High Above The Midway Lights

It seems hard to believe but today marks the beginning of the 2008 Minnesota State Fair. While a lot of attention has been focused on the RNC coming to town in a couple of weeks, the State Fair opening has fair greater impact and frankly much more meaning to your average Minnesotan.

For the next two weeks we'll be buried in an avalanche of stories about this or that on a stick, jokes about overeating (they never get old), and overrun by a herd of super-sized, corn-fed farm beasts (and the animals they bring to the Fair). I used to be a bit curmudgeonly when it came to the Fair, but over the years my views have mellowed and I've learned to accept and enjoy the sticky, smelly, mess of life that it is.

Once again, the Northern Alliance Radio Network will be broadcasting several shows live from the Fair. AM 1280 The Patriot has a new location on the corner of Dan Patch and Cosgrove which should bring a little more foot traffic and perhaps a little more attention given our proximity to the DFL booth.

Mitch and Ed will kick things off tonight from 5pm-7pm (preempting some deservedly obscure nationally syndicated host). Then it will be some randomly selected version of Mitch and Ed or King and Michael live from the Fair each weeknight from 5pm-7pm through August 29th.

Like watching an NFL pre-season game, you'll have to listen to the NARN at just the right time to catch the First Team. That time would be this Saturday and next Saturday from 11am-1pm, which coincidentally enough happen to be our regular show times.

We have a coupla of really big shows planned as usual. This Saturday's show will be a beefy brew of Fair goodness and promises to be a pig lickin' good time. Speaking of porcine matters, mark August 30th on your calendars now for the tradition (and cholesterol) rich Scarfin' O' The Eggs. That's right, the annual NARN Scotch Egg Eating Contest will take place at high noon that day.

We've invited several of the our past Scotch Egg eating champions to return for a gala reunion event and, as long as the fire department can extract them from their homes safely, we should have quite a special gathering. The veterans are scheduled to perform a heartfelt rendition of The Ballad of the Scotch Egg which will bring a tear to even the most jaded eye.

Also scheduled to appear on the 30th and perform live during the breaks is NashVegas. No, that's not the name of Don Johnson's new series on CBS. It's the hottest band to come out of Rochester since the G Monkeys. Their alt-neo-rockabilly stylings belie the important underlying message of their music. This band could save your life. Especially if you're choking on a Scotch Egg and need to have the Heimlich maneuver performed.

That show, like all the other NARN State Fair appearances, is not one that you want to miss. Stop by and say hi at the Fair or catch all on the action on AM1280 The Patriot.