The Kansas State Fair will open today in Hutchinson with several new high-tech features that will try to pull the down-home event into the digital age. Though the fair, which runs through Sept. 15, has had an app in the past, the newest iteration has lots of bells and whistles that will help people find exactly what they want while on the grounds, Schulz said. The app includes lots of “wayfinding” information as well as details on where to get certain foods. If, for example, fairgoers are craving funnel cakes, they just type the words “funnel cake” into the app and it will provide a list — with maps — of every vendor selling funnel cakes. The app also includes a searchable daily schedule, the concert lineup at the Grandstand, a guide to free entertainment, and a “shopping finder.” Visitors also can buy tickets on the app, share fair photos and get answers to frequently asked questions, such as “What are the top foods at the fair?” (Pronto Pups, deep-fried Oreos, Pizza Box Nachos, chicken salad cucumbers) and “When does the Midway open?” (At different times nearly every day.)
Source: Local News | Wichita Eagle
