It’s time for something flaky, fried and delicious ― something only found at the Kentucky State Fair.
For the family that runs International Catering, Kentucky State Fair prep includes weeks of recipe testing. This year, its new fried fair food is deep-fried coffee cake.
“We try to come up with something new every year,” Mike Doran said. “We did some experimental runs with the fried coffee cake and it turned out well, it’s very good. I’ve been doing this for 50 years — it’s one of those things that will either catch on or it won’t. And that’s OK .”
Doran described it as a cinnamon-forward, rich and moist crumb cake. The idea originally came from Doran’s son Michael and was perfected by his wife and business partner, Mary Sue Doran.
International Catering operates four food booths in the South Wing food court for the duration of the Kentucky State Fair. In addition to fried Oreos, fried Reese’s Cups, funnel cakes and elephant ears, International Catering serves pizza, burgers, chicken and dumplings, and pasta. All fried dishes, he said, are made-to-order, so there may be long lines.
The State Fair was held without the general public in 2020 due to the pandemic, and last year “rebounded pretty good but not to 2019 numbers,” Doran told the Courier Journal. He and his fellow State Fair food vendors are looking forward to hitting the revenues they made in 2019 at this year’s event.
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“I think it’s very realistic,” he said. “People want to get out and experience what they’re used to doing, plus we have first-time fairgoers who haven’t experienced it yet. We’re very fortunate in Kentucky to have a fair the quality and size of this one. We really are.”
More than 45 food vendors will be stationed across the grounds at the 2022 Kentucky State Fair, including legendary vendors like International Catering, Sivori Catering and Newton’s Homemade Ice Cream. armadillo eggs (jalapenos stuffed with a spicy chicken breast, pepper jack cheese and wrapped in bacon).
You won’t know you like it till you try it. And don’t forget, there are tons of Kentucky Proud products on the menu, too.
The 2022 Kentucky State Fair will be heldAug. 18-28 at the Kentucky Exposition Center, 937 Phillips Lane, in Louisville. Check out what all of the Kentucky State Fair food vendors will be serving this year.
Happy eating!
South Wing B and C food vendors
HK Concessions: Brand new biscuit barn, taco salad bowls, Philly cheesesteaks, nachos
International Catering: Pizza, spaghetti, breakfast items, ice cream and half of a baked chicken with corn on the cob, fried coffee cake, fried Oreos, fried Twinkies
MWM Enterprises: Fruit tarts, assorted desserts, large chocolate cake, cheesecake, coffee
Kentucky Cattlemen’s Association: KY Proud burgers, fries, ribeye sandwiches
Kentucky Pork Producers: KY pork chop sandwich, pork burger, fries
Kentucky Aquaculture Association: Fried fish and chicken tenders
Morgan’s Fudge: Fresh-made fudge in every kind imaginable
Cousin Roasted Nuts: Assorted fresh roasted nuts
Wisconsin Cheese & Sausage Co.: Many different types of famous Wisconsin cheese and sausage rolls
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Webb’s Butcher Block/ Jerky World: deer, elk and buffalo jerky
All of Us: Dips, dips and more dips
Kizito Cookies: Louisville’s best homemade giant cookies
Hillbilly Gourmet: Pickles, sauces, bourbon candies, bourbon honey, and bourbon pickles
Lemon-Aid Organics: All types of lemonade refreshments
Lady Ann Candies: A large selection of candies
The Crazy Cucumber: Crazy pickles
Ohlemacher’s Wisconsin Meat and Cheese Products: Wisconsin cheese and other types with summer sausages
Kona Ice E-Town: 10 different flavors, sugar-free flavors of shaved ice in a Kona cup, including Tiger’s Blood, Blue Raspberry and Ninja Cherry
Watkins Quality Products: Spices and soup starters
Dan-O’s Seasoning: Salt-free seasonings
Asteria Labs: A variety of high-quality dipping sauces and starters for soups
Diamond Ridge Farm: Honey and assorted jerky
Lawrenceburg Candy Cottage: White and milk chocolate-covered strawberries and grapes, bourbon balls, fudge, peanut butter balls
Honey Bear Farms: Local honey with a bunch of different uses and products
Great River Maple: Variety of syrup, even bourbon syrup
Garden Girl Foods: Canned veggies produced locally with a plethora of garden-related foods
Bourbon City Barkery: Homemade dog treats
Bae’s Bakery: bakery items
H&H 30 Second Salsa: Salsa made fresh by adding specific ingredients
Halo Dips: A variety of dips
Touch of Fudge: Fresh fudge and popcorn products
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Top Dog Bakery: Yummy treats for your animals
Paradise Island Tea: Locally made and distributed tea
JSW Farm Chop Shop: Six flavors of gourmet snack sticks
Vital TEA: A variety of teas to invigorate and address health issues
Outside food concessions
Sherry’s Concessions: Fried veggies, hot wings and bloomin’ taters
Newton’s Homemade Ice Cream: Homemade ice cream in multiple flavors
Tillys: Elephant ears, red velvet funnel cakes, soda and bottled water
Churros 2 GB: Cinnamon sugar churros, churros with filings (guava, caramel, chocolate, cream cheese and strawberry) churros mixed with ice cream, churros filled with ice cream, and arepas (sweet corn sandwiches)
JPB: Jalapeno corn dogs, loaded ribbon fries, corn dogs, deep-fried Oreos, deep-fried Twinkies, deep-fried Snickers
Newton’s Farm to Table Grid: Farm fresh food, burgers, roasted corn
Cheezy Does It: Fried mac and cheese balls, bacon mac and cheese burger, mac and cheese bowls, chicken tenders with Cheezy fries, Cajun loaded fry basket, gourmet grilled cheese sandwich, fry baskets, lemonade, lemonade slushies, loaded breakfast basket
Kona Ice E-Town: 10 different flavors, sugar-free flavors of shaved ice in a Kona cup, including Tiger’s Blood, Blue Raspberry and Ninja Cherry
Tracy’s Concessions: Loaded bacon mac and cheese burger, bacon cheeseburger, Jalapeno stuffed armadillo eggs with spicy chicken breast, pepperjack cheese and bacon, Chocolate fudge puppy dogs sprinkled with bacon or sprinkles
creamy-rich: Sweet treats
Sivori Catering: Philly cheesesteak, Italian sausage, Polish sausage, footlong hot dog, bratwurst, burgers, chicken tenders, chicken Philly, chicken pita, wings, Grater Taters, lemon shakeup, lemon-lime shakeup, cheese fries, fries, soft drinks and bottled water . Pork butt on a stick, smoked turkey legs, smoked pork chops, pulled pork with coleslaw, pulled chicken with coleslaw, sliced beef brisket, smoked wings, rib tips, baked potato bar, butt fries, french fries and cheese fries, baked beans. Corn dogs and chicken tenders baskets and lemonade. New items: pulled pork mac and cheese, beef brisket mac and cheese, smoked half-chickens
Libbertt’s Concessions Inc.: Pineapple whip, ice cream cones, shakes, floats, ice cream cups
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Paulette’s Food Service: Funnel Cakes
Kentuckiana Specialty Caterers: Bratwurst, grilled pork chops, grilled ribeye, grilled chicken, chicken tenders and curly fries
Pat’s Footlongs: Corn dogs and foot-long hotdogs
Coco Bongos: Frozen drinks alcoholic and non-alcoholic
Silly Sam’s Food Concessions: King’s Taters “Gater Taters” add cheese, ranch, or bacon. Chicken strips, fresh-cut fries, soda and iced tea.
Kelly’s Concession: Baklava, gyros (lamb, chicken, veggie)
Cream Alot Frozen Custard/ Fantasy Delight: Frozen custard
Kentucky Pork Producers: Pork chop sandwich, pork burger, fries,
Kentucky American Dairy Association: Breakfast in the morning and assorted dairy products
Kentucky Aquaculture Association: Fried fish and chicken tenders
Kentucky Corn Growers Association: Roasted sweet corn
Kentucky Cattleman’s Association: KY Proud burgers, fries, ribeye sandwiches
Shalimar: Chicken Tikka Masala, Basmati white rice, vegetable samosa, chana masala
The Seafood Lady: Crab legs, shrimp, gator tail, lobster tail, tilapia, whiting, cod, catfish sides: chee-sea fries, seafood mac, hushpuppies, Cajun fries, Cajun sausage, Cajun boiled egg
Kentucky State Fair 2022
How much are tickets for the 2022 Kentucky State Fair?
Admission at the gate is $10 per person and $10 parking per standard vehicle. You’ll save $5 by purchasing Midway Unlimited Ride Wristbands online before the fair begins.
Kentucky State Fair admission and ride wristbands are available online via Ticketmaster and at participating Kroger locations. Visit kystatefair.org/tickets for details.
There’s also a series of “special days” at this year’s event:
- Sunday, Aug. 21: Military Sunday
- Monday, Aug. 22: $5 Monday
- Tuesday, Aug. 23: Senior Day
- Wednesday, Aug. 24: Sensory Awareness Day, from 10 am to 12 pm
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Kentucky State Fair 2022 hours of operation
Outside: Monday-Thursday, 10 am to 10 pm; Friday, 10 am to 11 pm; Saturday, 10 a.m. to 11 p.m.; first Sunday, Aug. 21, 10 a.m. to 11 p.m.; second Sunday, Aug. 28, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Inside: Monday-Thursday, 10 am to 8 pm; Friday 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Saturday, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.; first Sunday, Aug. 21, 10 am to 8 pm; second Sunday, Aug. 28, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Thrill City Rides: Monday-Thursday, 3-10 p.m.; Friday, 3-11 p.m.; Saturday, 1-11 p.m.; first Sunday, Aug. 21, 1-11 pm; second Sunday, Aug. 28, 1-10 p.m.
Reporters Kirby Adams and Caleb Shultz contributed to this report. Reach food reporter Dahlia Ghabour at dghabour@courier-journal.com.
