Get ready for an exclusive insider’s look at the Wisconsin State Fair! Join CEO Shari Black as she takes us on a journey through her role since 2016, the 11-day extravaganza, unique competitions, and the delicate balance of tradition and innovation. Discover the 104 new food items, including the legendary cream puffs. Hear about overcoming challenges, Shari’s favorite fair food, and new events coming this year. Don’t miss this exciting peek into the “Greatest 11 Days of Summer”!
Sponsored by Central Standard Distillery: https://thecentralstandard.com/
Produced by Story Mark Studios: https://storymarkstudios.com/
Media partner – OnMilwaukee: https://onmilwaukee.com/
Richie Burke:
Hey everyone. Welcome back to Milwaukee Uncut, sponsored by Central Standard Distillery and produced by Story Mark Studios. The Wisconsin State Fair had over 1 million in attendance last year over an 11 day span. In this year, it is back in better than ever with new renovations, 104 new food items, new attractions, and more. This year, the fair runs from August 3rd to August 13th and here to talk about the state fair as the C E O herself. Sherry Black. Welcome to the show.
Shari Black:
Thank you for having me.
Richie Burke:
Yeah. So Sherry, you’ve been with the State Fair Park since 2016, your second year as C E o, and you have an interesting backstory regarding the fair, which I believe dates back to your childhood. Do you want to touch on that in your journey with the state fair?
Shari Black:
Sure. So I began showing animals when I was nine in four H, showing livestock at the Waukesha County Fair. I showed dairy, I had pigs as well as some other various projects. But then I began showing at the Wisconsin State Fair when I was 13 and again, showing dairy at the state fair as well. Started working in the Waukesha County Fair Office in the summers when I was in high school and then became, I was a Farris of the fair for Waukesha for Sterner putt state. Not quite the winner, but close enough. I’m just kidding. And then I realized that that’s really where I wanted my career to be. I wanted to be in the fair industry and I did my internship when I was at Carroll University at the Waukesha County Fair, and then our executive director resigned. I was only 23 years old and the board took a chance on me, so I became the director there and held that position for 15 years and then I moved to state fair in 2016 and obviously moved my way up through the
Richie Burke:
Rinks. What was it like getting that job at 23 a year out of school? Yeah,
Shari Black:
Ignorance is bliss, that’s for sure. You also think when you’re straight out of college that you know everything. So that gave me confidence where I probably should not have really had it, but I learned a lot obviously and grew up a lot, so I’m very thankful for that experience.
Richie Burke:
And what’s it been like being the C e O for the last year and a half now?
Shari Black:
Yes, it’s great. I absolutely love it. We have such a fun team at Wisconsin State Fair Park and it’s busy all the time, something different every day, so I really enjoy it.
Richie Burke:
And we’re recording this about a week before opening day. What are your days like right now?
Shari Black:
Very busy, of course. It’s funny because people say, what do you do every day? And I don’t have a typical day. Everything seems to be different almost every day. Of course we have meetings, but it just seems something pops up every day that you’re dealing with and troubleshooting, which is really gratifying too. You find yourself. I love problem solving and thinking of different ways to do things and of course at Wisconsin State Fair, that’s all we do is trying to find something that sets us apart. So it’s a very rewarding position
Richie Burke:
For sure. What time do you wake up and go to bed during the 11 day stretch?
Shari Black:
So that also depends on the one thing I know for sure is opening day. I will be there at 4:30 AM
Richie Burke:
Got it.
Shari Black:
And then just how things unfold throughout the next few days will depend on my departure and arrival times
Richie Burke:
Cream puffs. I believe next year is the hundredth year of the cream puff. Yes. How many do you sell per year?
Shari Black:
On average, it’s about 400,000 a year.
Richie Burke:
How many? So a million people go to the fair of 400,000 cream puff sold? Correct. What’s the history behind the cream puff and their popularity?
Shari Black:
So they actually were started in 1924 as a way to promote our dairy in agriculture. So they wanted to come up with a signature item. Obviously the cream puff, the cream has a lot of dairy in it, and that’s really how that started and it just caught on. Everybody loved the cream puff and now Wisconsin State Fair. It’s our signature item.
Richie Burke:
Very cool. What other standout experiences can attendees look forward to this year?
Shari Black:
So we have a new event, it’s called CIR the Fair. It’s like a Cirque de Soleil type event, and that will be located on the south end of the grounds. We actually expanded our footprint of the fair a little bit, which is difficult to do because we’re pretty landlocked, but we know that we have so many wonderful, fair patrons that we needed to spread out as much as we could and add this new event, and it is free with your admission to the fair. However, if you would like to purchase a ringside seat, you can do that. They’re just $10 online right now, but this is something different. We had a circus at the fair many years ago. I think 2001 was the last time that we had a circus, but that involved animals. This one does not involve that. They do have some Clydesdales and some ponies, but they’re not the main attraction, so to speak. So it’s just very entertaining. You can find all of that information, of course, on our website at Wisconsin or wi state fair.com, but it’ll be new and fun and something different.
Richie Burke:
Obviously, you grew up in the agriculture industry, I believe your family had a farm, right? Yes.
Shari Black:
Still does.
Richie Burke:
Still does. The fair plays a huge role in showcasing that the agriculture industry in Wisconsin. Can you touch on that and the importance of the fair?
Shari Black:
Sure. So agriculture is really the cornerstone of the fair and why we do what we do to support the youth as well as to support agriculture in general. We also are educating the public about where their food comes from. It’s really important because in Wisconsin we have 64,000 farms and 14.3 million acres of farmland that we need to preserve, as well as 11% of the jobs in Wisconsin are in the agricultural industry. So it’s extremely important. Not only do we want people to know where their food is coming from, but to have that sustainability for our land as well as clean water. There’s just so many pieces that agriculture touches that I think people just don’t even realize. So we try to bring that to the forefront when you come to the fair. All of our shows that happen in the Coliseum, when the livestock is being shown, we explain how it’s really producing a product and going through that production process as well as then the meat being processed. It’s really important in how we feed America.
Richie Burke:
State Fair obviously has a number of traditions as far as the agriculture, the displays, the cream puffs, the food. Also a lot of new things coming in every year. How do you strike a balance between new and old and what stays and what goes and what new comes in?
Shari Black:
Well, I think that we always kind of joke we’re trying, there’s a convention that we attend every year. It’s called the International Association Affairs and Expos. And in the trade show is when you have all of the strolling entertainers, even main stage entertainers, anything that you can have as an attraction at your fair. So we kind of joke that you’re always trying to find the weirdest thing you possibly can that’s going not necessarily the weirdest, but the most entertaining. And so that really helps trying to keep your pulse on the industry. We have a lot of workshops we attend as well as a lot of networking with other fairs. We’re friends with numerous fairs all throughout the world, so I think that people really enjoy the traditions that we offer at Wisconsin State Fair Park. So of course we try to continue those. But then adding in some of those new things, like I mentioned with having circuit the fair now, and I think it’s also important to make sure that we’re increasing the value of the ticket. We understand everything is expensive right now, and we want to still have that family affordability factor when we’re planning the fair. We want to make sure that families are able to afford to bring everyone and enjoy everything that we have to offer. So the great thing is when you get in to the fair with your ticket, you can attend almost everything. Of course, there’s some things like the rides that cost more, but we could try to keep those affordable as well.
Richie Burke:
You mentioned going to a trade show and seeing the acts and you want to go for weird and entertaining. Is there anything that’s just too weird that stuck out to you that you couldn’t bring into the fair?
Shari Black:
Well, this is going to sound weird maybe to some people, but I have a phobia of large moving things. That sounds odd, but I’ll explain a little bit. So in the trade show, they have these trees and they’re people on stilts and they’re holding sticks, but they look like they have leaves and I don’t know, almost like if you’re snow white when she’s in the forest and the trees come alive, that’s like what it looks like. Okay. I can’t handle being around them. And people that know me, if we’re out talking in an aisle or something and I see it out of the corner of my eye and I know it’s coming, I’m out the door. I don’t know. I can’t handle that. And then there’s a huge robot, which we actually have had at the fair, and I know people really enjoy him and that’s great, but when he comes, he’s like, I don’t know, seven, eight feet tall. He’s really big. And again, I don’t like that either. I’m like out the door, here come the mummies. They’re fantastic. Love listening to ’em. Do not like their entrance. That scares me too. And I know at one convention we had them, it was at a very large hotel and you can hear their drums coming as they’re coming into play. They were the entertainment that night, and that was my first real experience of, wow. I dunno. It just scares me out.
So people in the industry to tease me about that, I
Richie Burke:
Guess, do you guys bring in snakes and stuff? Do you have those there? We
Shari Black:
Used to have a reptile show.
Richie Burke:
Yes, I remember that.
Shari Black:
Yes. Monty’s, Monty retired, so we no longer have
Richie Burke:
That. I’m so sorry to hear that.
Shari Black:
Yeah, see, that’s the thing. I’ll hold the snake or that stuff doesn’t bother me, but dress up like a tree and stand on stilts and I’m terrified. I don’t know.
Richie Burke:
That is interesting. Braver than me. Probably scared of both. All right, we’re going to move on to the standard five, five-ish quick questions presented by Central Standard. Okay. What is your favorite food at the Wisconsin State Fair?
Shari Black:
Do I have to only say one or can I do a couple?
Richie Burke:
I don’t want you to offend too many of the vendors, so you can name a couple. Name a few. Okay. Well,
Shari Black:
Baked potato, I mean it’s fair, so you got to have some really great nutrients. Right? That’s healthy. Kind of
Richie Burke:
Healthier than a lot of the other alternatives you got. I mean’s
Shari Black:
Broccoli and cheese. So broccoli’s healthy too,
Richie Burke:
And cheese is very healthy.
Shari Black:
And bacon, you need meat during the fair. Yep. And then street corn nachos are another favorite. If you haven’t had those at Tropics. Oh my gosh. They were a Sparkies contestant a few years ago. Those are really good. I could list a lot. I’ll probably just
Richie Burke:
Stop any item to watch that people wouldn’t really be aware of.
Shari Black:
Well, one of the ones that I really want to try, it’s one of our sporties. It’s called the Porky, and that’s by Camp Bar. It’s a Sunday, but it has chocolate covered bacon. And again, like bacon, you need bacon during the fair because it’s healthy and chocolate. I mean, love bacon, love chocolate. So I think it’s going to be fabulous.
Richie Burke:
I saw the photo of that, reading it. I thought bacon on ice cream would be gross, but the photo looks really good,
Shari Black:
But it’s like that sweet, salty. I don’t know. I think it’s going to be really good. I’m excited to try it.
Richie Burke:
Okay, now we have, we’re going to do a quiz instead of a question 10 part quiz. Pick 10 food items. Five are at the fair, five are not at the fair.
Shari Black:
I feel like this is stressful.
Richie Burke:
You have to answer yes or no.
Shari Black:
Okay.
Richie Burke:
All right. Alligator ribs.
Shari Black:
Ooh. So we do have a guy that sells alligator. I’m going to say true.
Richie Burke:
Correct. Okay. Pickled Turkey gizzards.
Shari Black:
Ooh. I hope that’s false.
Richie Burke:
Correct? It is a real food. I
Shari Black:
Can’t believe that. Would you eat that?
Richie Burke:
No, I would not eat. I wouldn’t eat most of the stuff I’m naming off. Southern fried rattlesnake snake, not steak.
Shari Black:
I feel like I would know for sure if we had that, and I have not heard that, so I’m going to say false.
Richie Burke:
Correct. Atomic slush, the world’s hottest slush.
Shari Black:
That is true.
Richie Burke:
Yep. Were you four for four? A bug brownie on a stick
Shari Black:
That I know is true because I read that and thought, Ooh,
Richie Burke:
What do they put on it? I
Shari Black:
Think it’s crickets, isn’t it?
Richie Burke:
I would hope so. It’s probably the least disgusting bug you could put on there.
Shari Black:
Yeah, I should have read that more. I don’t remember,
Richie Burke:
But that is true. You can get it at this year’s Wisconsin State Fair to anyone listening, dill pickle donut.
Shari Black:
This I know is true because I’m excited to try this. I mean, it’s like dill pickle pizza. Would you have thought that was good and it’s fabulous? I’d love it.
Richie Burke:
I have never tried that. I do not think it would be good, but maybe I’ll have to Right now it’s really good. Reindeer or hot dog?
Shari Black:
I don’t think so, but doesn’t that sound interesting?
Richie Burke:
It sounds state fairy. It does. You’re going to go with No,
Shari Black:
I feel like I would remember a reindeer because reindeer’s are nice.
Richie Burke:
All right. You got it correct. It is false. Oh, I didn’t know it existed before yesterday when I was looking up foods to make up and put on here, but it is a real food, deep fried butter.
Shari Black:
We have that. That’s true.
Richie Burke:
That is false.
Shari Black:
Really?
Richie Burke:
I think
Shari Black:
We had it before. I know that we did, because I remember thinking, how do you deep fry butter? And it had a batter around it.
Richie Burke:
At least it wasn’t on the new foods list.
Shari Black:
Yeah, we might not have it
Richie Burke:
Anymore. I might’ve made an error. You’re either eight for eight or seven for eight. I
Shari Black:
Mean, keep in mind I have 20 some years of fares that I’ve got to try and keep straight.
Richie Burke:
All right. Deep fried apple pie.
Shari Black:
Yes. I’m excited about this too.
Richie Burke:
Correct. That sounds really good. Fried coke?
Shari Black:
I don’t think so. I don’t know how you would do that,
Richie Burke:
Correct? It is false. Okay, good. You’re really good.
Shari Black:
Well, I don’t
Richie Burke:
Know. You got 10 for 10 or nine for 10. We’re not sure on the deep fried butter.
Shari Black:
Yeah. Yeah.
Richie Burke:
That was impressive. All right, next question. Have you ever ridden the sky flyer?
Shari Black:
Oh, yes. It’s really great.
Richie Burke:
You’re very, very brave for being afraid of the moving tree men, so that’s another I would never get on that.
Shari Black:
Oh, what’s funny is I’m afraid of heights too, and it didn’t happen until I got older. I was fine when I was a kid because I used to jump out of the hay mount down to the ground. I was just telling somebody the story. I’m like, how did we not break an ankle or shatter a whole leg? I don’t know. But my brothers and I did it all the time, but now that I’ve gotten older, I think now you realize, oh my gosh, if I did that, I would break both legs. But the sky flyer is a very easy ride. If you are afraid of anything because you’re on a swing, you just go up and it’s a great view. You can see everything. But we have a new ride this year called The Hulk, and it’s like a claw, and so you sit in it and it rotates while it’s going upside down. So I’m kind of excited about that one because there was a ride that we used to have similar that would go upside down, but it didn’t rotate at the same time, which I don’t do well on spinny rides, but I like going up and over. I think that’s fun.
Richie Burke:
Are there any rides you wouldn’t get on?
Shari Black:
Yes, so I do not like some of the rides that I don’t know, you see on reels and stuff, rides that stop and you’re upside down, and then you start going, I don’t like that. That’s too much. These crazy rides that are at permanent parks.
Richie Burke:
Yeah.
Shari Black:
Yeah. I don’t think I’d
Richie Burke:
Want to like bungee jumping. You wouldn’t want to do that?
Shari Black:
No, I would not do bungee jumping.
Richie Burke:
Okay.
Shari Black:
Did you notice that? No. That Wisconsin, no, I just gave,
Richie Burke:
Yeah, pretty proud of that. You’re like a perfect c e o of the Wisconsin State Fair. Most exciting moment for you personally at the fair?
Shari Black:
I have to say, I love coming in the morning, and I actually, last year I got a little emotional, and I’m not an emotional person, so it was kind of odd for me, but just pulling up, it’s still dark out when you get there that early, because you’re doing media and the lights. I remember last year when I came in, the lights on the wheel we’re on and just seeing, it’s very quiet because most people are still sleeping, and for me, that’s exciting because it’s the opening and that anticipation of people coming to see what you’ve worked typically 18 months to produce. That for me is really gratifying and exciting.
Richie Burke:
Yeah. You’re very early in your tenure as the c e O of Wisconsin State Fair, but what do you ultimately want to be known for?
Shari Black:
I’ve never thought about that. I think that, of course, I want people to think that I’m a kind person. That’s always number one, but I really want to build a legacy around the fact that we at State Fair, try very hard to make sure that everybody is able to come in and enjoy the fair as well as, like I said, really adding that value to the tickets so that people walk away and say, that was worth every penny that I paid.
Richie Burke:
Thank you so much for tuning into this episode of Milwaukee Uncut. If you enjoyed this episode, please do us a huge favor in subscribe to the show and write a review that helps us get more ears on these episodes and these great Milwaukee stories. Also, just a reminder that this podcast is sponsored by Central Standard Distillery in its partnership with On Milwaukee and produced by Story Studios.