Sticky fingers. Sizzling fryers. The smell of sugar, salt, and something deep-fried floating through the air. It’s crunchy, gooey, golden, salty, sweet, totally over-the-top… and absolutely worth the line.

As Memorial Day rolls around, summer fair season kicks into full gear starting in Wisconsin with the World’s Largest Brat Fest, held May 23–25, 2025 in Madison. From there, festivals pop up across the state, filling streets and fairgrounds with live music, local vendors, and the unmistakable scent of fair food.

Fair food is a genre all its own. Bold, nostalgic, and a little over-the-top (deep-fried Oreos, anyone?). But it’s also deeply rooted in local traditions. Whether it’s smoked turkey legs in Texas, maple cotton candy in Vermont, or ooey-gooey cheese curds here in Wisconsin, the food tells a story about the region and the people who live there.

Crispy, Golden, and Fair-Ready: Why Quality Oil Matters for Summer Festival Food

So, what makes those festival favorites so craveable? It’s all about the texture. That perfectly crisp exterior doesn’t happen by accident. It comes from using the right cooking oil for your food products and understanding how they perform.

Cooking oils can make a noticeable difference in both taste and kitchen efficiency. Cooking oils vary widely in flavor, smoke point, stability and fry life. Choosing the right oil means fewer fryer issues, better flavor retention, and a more enjoyable experience for your customers.  The goal is crisp, consistent food that keeps customers coming back for more.

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Locally Grown, Festival Ready

Great Lakes Gold Vegetable Oil is a Wisconsin brand proudly crafted from locally grown soybeans and processed right in Valders, WI. We support the farmers who grow our ingredients and the events that bring our communities together.

Whether it’s county fairs, city festivals, or fish fries by the lake, our all-natural, expeller-pressed oils help vendors serve consistent, great-tasting food from afternoon rush to evening close.

You can find us every summer at Fish Days in Port Washington, where Great Lakes Gold helps fuel one of Wisconsin’s favorite festivals.

Learn More at: www.greatlakesgoldoil.com