The Minnesota State Fair may be best known for deep-fried variations on cheese, bacon and other sins against nutrition, but increasingly it's also becoming a destination for those in search of good health.
The state Department of Health expanded its display on vaccines this year, following a measles outbreak linked to low immunization rates in one community, and the University of Minnesota has unveiled a new research building where fairgoers can volunteer to participate in studies on anything from dentistry to memory loss.
Variety, and even contradiction, is what the fair is about, said Logan Spector, a director of the U's Driven to Discover building.
"It's just a convenient place where people do all sorts of things," Spector said. "They get offers for new gutters, they meet politicians. The whole fair is about variety of experience — and health information, both contributing to science and getting your own information, seems to be part of what people want."
Five years ago, a small group of U researchers decided the fairgrounds might be a spot where they could recruit volunteers for a simple study of genetics and biometrics. The booth proved such a hit that the U expanded the experiment, giving researchers space in the former Spam building to recruit subjects for a variety of studies.
This year, visitors can give clippings of their hair for a study on environmental exposure, and receive ball caps for playing games that test their memory and thinking skills.
The new building shows how popular the concept has become, Spector said — and it doesn't have the old building's leaks, which resulted in rain-damaged equipment.
KARE 11's Health Fair exhibit returned for its 17th year, providing blood pressure checks as well as screenings for hearing and memory loss. This year it added a new wrinkle on opening weekend: a robotic surgery console where visitors can test their skills.
