Last year, we wrote that the official State Fair poster looked "like something out of a drug-induced nightmare." This time around, those responsible for choosing the fair's official artwork apparently laid off the shrooms.

COMPARE AND CONTRAST: The 2012 State Fair poster looks like something out of a drug-induced nightmare [IMAGE]

Created by Swede-turned Minnesotan Marie Olofsdotter, the 2013 poster is an example of "lyrical, magical realism."

The acrylic piece "captures agriculture as the heart of the State Fair as well as Minnesotans' rich relationship with the land," and is "inspired by State Fair posters from the late 1800s that often depicted women involved in agriculture," according to the State Fair's website.

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Danielle Hooper (left) and Charlie Gainey (right).

Inspired by her 2-year-old cousin, the reigning Miss Minnesota, Danielle Hooper, will go to Menomonie High School's prom this weekend with Charlie Gainey, an 18-year-old junior who has Down syndrome.

SEE ALSO: Target praised for using model with Down syndrome in ad

Hooper, 20, is a junior at UW-Stout. She learned from a coworker in the school's financial aid office that Gainey had been nominated for Menomonie High's prom court. The coworker, whose son is on a Special Olympics swim team with Gainey, asked Hooper if she'd be up for going to prom with him, and she "thought it would be such a great opportunity," Hooper told the Eau Claire Leader-Telegram.

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Is it possible to "gently skewer" someone about the role they played in destroying a political party?

Amy Koch is the latest celebrity booked to appear at MinnRoast, MinnPost's April 26 event at the Pantages Theatre where "journalists and politicians" are "gently skewered."

In a promotional post about the event, MinnPost notes that during Koch's 2011 appearance at MinnRoast, the "then-Senate Majority Leader Amy Koch danced with Sen. John Marty and brought down the house with a sharply worded, humorous monologue. Want to know what she's doing this year? Buy a ticket..."

SEE ALSO: Gay community apologizes to Amy Koch for ruining her marriage

Two years after her dance with Marty, Koch is far removed from her days as majority leader. A sex scandal involving former Senate employee and fellow MNGOPer Michael Brodkorb cost Koch her job and marriage, and cost taxpayers about $200,000 in legal fees so far. So yes, we really are curious to find out if Koch, who is now out of politics and owns a bowling alley north of Buffalo, will be "gently skewered" about that hot mess. After all, what other material do roasters have to work with?

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Crash or no crash, the mayoral candidate has no qualms with Carry Forum members attending his breakfast event.

Yesterday, the Twin Cities Gun Owners & Carry Forum launched an ingenious plan to crash Friday's Breakfast with Gary Schiff event.

Scheduled to be in attendance along with Schiff is Rep. Jim Davnie, D-Minneapolis. This legislative session, Davnie is sponsoring legislation that would "equalize penalties for offenders unlawfully possessing firearms on school properties and for possessing guns on private properties that prohibit guns," the Minnesota Daily reports.

SEE ALSO:
-- Gary Schiff announcing campaign for Minneapolis mayor
-- Gary Schiff challenges Bradlee Dean to debate over "Third World" south Mpls comments
-- Gary Schiff wants city of Minneapolis to send Cruz home police bill to PNC Bank

As you'd imagine, the Carry Forum is less than thrilled with that proposal. So they encouraged supporters to attend the breakfast event and asked them to try to catch Schiff and Davnie by surprise -- "DON'T let them know you're going to be there. Catch them off guard."


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Lumberjack Days.

Lumberjack Days is no more. What will replace it?

​Stillwater's Lumberjack Days festival is no more.

At its February meeting, the City Council voted to disband the annual celebration after an outcry of public disapproval and an ongoing investigation by local law enforcement. Sorry, Smash Mouth, you'll have to look for gigs elsewhere from now on.

Now, business owners are already proposing alternatives to the event. Though the mayor and City Council don't sound optimistic about a new festival just yet, they will eventually have to come up with something to spice up that 4th of July weekend.

With the lumberjack motif out the window, we came up with a few suggestions that we believe still capture the spirit of the area.

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Lumberjack Days.

The new proposal would be a throwback to simpler times.

​It sounds like Stillwater is still recovering from a Lumberjack Days hangover.

At a City Council meeting Tuesday, local businessmen proposed an alternative to the now-defunct summer Lumberjack Days festival, which would be called "Stillwater River Days." But amid still-pending investigations into Lumberjack Days, the council isn't quite ready to start over yet.

According to the Pioneer Press, the mayor and councilmembers were hesitant to green-light Stillwater River Days for summer 2012. Though they didn't shut the door entirely, the prospect sounds bleak as of now.

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Six fire crews fough the blaze.

​On the eve of its closing weekend, a fire has burned several booths at the Minnesota Renaissance Fair in Shakopee.

The fire started around 6:15 a.m. this morning, a few hours before the fair was set to open. The fire was thought to have started in a chicken shack, which had burned up by the time firefighters arrived.

Six different firefighting crews were called to the scene, MPR reports. Firefighters were hampered by the fact that there are no fire hydrants in the area, and all water to douse the blaze had to be trucked in.

Fair officials still say the festivities will go on today, though the fair's opening might be delayed.

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Go fly a kite.

​Reason No. 4,629 we love winter in Minneapolis? The Lake Harriet Kite Festival. It gets going tomorrow at noon and runs until 4 p.m., free, at the band shell on West Lake Harriet Parkway.

Yes, it will be cold. But that's the point. And please take care not to inadvertently back into an ice fishing hole while you crane your neck skyward.

Here are some photos from last year:

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SarahHeiman

"Wait, we're getting married WHERE?"

Something terrifyingly saccharine this way comes.

On Saturday morning, 50 couples from "Brainerd to Mankato and everywhere in between" will descend on the Chanhassen Dinner Theatre for a mass wedding called "The Big Whopping Wedding."

We get a big, whopping headache just thinking about it.

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If you've been toying with the idea of running this year's Medtronic Twin Cities Marathon, your window of opportunity is officially starting to close. This year race officials bumped up online registration two months earlier than usual--it starts today. Organizers said the reason is to allow runners around the world more time to make travel plans and include the Twin Cities on their schedule.

The marathon will take place October 3, with 11,000 runners expected. The event usually reaches that cap within a month after registration opens. You can find out more information about the race here.