This year, I have the chance to feature the Capital Ex on my website and I asked if I could do it as a Lifestyle Blogger. I love going to the fair with my kids, and we went on our own earlier this week, but I really wanted to review it as a grown-up because, you know, I play one on TV and all.
My husband and I headed down to the Capital Ex on Thursday for a night to ourselves, and we looked around, took in some entertainment and ate… oh boy did we eat.
Here are some of the highlights of our night.
The Expo Hall
You can find food, shopping, art, a kids area, Rock U and a KISS exhibit just to name a few sights. Our oldest daughter loved the kids area (earlier in the week). This was a fun and interactive area for the kids and my daughter asked to see it a second time before we left.
My husband took a lot of time while going through both the Rock U area and the KISS exhibit. There was a lot of memorabilia to see and he enjoyed comparing his collection to what is still out there. There is always something for everyone inside the Expo Area.
The Aluminum Show
I really didn’t know what to expect when we went to this show, but when I left, I was glad I saw it. The performers danced with, and used ‘aluminum’ during the show and told a story with each separate dance scene.
The show is interactive, and the amount that you participate in it is dependent on your location in the audience. So, the closer you sit to the front or the aisle/walkway, the more chance that you will be doing something. For example, I was in the front row and someone sat on my lap. Aluminum is also passed through the audience in various forms at times so you will need to be alert. If you just want to watch, then sitting up on the sides, or towards the back would be a good bet.
Rib Fest
Located on the south grounds in the midway and right beside the Budweiser Big Rig, you can find various vendors and enjoy a 1/3, 1/2 or full rack of ribs or many other award winning items. I ended up having a 1/2 rack of ribs (which is 6 ribs, seen below on the left side) from Smokin’ Babes and they were really delicious. The meat fell off the bone and had a great flavour to them without tasting too saucy.
Frank ended up having a brisket and 1/3 rack of ribs combo. I tried the ribs and liked them. Frank said he liked the smoky taste but it was a little on the salty side for him. We don’t consume a lot of salt as it is, so there is your perspective. His meal is pictured below on the right.
The Sights
I love walking the midway and taking in all of the excitement, the loud music and energy. We ended up wandering around, taking pictures and people watching. When I went earlier in the week with my girls, I was focused on them and their activities, so it was nice to go without them and wander around taking in everything while not worrying about anyone else.
The Food
You can not go to the Capital Ex without eating or drinking something. Its just not natural. We started off the evening at Fusion 53 which is inside Northlands. We had some appetizer finger foods and Bananas Foster (one of my favorites) for dessert. After we sampled everything, we wandered out to the midway and walked around. Then we hit up Rib Fest for a taste of what everyone was talking about. After this (and some mini donuts), I was pretty much full and we headed inside to watch the Aluminum Show. After it was over we walked around the Northlands Expo Hall for a bit and began to make our way home.
I had been craving ice cream for days so I decided that I was going to try those Mini Melts (small pieces of frozen ice cream) on the way out, so I stopped in and bought some. After I paid, I looked up to find my husband standing in front of a Pizza vendor with a big smile on his face. He had ordered a big slice of pizza. After eating it, he paused and looked at me in disbelief and said “I just realized that was my third dinner tonight.” He had completely forgotten about the food at Fusion 53, so up until that moment, everything was justified in his mind. Its a hard thing to watch your husband realize the extent of his food carnage.
We both had a lot of fun at the Capital Ex on Thursday. If you haven’t made your way down, you still have one last day, so make the most of it. Except maybe don’t try eating three dinners in one night. I’m told that its not a very comfortable feeling.
The Capital Ex is still going on through Sunday so make sure you check them out. To get more information, you can:
- Visit the Capital Ex website
- Like Capital Ex on Facebook
- Follow along on Twitter by following @CapitalExFun and using the #CapEx12 hash tag
Have you made it down to the Capital Ex yet? Thoughts?
Disclosure: I am featuring the Capital Ex as a lifestyle blogger and I will receive media passes to some events and other areas to complete my post. The opinions expressed in my posts for the Capital Ex are my own.
Looks like you had a blast! Great pics! Not gonna get to go this year. But I will next year:)
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