2021-Ongoing

American fairs represent unlikely bastions of diversity. In an era of schisms and self-selection, fairs remain one of the US’s few remaining social events that bring together millions of citizens from across the political, demographic, age, and class spectrum to the same space for leisure. State and county fairs trace back to mid-1800 Anglo agrarian society, and they stay true to those roots as they continue to attract throngs of rural residents who come to showcase their livestock and farming expertise. Yet, commercialism has transformed these events over time to appeal to a wider audience, steadily turning pastoral gatherings into flamboyant mashups of games, rides, food, entertainment, and animal husbandry that attract a truly representative cross-section of Americans. The result is a surprisingly inclusive--and increasingly rare--American phenomenon.

This photo project explores Minnesota's renowned state and county fairs, weaving together the irreverent, kinetic energy and uncanny juxtapositions that have come to define a cultural pastime like no other.