2026 Sporkies & Drinkies: Your State Fair Foodie Game Plan

The Cream City Cone

If your family plans even one day at the Wisconsin State Fair, this is the list you don’t want to miss.

Every year, the Sporkies (food) and Drinkies (beverages) competitions challenge vendors to go bigger, bolder, and more Instagram-worthy. Even better: winners are announced before opening day, so you can map out your must-eat strategy in advance. And once you’re there, just look for the giant 13-foot Golden Spork and Straw statues to find the finalists.

Related guide: How to get into State Fair for free

2026 Sporkies Finalists

Here’s a quick breakdown of the most buzzworthy bites:

Sweet + Savory Mashups

• Al Pastor Pizza (Charlie’s Pizza)
  Pork + pineapple + lime + cilantro = taco meets pizza in the best way.

• Porky Puff (Bud Pavilion)
  Pulled pork, peach filling, and hot honey wrapped in flaky pastry—this one screams “fair comfort food.”

Peak Wisconsin Energy

• Cream City Cone (WurstBar)
  A pretzel cone stuffed with bratwurst, onions, cheese, and topped with a cheese curd. Yes, really.

• Sweet Lemon Berry Cheese Curds (Saz’s BBQ)
  Dessert-style curds with raspberry sauce and lemon cream—sweet, salty, and very Wisconsin.

Big Flavor, Big Drama

• Bayou Crunch Cup (Exotic Meat Grill)
  Alligator, crawfish, fries, slaw—stacked in a cup for maximum impact.

• Tinga Tango Chicharrones (Blue Moon Tavern at the Park)
  Crispy pork rinds loaded with smoky chicken, queso fresco, and sweet heat toppings.

• Birria Flamin’ Bombs (Fiesta Grill & Cantina)
  Crispy, cheesy birria-filled bites with dipping consommé—this one feels like a crowd favorite.

Over-the-Top Dessert

• Deep-Fried Horchata Balls (Badger Bites)
  Cinnamon sugar + dulce de leche + chocolate + coconut…this is full fair indulgence mode.

2026 Drinkies Finalists (Fun for All Ages)

These drinks are less about thirst—and more about the experience:

• Color-Changing Swamp Juice (All Things Jerky)
  Kids will love this—inject the “potion” and watch it change colors, complete with candy creatures and a Pop Rocks rim.

• Cookie Butter Coffee Float (Fluffy’s Hand Cut Donuts)
  A dessert and a caffeine boost. Expect lines.

• Hot Honey Chicken Lemonade (Deep-Fried Mashed Potatoes On-a-Stick)
  Sweet, spicy, cold, crunchy—this might be the wildest combo on the list.

• Tilt-a-Spritz (Old Fashioned Sipper Club)
  A smoked citrus spritz served with a dramatic reveal—more of a full-on experience than just a drink.

How to Tackle the Sporkies Like a Pro

A few practical tips so you don’t burn out by noon:

• Split everything. Portions are huge—plan to share.

• Start early. Lines grow fast once awards are announced.

• Mix sweet + savory. Alternate so you don’t hit a wall.

• Let kids pick 1–2 “must tries.” It keeps things fun (and manageable).

• Use the statues as landmarks. The Golden Spork/Straw makes it easy to find the finalists quickly.

Part of the fun is seeing what wins. Past champions have included things like deep-fried lemonade bites, brat rangoon, and ube banana lumpia—so expect at least one surprise winner in 2026.

And don’t forget: even beyond the finalists, every Sporkies and Drinkies entry is available to try across the fairgrounds—so if you’re feeling ambitious, you can go way beyond this list.

Final Thought

The rides and animals are great—but for a lot of families, the real highlight of the State Fair is the food adventure.

If you go in with a plan (and a little curiosity), the 2026 Sporkies & Drinkies lineup turns your day into a full-on scavenger hunt of flavors.

Now the real question: Which one are you trying first?