When I was a kid visiting from New York, I liked State Fair, the 2009 edition of which kicks off its 11-day run tomorrow.
I liked seeing the animals, I liked the cheap kitschy toys and I vividly remember having a State Fair black and white checkered racing flag in my bedroom in Brooklyn. Not far from the cartoon Milwaukee poster -- Old World Charm, New World Vigor -- that my grandparents bought for me at Usinger's (boy I wish I could find one of those now!) and the stack of tiny newspapers.
As I got older, State Fair started to lose its charm for me and I became more of a Summerfest person. Although, certainly, the two biggest events of the Milwaukee summer are not mutually exclusive.
Over the past few years -- and even before I had kids -- I started to appreciate the charms of the Fair again.
My love for Cracovia and its polka band, potato pancakes, sausages and High Life on tap is well documented on this site. But I love that my wife loves the giant slide (even if I don't) and I again appreciate seeing the animals and I love the DNR area with its relative tranquility in the heart of the madness.
I admit, I'm still not really a fan of the music at the Fair for the most part. The main stage acts fall outside my areas of interest and the same is true for cover bands. But I can put that aside now.
After all there's a Wisconsin wine building, cheap flavored milk, cream puffs and yummy sundaes, too.
Discovering and understanding the varied qualities of the State Fair has helped me enjoy it more. Now I cherry pick the fair for the things I enjoy and just doing those makes for a fun and satisfying visit or two every year.
Born in Brooklyn, N.Y., where he lived until he was 17, Bobby received his BA-Mass Communications from UWM in 1989 and has lived in Walker's Point, Bay View, Enderis Park, South Milwaukee and on the East Side.
He has published three non-fiction books in Italy – including one about an event in Milwaukee history, which was published in the U.S. in autumn 2010. Four more books, all about Milwaukee, have been published by The History Press.
With his most recent band, The Yell Leaders, Bobby released four LPs and had a songs featured in episodes of TV's "Party of Five" and "Dawson's Creek," and films in Japan, South America and the U.S. The Yell Leaders were named the best unsigned band in their region by VH-1 as part of its Rock Across America 1998 Tour. Most recently, the band contributed tracks to a UK vinyl/CD tribute to the Redskins and collaborated on a track with Italian novelist Enrico Remmert.
He's produced three installments of the "OMCD" series of local music compilations for OnMilwaukee.com and in 2007 produced a CD of Italian music and poetry.
In 2005, he was awarded the City of Asti's (Italy) Journalism Prize for his work focusing on that area. He has also won awards from the Milwaukee Press Club.
He has be heard on 88Nine Radio Milwaukee talking about his "Urban Spelunking" series of stories, in that station's most popular podcast.
