The distinct smell of food down the main walk of the Mower County Fair attracts many attendees throughout the week. Whether it’s for lunch, dinner or a snack in between, the fair food is a highlight for many residents.

But among the classic corn dogs and cotton candy lies unique dining opportunities for fair-goers.

One such option is alligator on a stick, served by the Mudd Pie Factory.

Carter Rosenthal, owner of the booth, originally sold Mudd Pies when he began eight years ago. Since then, the business has evolved and introduced new foods, like alligator on a stick. The idea came up after he saw a man from Louisiana selling foods like alligator and shrimp with a cajun style at the South Dakota State Fair.

“The name draws a lot of people over,” Rosenthal said about alligator on a stick.

Rosenthal also has a booth at the Minnesota Renaissance Festival that serves similar food.

“The uniqueness of it gets us into places we usually wouldn’t go,” he said.

According to Rosenthal, the most popular food items are the deep fried pickles and deep fried chocolate chip cookies.

Paul Beckel and his grandchildren were fans of the alligator on a stick.

“You should try it, your dad won’t believe that you ate alligator,” Beckel said to his grandchildren. “It’s good, a little spicy, and it tastes like chicken.”

For those with a sweet tooth, there are many deep fried desserts to try.

Campfire Desserts owner Mike Nelson took his years of experience as a camp counselor and a degree in business to create various s’mores desserts.

“I love s’mores, and I wanted to bring a twist to it,” Nelson said.

The most popular menu item is the deep fried s’mores bites, which is the classic s’mores recipe wrapped in pastry dough and deep fried. Nelson chose to use pastry dough instead of a batter to give the dessert a lighter taste.

“I’ve never had a complaint,” Nelson said about the dessert.

Of course with the unique dining options come the different variations of classic treats.

The cheese snack offers cheese curds with a twist. Instead of only offering the classic dish, they have three additional seasonings: garlic, ranch, and cajun.

There are more than 25 food vendors at this year’s fair.