Being named a Sporkies finalist at the Wisconsin State Fair is more than a ribbon for Saz’s BBQ. It can turn into thousands of extra orders, and this year Joe Seeby said the stand was already moving about a Sporkie a minute even during the slowest stretches on opening day.
Seeby said a finalist will probably do around 6,000 to 10,000 orders across the fair’s 11 days, a volume that helps explain why the competition matters so much to vendors. For Saz’s, the boost also feeds name recognition, and the numbers are big enough to make the Sporkies one of the most closely watched parts of the fair’s food business.
The timing matters because the fair’s 11-day run leaves little room to build momentum slowly. Saz’s Sweet Lemon Berry Cheese Curds did not finish in the top three this year, but the company has become one of the most consistent players in the contest, with four finalists in the past five years, including this year’s entry. Since 2023, Saz’s has been on the Sporkies podium twice and has been voted a fairgoer fave three times.
The sales lift is easy to understand. In 2024, Saz’s Deep-Fried lemonade bites took first place and sold 28,000 in 11 days, a total Seeby called the most Sporkies a vendor has ever sold in Wisconsin State Fair history. Yet the prize can bring a second problem that is less visible from the line: winners get only two days to prepare for sales that can potentially triple. Seeby said that can turn victory into a logistical nightmare, even as the attention keeps building.
That pressure is why the judging schedule has become part of the story. The Sporkies are usually judged on the Tuesday before the fair opens, leaving little time for a winning stand to scale up. Seeby said, “Maybe the fair can change the Sporkie judging to Monday,” adding that finding out on Tuesday “does create some challenges.”
Saz’s has already lived through those challenges. In 2024, Sysco helped the company source every Hawaiian roll it could find in the state, while Grebe’s and Ultimate Confections sent staff to help mix lemon curd. Behind the scenes, Saz’s keeps a backlog of six to seven years’ worth of ideas from customers, friends and staff, pares that down to 20 concepts, then sends the 10 best into a Chopped-style judging process. Seeby said the team looks for something bold but still approachable.
For Saz’s, the point of the Sporkies is no longer just the trophy. A finalist spot can push the line out the window and keep the kitchen moving hard for the rest of the fair, while a win can force the stand to solve a supply problem almost overnight. At Wisconsin State Fair 2026, that combination is the real prize and the real burden.
