Tech on a Stick: How the Minnesota State Fair Previews the Future

Fairs are where people try tomorrow for the first time.

I have a confession: I didn’t used to get the fair.

Sure, it was a fun day with food on a stick and maybe a concert, but I didn’t see the bigger picture. That is, until I started digging into the history of fairs after reading The Devil in the White City. And suddenly it clicked.

Fairs have always been sneak previews of the future.

They’re not just about w…