We Attempted To Try Almost Every $3 Food Item at the Arizona State Fair
You read that right.
As an intern at the Arizona State Fair, I’ve seen a lot of things: families coming together for a day of excitement, friends laughing on their favorite ride, and fairgoers strolling through the fairgrounds with their newly won teddy bear. But there’s one thing that I have yet to see– someone trying every single food stand.
With over 90 food vendors at the Fair, that sounds like biting off more than one can chew. However, when the $3 Taste of the Fair rolled around, I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to dive headfirst into this Fair food wonderland. So, I got some friends and set out on arguably the most challenging foodie adventure of my life (spoiler alert: we didn’t succeed; instead, we have 26 items in under three hours).
The Game Plan
Now, before you continue reading on, we want to preface this by saying we know this is an ambitious goal. For that reason, we knew we had to be strategic. The goal was simple: eat every three dollar menu item at the Fair. To do this, we had to pace ourselves. Sounds like a piece of cake, but with the smell of funnel cakes and deep-fried oreos filling the air, we knew this was going to be difficult. Once we started, we couldn’t stop.
Fried Food Classics
A Fair isn’t a Fair without something fried. First on our list was Funnel Lot (#1) to get our hands on a deep-fried oreo. Dipped in a creamy batter then dusted in powdered sugar, these gooey-chocolatey oreos did not disappoint. We were officially on the fried-food train, and we weren’t getting off anytime soon.
Our next stop was Biggy’s (#8) for a beloved deep-fried snack– tater tots. These weren’t just any average tater tots though. For three dollars, we got a basket full of warm, crispy golden goodness. As we took our first bites, all we could mutter was a collective “mmm”.
Before even finishing the tots, another food stand was calling our name. Gourmet Burger (#75) was up next with their onion rings. A classic American staple, they were the perfect mix of crunch and savory. With all this fried food in our system, we needed something to sip on. We finished the onion rings, wiped the powdered sugar off our faces and trekked towards the next stand.
Thirst Quenchers
Our first beverage stop was for a new addition to the Fair– dirty sodas. We tried the Dolphin Breeze located at Cowboy Kettle Corn (#17). The drink consisted of lemon-lime soda with coconut creamer and blue raspberry syrup topped with gummy sharks. It was the perfect tropical tasting, bubbly and refreshing drink we needed to keep us cool.
My friend had her eyes on the Strawberry Refresher at Swirl Ice Cream (#24). The icy mix of fresh strawberries and lemonade made it just the right amount of tartness and sweetness.
Now, when you think about Fair food, bananas probably don’t come to mind, but to keep things fun, we decided to try the Banana Slushie from Boba King (#21). For three dollars, we were handed a creamy cup of fruity goodness. Needless to say, with banana being my favorite fruit, I found it very a-peeling!
Savory Sensations
At this point, we were starting to feel the weight of our decisions (figuratively and literally). However, we weren’t ready to call it quits yet. As we walked around the Fairgrounds looking for our next bite, the smell of freshly boiled corn filled the air. We couldn’t get to Corn Shack (#37) quicker to try their Corn in a Cup. This mouth-watering treat was an explosion of all classic Mexican street corn flavors; it’s safe to say it was ear-resistible.
Next up, we couldn’t wait to try the Fish Taco from Lobster Shack (#54). If you’re a taco lover, this one’s for you– tender and flaky fish topped with pickled red onion, green onions, and a zesty sauce. It was a light, yet flavorful stop before our next food stand.
Sweet Delights 
As if we hadn’t already eaten enough, we couldn’t resist dessert. Starting off at Joe Roaster (#73) with their Pair of Donuts. They might have been a simple sugar donut, but its warm and soft inside with its crispy, sweet outside made us want to come back for more.
For a refreshing sweet treat, we headed over to Waffle Cone (#67) for a Root Beer Float. This classic treat was the perfect balance of frothy root beer soda and creamy vanilla ice cream. If you’re looking for a fun-Fair twist on a traditional float, this is the place for you.
Saving the best for last, we swung by Totally Baked Cookie Joint (#31) for some Ice Cream Sandwiches. The cookies were chewy and paired perfectly with the rich and creamy ice cream. After all this food, I’m glad we saved room for dessert.
That concludes our food adventure at Taste of Fair Friday’s! We might have not been successful in trying all 90 food items, but maybe you’ll have better luck. If you dare to try this challenge, make sure to tag Arizona State Fair on Instagram and Tik Tok. Happy eating!