Deep-fried lasagna bites, a s’mores beer float, and French onion soup on-a-stick are among the finalist dishes chosen to compete in the Wisconsin State Fair sixth annual food competition, The Sporkies, which will take place in August.
Eight finalists have been selected from 31 entries, and will be tasted and critiqued by a panel of local celebrity judges on Wednesday, Aug. 8 onstage at the Fair’s Associated Bank Amphitheater. The contest’s first, second and third place dishes will be named the 2018 Golden Spork Award winners.
The finalists are: Deep-Fried Spinach Lasagna Bites by Albanese’s Roadhouse; Pig Candy Cannoli by Brew City; The PorkSTACKular by Budweiser Pavilion; Saz’s Breakfast Bombs by Saz’s Taste of Wisconsin; S’mores Beer Float by Slim McGinn’s Irish Pub; French Onion Soup On-a-Stick by Slim’s PBR Park; Deep-Fried Turducken On-a-Stick by Water Street Brewery; and Wisconsin Hot Chicken Bombs by Water Street Brewery.
The judge panel, which will be moderated by “Wisconsin Foodie” host Kyle Cherek, will include former Green Bay Packer LeRoy Butler; WKLH radio personality and Colliers International commercial real estate broker Steve Palec; John McGivern, host of PBS’s Around The Corner; and Nancy Stohs, food editor for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
From Aug. 2 to Aug. 7, fair attendees will also be able to sample each dish and vote for their favorite via social media, text message or paper ballot. The Sporkie finalist with the most votes will be named the Fairgoers’ Fave.
Finalist vendor locations at the Fair will be marked with a 13-foot spork sculpture. All 31 contest entries will be available for purchase during the 11-day event, which will take place at State Fair Park in West Allis from Aug. 2 to Aug. 12.
