It’s almost time for the Wisconsin State Fair, which takes place Aug. 1-11. And – just in case you need a few more reasons to be excited – they’ve released a list of 100 brand-new gut-busting dishes that will be featured at the 2024 Fair.  

Add to that the 100th anniversary of the Wisconsin State Fair Cream Puff (complete with four new limited edition flavors) and you've got a whole lot of deliciousness to which you can look forward!

What's trending on the list? Well – even after the debacle that was  2023's Dill Pickle Donut – the pickle is still having a State Fair moment. Fresh off the wake of TikTok's viral pickle sandwich, the State Fair is preparing to dill-light guests with pickle-licious finds like Dill Pickle Poutine; "Dill"icious Tots; and the deep-fried Cool Ranch Dorito Pickle; plus puckery cucumber-based beverages like Purple Pickle Lemonade; the Pickles in Paradise Piña Colada and Frozen Pickle Lemonade.

Meanwhile, the old-fashioned funnel cake is making a comeback with creations like Funnel Cake Root Beer Battered Cheese Curds (a must-try); the Strawberry Funnel Cake Sandwich; The Funnel Dog and Cheesy Sriracha Funnel Cake Bites.

There are also a fair number of bites that I'd suspect have about a 50/50 chance of being worth your hard-earned dollars. That includes the Jalapeño Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough On-a-Stick (which could tank if it doesn't pack a punch); the Shark Attack Boba (intriguing); and .

As usual, ALL of them are fair game for my annual State Fair food tasting and reviewing extravaganza during which I eat (one too) many new State Fair foods and report back to you with all the good, bad and ugly details.

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Help me choose new foods to review!

For the eighth year in a row, I'll review at least ten of the new Wisconsin State Fair foods, if not more. But I need your help! 

I've got a small list of items I'm interested in trying, but I'm also taking requests! Send your suggestions for foods I should consider by messaging me on social media (@LoFredrich) or emailing me at lori@onmilwaukee.com (use subject line: State Fair Foods) on or before Monday, July 29. I'll try to include as many of your suggestions as I can.

In the meantime, you can take a look back at the 14 new State Fair foods I reviewed and ranked in 2023.

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ALL the new foods at the fair

For your convenience, here's the complete list of all the new foods at the Fair (along with where to find them). You can also find more favorite dishes using the Wisconsin State Fair Food Finder.

* notes a Sporkies finalist
** notes a Drinkies finalist

1. Acai Cup (Leff's Miller Lite Sports Bar & Grill, Grandstand Avenue & Second Street)
2. All American Slush: Classic strawberry and blue raspberry slush layered with creamy whipped topping, stars, stripes, sprinkles and a fun patriotic straw (Exotic Meat Grill, South Grandstand Avenue)
3. Alligator Taco (Exotic Meat Grill, South Grandstand Avenue)
4. Apple Lemonade (Minneapple Pie, Wetley Way near Main Street)
5. Asian Sweet & Sticky Tots (Knucklehead, Central Avenue & Center Street
6. Beer Cheese & Brat Spud Muffins: In this take on the classic potato pancake, cheesy hashbrown mix is infused with beer cheese and bratwurst and baked in a muffin tin (Leff's Miller Lite Sports Bar & Grill, Grandstand Avenue & Second Street)
7. Big Mick Tots: Tater tots topped with ground hamburger, special sauce, cheese, onions, lettuce, and pickle (Knucklehead, Central Avenue & Center Street)
8. Birria Egg Roll: A celebration of the chef’s cherished Mexican heritage, this deep-fried egg roll contains beef birria that blends bold Mexican spices with a subtle Asian twist. It's served with beef consommé for dipping plus a sprinkle of cilantro, onion and lime. (Fiesta Grill & Cantina, Central Avenue)
9. Birthday Cake Mini Donuts: Festive mini donuts coated with vanilla sugar, drizzled with icing, and dusted with sugar crystals and sprinkles. (Mini Donuts, Center Street & Badger Avenue)
10. Blue Cheese Bacon Dog: Hot dog topped with tomatoes, chopped bacon, onion, chunky blue cheese dressing, and chives (Blue Moon Tavern At The Park, Grandstand Avenue & Main Street)
11. Bourbon Toffee (Prairie Junction Co., Wisconsin Products Pavilion)
12. Brandy Old Fashioned BBQ Brat‘Za (Pop's Paradise, Second Street & Central Avenue)
13. Brandy Old Fashioned Toffee (Prairie Junction Co., Wisconsin Products Pavilion)
14. Brat Hot Jammin’ Beer Cheeseburger (Double K Ranch Bar & Grill Second Street & Wetley Way)
15. Brisket Beer Cheese Baker: Smoked baked potato topped with ranch butter, Wisconsin white cheddar beer cheese, chopped brisket, Doc’s sweet BBQ sauce, and crispy fried onion strings (Doc's Smokehouse, First Street)
16. Bubble Gum Fudge (Sherwood's Fabulous Fudge, Wisconsin Products Pavilion)
17. Buffalo Chicken Rangoon (Leff's Miller Lite Sports Bar & Grill, Grandstand Avenue & Second Street)
18. Bug Juice: The green juice has ice cubes made with real edible bugs which release as the ice melts. The rim of the cup is dipped in caramel sauce and black ants then topped off with a scorpion! Please note: eating bugs is not recommended for people with shellfish allergies (All Things Jerky, South Grandstand Avenue)
19. Build Me Up - Buttercup: Cookie Dough Roll served with Chocolate Peanut Butter Sauce Dipper (Badger Bites, Second Street & Central Avenue)
20. Burnt Ends Bonanza: Crisp and crackling burnt end pork butt served on top of tater tots with Wisconsin beer cheese, chopped scallions, a drizzle of “Kickin’ Bourbon” sauce and a side of sour cream (Big Sky Country Bar & Grill, Central Avenue & Third Street)
21. “Catch of the Day” Crab Cake Slider: a crab cake slider topped with housemade spicy remoulade sauce, sweet and spicy mango relish and creamy coleslaw (Gooonie's Fish & Beer Shack, Central Avenue)
22. Cheesehead: Wisconsin Mac & Cheese Roll served with Bacon Cheddar Ranch Dipper OR Beer Cheese Dipper (Badger Bites, Second Street & Central Avenue)
23. Cheesy Sriracha Funnel Cake Bites: Bite-sized funnel cake snacks infused with mozzarella and parmesan cheese, deep-fried to a crisp golden-brown, and topped with an artisan blend of six different cheeses and chives. Served with a choice of Sriracha aioli, ranch or garlic butter (Funnel Cakes, Grandstand Avenue)
24. Cheesy Strawberry Rhubarb Chutney Wrap: A soft tortilla filled with Indian spiced strawberry rhubarb chutney, salad greens, sunflower seeds and two varieties of Wisconsin goat cheese (Wisconsin Dairy Goat Products, Wisconsin Products Pavilion)
25. Cherry Vanilla Cream Soda Rice Crispy (Sodalish, Benno's Micro Alley)
26. Churro Puff Corn (Pop's Paradise, Second Street & Central Avenue)
27. Coffee Crème Brûlée Milk Tea: This drink blends the rich, caramelized flavor of crème brûlée with the comforting taste of milk tea (includes boba). (Bubble Tea & Waffles, North Grandstand Avenue)
28. *Cool Ranch Doritos Pickle: Large dill pickle spiral-cut on-a-stick, rolled in crushed up Cool Ranch Doritos and deep-fried (Deep-Fried Mashed Potatoes On-a-Stick, Badger Avenue & Center Street)
29. Cream Puff Soda: Sparkling beverage made with organic vanilla syrup and swirled-in cream, topped with whipped cream and celebratory rainbow sprinkles.(Sodalish, Benno's Micro Alley)
30. Cricket Cookie Sandwich: Crickets are high in protein and have a nutty taste which pairs beautifully with a chocolate chip cookie. Add a tasty layer of buttercream frosting with even more crickets between the cookies.
    Please note: eating bugs is not recommended for people with shellfish allergies (All Things Jerky South Grandstand Avenue)
31. *Deep-Fried Lemonade Bites: Hawaiian sweet rolls, filled with housemade lemonade curd filling, dipped in French toast batter and deep-fried, then tossed in lemon sugar with a drizzle of icing. (Saz's BBQ, Badger Avenue & Second Street)
32. Deep-Fried Strawberry Golden Oreos: Golden Oreos dipped in a strawberry funnel cake mix, fried and topped with powdered sugar, whipped cream and strawberry syrup (Molly's Sweet Shoppe, SpinCity)
33. "Dill”icious Tots: Deep-fried tater tots drizzled with a special secret dill sauce and topped with pickles, bacon and chives (Knucklehead, Central Avenue & Center Street)
34. Dill Pickle Poutine: Crispy fresh cut fries topped with Wisconsin cheese curds, dill pickle chips and smothered in homemade creamy dill sauce (Attavio’s Concessions, Second Street)
35. *Dirty Chai Cinnamon Roll Lumpia: Lumpia wrapper filled with cinnamon roll dough, chai-spiced brown sugar butter and cream cheese espresso frosting (Lumpia City, South Grandstand Avenue)
36. Dirty Chai Iced Latte: Nitro draft iced coffee topped with homemade sweet chai tea spiced syrup, milk, whipped cream and a sprinkle of chai spiced sugar (Slim McGinn's Irish Pub, Grandstand Avenue & Second Street)
37. *Elote Corn Ribs: Ribs of corn on the cob tossed in hickory smoked batter, deep-fried, dusted with cotija cheese and served over a bed of crisp kettle chips with elote dip and a lime wedge (Tropics, Wetley Way & First Street)
38. Elote Dog: Hot dog served in a warm New England bun topped with mayo, butter, cotija cheese, bacon bits, cilantro and a sprinkle of chili powder (Wild Dog Saloon, Central Avenue)
39. *Elvis Nachos: peanut butter banana sauce served over Slim’s famous deep-fried potato chips and topped with chopped peanuts, chopped banana chips, and crumbled bacon (Slim McGinn's Irish Pub, Grandstand Avenue & Second Street)
40. **Fairway Fusion: Equal parts sweet tea and lemonade with pineapple and key lime juices, a splash of coconut syrup, and fresh mint leaves and a lime wedge for garnish (Old Fashioned Sipper Club, Central Avenue & First Street)
41. Fried Chicken & Waffles On-a-Stick (Leff's Miller Lite Sports Bar & Grill Grandstand Avenue & Second Street)
42. Frozen Hot Chocolate: An indulgent cold beverage with the richness of hot chocolate and the icy chill of a milkshake. Garnished with whipped cream, mini marshmallows and drizzled with Ghirardelli chocolate (Sodalish, Benno's Micro Alley)
43. Frozen Pickle Lemonade: This drink mixes the tangy flavor of dill pickles with the zesty taste of lemonade. Garnished with a dill pickle chip on top for an added crunch and extra pickle flavor (Camp Amber, Bank Nine Five Amphitheater)
44. Funnel Cake Root Beer Battered Cheese Curds: White cheddar cheese curds covered in funnel cake root beer batter, deep-fried and topped with powdered sugar (Charcoal Grill Roadhouse, Main Street & Badger Avenue)
45. **Glazed Donut Coffee Float: Glazed donut-infused iced coffee over creamy vanilla ice cream, topped with a golden glazed donut hole, and delicate glazed donut crumbles (Fluffy's Hand Cut Donuts, South Grandstand Avenue)
46. Granola Bar Ice Cream Sandwich Trio: Three flavors of soft, chewy granola bars filled with vanilla cream and drizzled with a tangy raspberry lemon sauce. Granola Bar Cream Sandwich flavors included Honey Almond, Almond Chocolate, and Espresso Almond Chocolate (Trio Olympia Granola, Wisconsin Products Pavilion)
47. Honey Lavender Iced Latte (Slim Irish Pub Grandstand Avenue & Second Street)
48. Hot Fudge Waffle (Leff's Miller Lite Sports Bar & Grill, Grandstand Avenue & Second Street)
49. *Hot Ham & Glazers: Thinly sliced smoked hot ham covered with melted Swiss cheese and drizzled with spicy and sweet raspberry jam stuffed between two iconic Kwik Trip™ Glazers doughnuts (Bud Pavilion, Central Avenue)
50. Hot House Chicken Mac Wrap with Fries (Leff's Miller Lite Sports Bar & Grill, Grandstand Avenue & Second Street)
51. If You Want To Be A Badger: Loaded Baked Potato Roll with Beer Cheese Dipper (Badger Bites, Second Street & Central Avenue)
52. Island Tiki Dog: All-beef hot dog served on a bun with spicy mayo, pineapple salsa, cilantro, crispy shallots, fried garlic and Island Sauce (Blue Moon Tavern At The Park, Grandstand Avenue & Main Street)
53. Jalapeño Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough On-a-Stick: Signature chocolate chip cookie dough dipped in jalapeño chili-infused milk chocolate coating, topped with crispy jalapeño pieces and Flaming Hot Cheetos (Kora & Mila's Cookie Dough, Main Street OR Second Street
54. Jalapeño Crunch Turkey Burger (Double K Ranch Bar & Grill, Second Street & Wetley Way)
55. Jump Around: Buffalo Chicken Dip Roll served with homemade Bacon Cheddar Ranch Dipper (Badger Bites, Second Street & Central Avenue)
56. Key Lime Pie Iced Cooler (Slim McGinn's Irish Pub, Grandstand Avenue & Second Street)
57. Korean Corn Dog (Chan's Chicken On-a-Stick, Grandstand Avenue)
58. Lemon Cream Pie Float: Vanilla bean ice cream, Sprite and lemonade garnished with a lemon slice (Double K Ranch Bar & Grill, Second Street & Wetley Way)
59. *Loaded Baked Potato Churro: Deep fried “baked potato churro” stuffed with bacon, chives, and cheddar cheese. Served with housemade sour cream and onion dipping sauce on the side (WürstBar, Central Avenue & Second Street)
60. Loaded Gyro Bratzel: A gyro seasoned bratwurst made by St. Joe’s Country Market (LaCrosse) wrapped in fresh pretzel dough, topped with salt and baked. It’s topped with lemon tzatziki sauce, herbed feta cheese and shaved red onion (Gertrude's Pretzels, South Grandstand Avenue)
61. Majorade (Major Goolsby's, Heartland Badger Avenue & First Street)
62. Mexico City Dog: Hot dog with Elote-style corn, housemade spicy mayo, pickled red onions, cotija cheese, tajin, cilantro, and lime (Blue Moon Tavern At The Park, Grandstand Avenue & Main Street)
63. Peach-Mango Bellini Slushy: Blended peaches, mangos and Sprite garnished with fresh peach wedge and mint leaf (Krautland, Central Avenue)
64. Peanut Butter & Jelly Saddle Bag: A deep-fried peanut butter and jelly sandwich prepared empanada-style topped with a tiger-stripe drizzle of chocolate syrup and a sprinkle of powdered sugar (Big Sky Country Bar & Grill, Central Avenue & Third Street)
65. Pickles in Paradise: The Piña Colada meets pickles in this drink featuring pineapple, banana, cream of coconut, pickles and pickle juice all served in a pineapple cup (Caribbean Smoothees, North Grandstand Avenue OR Second Street)
66. Pizza Cheese Curd Taco: Italian sausage, pizza-flavored cheddar cheese curds and pepperoni fried in a flour tortilla shell topped with rich marinara sauce (Richie's Cheese Curd Taco, Wetley Way)
67. Pizza Jerky (All Things Jerky, South Grandstand Avenue)
68. Pop’s OG Smoked Wings (Pop's Paradise, Second Street & Central Avenue)
69. Pop’s Pulled Pork Parfait (Pop's Paradise Second Street & Central Avenue)
70. Pulled Ham & Cheese Ciabatta Sandwich with Fries (Leff's Miller Lite Sports Bar & Grill Grandstand Avenue & Second Street)
71. **Purple Pickle Lemonade: Lemonade, pickle juice and baby dill pickles mixed with butterfly pea flower for a natural purple hue (Tropics, Wetley Way & First Street)
72. Reuben Brat Tots (Krautland, Central Avenue)
73. *Rise & Swine Sundae: Brioche waffle studded with pearl sugar, topped with Camp Bar’s Classic Vanilla Custard, a drizzle of Wisconsin maple syrup, gooey caramel sauce, toasted crunch bits, a dusting of powdered sugar and two made-to-order breakfast sausage links (Camp Bar, Central Avenue & Center Street)
74. Roll Out the Barrel: Jalapeño Cheese Curd Roll served with Bacon Cheddar Ranch (Badger Bites, Second Street & Central Avenue)
75. Root Beer & Pretzel Rice Crispy (The Micro Landing at North Grandstand Avenue OR The Micro at Benno's Micro Alley)
76. Root Beer Float Slush (Exotic Meat Grill, South Grandstand Avenue)
77. Rye Whiskey Toffee (Prairie Junction Co., Wisconsin Products Pavilion)
78. Salmon Jerky (All Things Jerky, South Grandstand Avenue)
79. Sconnie: Fish Fry Roll served with Tartar Dipper (Badger Bites Second Street & Central Avenue)
80. Shark Attack Boba: Blue raspberry green tea with strawberry popping boba, strawberry puree, and gummy sharks (Tri Boba Tea, Exposition Center)
81. Shepherd’s Pie Dipper: Irish beef in Guinness gravy served on a French roll spread with Irish onion dip and topped with sweet corn niblets, shoestring potato chips and served with a soufflé cup of Guinness gravy (Slim McGinn's Irish Pub, Grandstand Avenue & Second Street)
82. Slaw Dog (Blue Moon Tavern At The Park, Grandstand Avenue & Main Street)
83. Smoky Chicken Crunch Disk: Smoked chicken with shredded cheddar jack cheese and pico folded in a grilled flour tortilla.(Pop's Paradise, Second Street & Central Avenue)
84. Sour Grape Fudge (Sherwood's Fabulous Fudge, Wisconsin Products Pavilion)
85. Southside Tots: Tater tots topped Polish sausage, sauerkraut, Swiss cheese, and mustard (Knucklehead Central Avenue & Center Street)
86. Southwest Steak Wrap with Fries (Leff's Miller Lite Sports Bar & Grill Grandstand Avenue & Second Street)
87. Strawberries & Cream Waffle Stick: Strawberry shortcake cookie dough baked inside a sweet Belgian waffle on-a-stick that’s generously topped with whipped cream and a sweet strawberry sauce (Waffle Chix, South Grandstand Avenue)
88. Strawberry Fondue Cup (Freese's Candy Shoppe, Original Cream Puff Pavilion)
89. Strawberry Funnel Cake Sandwich: Two funnel cakes stuffed with whipped cream and ice cream and drizzled with homemade strawberry sauce (Funnel Cakes & Corn Dogs, Central Avenue & Wisconsin Way)
90. Strawberry Lemonade Donut: A hand-cut raised yeast donut frosted with lemon buttercream frosting, rolled in strawberry lemonade crunch and topped with lemon gummy candy, freeze-dried strawberries and a strawberry lemonade injection (Fluffy's Hand Cut Donuts, South Grandstand Avenue)
91. Strawberry Lemonjito: Fresh-squeezed lemonade infused with a strawberry purée and finished with a dash of mint (Gertrude's Pretzels, South Grandstand Avenue)
92. Summer Ceviche Mocktail: Tomato juice shaken over ice with freshly squeezed lemon and cilantro and poured into a glass rimmed with Tajín seasoning and garnished with avocado, grape tomato, cucumber and a ceviche shrimp (Leff’s Miller Lite Sports Bar & Grill Grandstand Avenue & Second Street)
93. Taco Lime Popcorn (Pop's Paradise, Second Street & Central Avenue)
94. The Funnel Dog: A footlong hot dog dipped in funnel cake mix then deep-fried to perfection and topped with all the classics (Attavio’s Concessions, Second Street)
95. The WisCornDog: Alternating bites of plant-based brat, crunchy kosher dill pickle and cheddar cheese are skewered, dipped in sweet cornmeal batter and deep-fried (Dr. Vegetable, North Grandstand Avenue)
96. **Tropical Sunset: Jasmine green tea infused with strawberry, mango and pineapple juice, plus 100% edible, FDA-approved glitter (Deep-Fried Mashed Potatoes On-a-Stick, Badger Avenue & Center Street)
97. Usinger’s Reuben Brat: A specialty bratwurst infused with corned beef and topped with Swiss cheese, sauerkraut and homemade thousand island dressing on a pretzel bun (Milwaukee Brat House, Wisconsin Products Pavilion)
98. Varsity: Spinach Dip Roll served with Marinara Dipper (Badger Bites, Second Street & Central Avenue)
99. Wisconsin Bacon Brandy Old Fashioned Bubble Waffle: A bubble waffle infused with the rich flavors of maple syrup and bacon and topped with maraschino cherries. (Bubble Tea & Waffles, North Grandstand Avenue)
100. Wisconsin Old Fashioned Rice Crispy (Camp Amber, Bank Nine Five Amphitheater)