If you think all state fairs are alike, Jim Kopel has a few choice words for you: "Each one reflects the identity of its state - and some are much more memorable than others." After retiring from his teaching job in Moline, Illinois, Kopel spent the better part of a decade visiting every single state fair in America - evaluating them against more than 100 criteria. The project started in 1999 with Iowa ("Really the best overall," he declares) and wrapped up four years ago in Washington. "These five top my short list, each for very different reasons."