by Claire O'Neill

In Partnership With National Geographic

Somehow it's already August! That means much of the summer has passed, and soon we'll be retiring our swimsuits and preparing for fall. In America, this is also the season for state fairs: wonderfully gluttonous gatherings where fried foods, centrifugal force and prized livestock reign supreme. In the most recent issue of National Geographic, A Prairie Home Companion's Garrison Keillor writes an ode to the state fair, accompanied by Joel Sartore's photography. Hear Keillor discuss it on Talk of the Nation.

  • Andy Mullins, known as the Midway Barker at the State Fair of Texas, greets people by making "half" jokes. The mirror illusion that makes him look half-man, half-pole, is what really draws a crowd.
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    Andy Mullins, known as the Midway Barker at the State Fair of Texas, greets people by making "half" jokes. The mirror illusion that makes him look half-man, half-pole, is what really draws a crowd.
    All photos by Joel Sartore/National Geographic
  • It's hard to imagine controlling your stomach on this whirring top called the "Remix II." State fairs sprang up as agricultural venues, but carnival rides are now standard. This state fair is the largest annual event in Kansas.
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    It's hard to imagine controlling your stomach on this whirring top called the "Remix II." State fairs sprang up as agricultural venues, but carnival rides are now standard. This state fair is the largest annual event in Kansas.
  • At the Iowa fair, 8,400 people bite in synchrony at the first-ever Corn Dog Chomp, in 2008. Corn dogs have been around since at least the 1940s. And in 2006, a new incarnation emerged: fried Coca-Cola (batter balls flavored with cola syrup).
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    At the Iowa fair, 8,400 people bite in synchrony at the first-ever Corn Dog Chomp, in 2008. Corn dogs have been around since at least the 1940s. And in 2006, a new incarnation emerged: fried Coca-Cola (batter balls flavored with cola syrup).
  • In Indiana, Madagascar hissing roaches pull tiny tractors bearing flags of rival universities.
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    In Indiana, Madagascar hissing roaches pull tiny tractors bearing flags of rival universities.
  • At Minnesota's 4-H dairy cattle show in 2008, seven major breeds competed in more than a dozen age groups. Entrants are judged for qualities such as udder fullness, body angularity and stride.
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    At Minnesota's 4-H dairy cattle show in 2008, seven major breeds competed in more than a dozen age groups. Entrants are judged for qualities such as udder fullness, body angularity and stride.
  • Sisters Bridgit and Bergen Flom sport sparkly, rainbow hairdos, styled at the Minnesota fair for $14 each and a dollar extra for glitter.
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    Sisters Bridgit and Bergen Flom sport sparkly, rainbow hairdos, styled at the Minnesota fair for $14 each and a dollar extra for glitter.
  • The Slingshot offers a 200-foot launch and free fall back to the Earth; the launch alone leaves your stomach on the ground. But Minnesota fairgoers Tim Petersen and Deborah Smith said they'd go again.
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    The Slingshot offers a 200-foot launch and free fall back to the Earth; the launch alone leaves your stomach on the ground. But Minnesota fairgoers Tim Petersen and Deborah Smith said they'd go again.
  • From 80 feet above the crowd, Lou Plocher does a double somersault with a half-twist into 8 feet of water.
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    From 80 feet above the crowd, Lou Plocher does a double somersault with a half-twist into 8 feet of water.
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With dry humor Keillor describes that strange love/hate relationship so many of us have with these festive affairs. We're seduced by the food, the crowds, the rides, the carnival culture in general. And, oddly enough, those are the same things that leave us feeling sick and exhausted by the end of the day.

Sartore, best known as a wildlife photographer, was seduced by the fair as well — probably by the same observational inklings that routinely land him in the wild. Fairs are, after all, a breeding ground for odd and visually interesting behavior. Livestock and look-alike competitions, the whirring lights of roller coasters at night, "carnies" performing tricks and feats — Sartore's photographs take us on a tour of the distinctly American adventure that is a state fair.

To view more photos, and to read Keillor's article, check out ngm.com. Also take a look at this gallery of user-submitted fair photos.

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