Skip to content
  • Happy Health
  • Happy Mindset
  • Animal Wonders
  • About Us
    • Team
  • Subscribe
Menu
  • Happy Health
  • Happy Mindset
  • Animal Wonders
  • About Us
    • Team
  • Subscribe
Happy News

The State Fair Magic That Turned Into Summer Romance

At the Minnesota State Fair, where the smell of funnel cakes mingles with the sounds of carnival rides, something even sweeter has been happening for decades as young people working the 4-H programs find their future spouses among the barns and exhibition halls. Marie Zimmerman still laughs about how her husband Nate beat her at the 4-H Favorite Food competition in 2005 with his crockpot ribs, earning an engraved cake pan that she had tried to win for years, joking that “the last laugh is mine because I married him, so now I have the cake pan.” Their story is just one of many remarkable romances that have blossomed at the fair, from Aaron and Leah Janz’s first kiss by the DNR building in 2003 to Steve Lammers winning Ashley’s heart by grabbing her dinner tray at the 4-H Cafe in 2013.

What makes these love stories so special is how they began with shared values, hard work, and genuine connections formed while caring for livestock, serving food, and participating in youth development programs that bring together teenagers from across the state. Cindy and Josh VanDerPol, who met in 1988 while helping unload livestock and have been married 32 years, have only missed the State Fair three times, showing how these couples return year after year to celebrate where their love began. These aren’t just fairground romances but lasting partnerships built on the 4-H foundation of leadership, community service, and shared purpose, proving that sometimes the best relationships start not with dating apps but with shared summer jobs, singing for leftover donuts, and the magical late nights at the fairgrounds. As 15-year-old camp counselors Anna and Mike discovered when they met at 4-H leadership conference, there’s something special about finding your person while working together to make a difference in young people’s lives.

PrevPreviousThis Math Class Will Make You Believe in Surprise Romance
NextFamous Jumping Frog Came Back From Near ExtinctionNext

Recent Articles

Happy News

NYC Backpack Adventure That Saves Shelter Dogs Every Week

December 21, 2025

Bryan Reisberg discovered that his Corgi named Maxine had a magical ability to cheer people up during their daily commutes underground in New York City, transforming serious faces into smiles and making heavy loads feel lighter simply by staring at subway riders from inside a backpack. The NYC resident started

Read More
Happy News

The Cop That Quit To Help People On The Streets

December 21, 2025

Wade Milyard heard a voice “out of nowhere” while responding to a domestic dispute at a homeless camp near Frederick, Maryland, and when the former canine officer asked the couple about their laundry as the voice instructed, they told him they typically washed their clothes in a nearby creek, an

Read More
HAPPY NEWS

The Key To Crops That Fertilize Themselves

December 21, 2025

Danish researchers at Aarhus University have discovered a molecular switch that allows plants to partner with nitrogen-fixing bacteria instead of treating them as enemies, opening the door to self-fertilizing cereal crops like wheat and barley that could revolutionize global agriculture. Professors Kasper Røjkjær Andersen and Simona Radutoiu led the team

Read More
« Previous Next »
  • Privacy Notice
  • Accessibility Notice
  • Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information
  • Unsubscribe
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Privacy Policy
  • Privacy Notice
  • Accessibility Notice
  • Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information
  • Unsubscribe
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Privacy Policy
Copyright © 2025 HappyNews.