunteering at the fair since it moved to Grand Island 13 years ago. 

“Well, I just think that it's incumbent upon us when we have an opportunity, when we have time, to give back and this is one way to give back to the community and help to continue to promote the Nebraska State Fair," Meedle said.

After all these years, the things he looks forward to the most are the equine events and the food.

“To me there is not a state fair food I found yet that I don’t care for,” Meedle said. "It's all good."

For Pig in a Bag owner Mickey Hatcher, feeding people is dear to his heart. He competed in the "New and Unique Food Contest" on Friday.

“This is our Peachy Pig," Hatcher said. "It is a yellow cake that is infused with the peach juices. We have peaches that we add brown sugar to, to sweeten them up a little bit. Then we make a no-bake cheesecake topping, and then also we make a caramel sauce with the peach juice and then it comes with bacon on top.”

Hatcher said it took him two years to come up with the recipe.

“I want them to taste 'wow,' that wow factor,” Hatcher said.  "I would never think this would come together the way it does."

For others, the state fair is about making a statement. 

Jack Sheard with Idea Bank Marketing said they thought about doing something for families. Their idea? A mural.

“So, this year Five Points Bank wanted to do something creative and exciting and fun for families coming to the fair." Sheard said. "They wanted it, as always, to be free and something that’s interactive They wanted to make a statement, so we worked with them and we designed a big banner that is now going to be a paint by numbers.”

Sheard said anyone can come to their booth and fill the mural with color.

Visit the state fair website to see a full list of activities.

Free admission on Tuesday, Aug. 29, just download the NCN app.