LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Everyone loves splurging on a funnel cake or corn dog at the Kentucky State Fair, but many people don't know the man responsible for picking the food vendors that get to showcase their menus.
Marty Flannery is a sales coordinator for the Kentucky Exposition Center. He's in charge of around 400 vendors, including 40 outdoor food vendors, serving up everything from pineapple whip to fried Oreos.
Many fairgoers have met Flannery at the fair, as he darts around the fairgrounds in a golf cart greeting people between stops checking on the vendors.
"You get your corn dogs? They're good aren't they?" Flannery says, as he makes his way through the crowd.
Food stands at the Kentucky State Fair in front of the South Wing of the Kentucky Expo Center in Louisville, Ky. (WDRB Image) Aug. 15, 2022.
"The main thing is taking care of people," he says. I've got a lot of different vendors that are out here, and you've got to make sure they're taken care of because they'll take care of the people that come here."
Flannery's job plays a big role in selecting the foods many people look forward to eating all year long. He admits he used to try to taste everything in one day and he's since learned to pace himself. So does he have a favorite?
"You know what? I eat them all, so it doesn't matter they're all my favorites," he jokes, but Flannery puts a lot of planning into what you'll be able to eat at the fair.
"We want a little bit of diversity in what we're doing, so we're trying to make things more diverse and really the first thing is, they're from the state of Kentucky," Flannery says.
From donut burgers to fried corn, Flannery spends the 11-day run of the fair walking booth to booth or using the golf cart to check on it all.
"Well, you know, I'm losing weight from being out here but no, really, I have taste-tested their food, and it's great. Everybody out here as far as vendors go, want you to taste-test their food. So that's what's so important. They love their food and are showcasing it for Kentucky," Flannery says.
Fair-goers seem to agree, as Flannery strikes up conversations and asks people if they're enjoying the food. He gets a thumbs up or rave reviews on everything from pork sandwiches to elephant ears.
Marty Flannery is a sales coordinator at the Kentucky Expo Center and has a big role in choosing vendors and the food served at the Kentucky State Fair each year. He makes the rounds checking on vendors in his golf cart. (WDRB Image) Aug. 19, 2022.
While a lot of Flannery's job has to deal with getting the food vendors to the fair, what he loves about this role is the relationships he builds along the way.
"It's the people, you can see all the people that are all around me. First thing in the morning, going by and welcoming them, and seeing the smiles on their faces."
The Kentucky State Fair runs through Sunday, Aug. 28.
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