The Star Tribune’s lip balm flavor for this year’s State Fair is ...

When it came time to choose the flavor for the Star Tribune’s new State Fair lip balm, we asked for a little help from our friends — the readers. And they answered the call.

Over the course of two weeks earlier this year, readers submitted more than 1,200 ideas. Suggestions ranged from honey and Honeycrisp apple to Top the Tater and Tater Tot hot dish, with a few nods for walleye, lefse and craft beer thrown in. We took the most popular flavors and left the rest up to our readers — again — who voted for Rhubarb Crisp as this year’s lip balm flavor. More than 600 votes were cast.

Getting your Rhubarb Crisp lip balm is easy. The Star Tribune, in partnership with Chanhassen Dinner Theatres, will be giving tubes away throughout the day during the run of the fair (one per person, while supplies last) starting opening day, Aug. 22. Find us on Carnes Avenue, at the end of the grandstand ramp, in our spiffy, updated booth.

This the 16th year of the Star Tribune’s lip balm giveaway, and the flavors have run the gamut. Last year’s was a tribute to a favorite State Fair pastime: Crop Art. Before that, the Star Tribune collaborated with local fair vendors: In 2022, “blueberry ‘cakes” celebrated the State Fair debut of Al’s Breakfast at Hamline Church Dining Hall, and the year before featured Sweet Martha’s Cookies. Previous years brought a litany of out-of-the-box flavors, including bacon, buttered corn, ketchup and mustard, pickle, brat, fresh-cut grass, mini-doughnut, French fry, “stick,” “traffic cone,” root beer and cheese curd.

What should next year’s flavor be? Email your suggestions to taste@startribune.com.