WEST ALLIS — Gov. Tony Evers, a longtime connoisseur of the Original Cream Puff, today, while helping kick off the grand opening of the 2026 Wisconsin State Fair, which is set to run from August 6-16, was honored with the surprise unveiling of the newly named “Tony Evers Bakery” in The Dairy Building at Wisconsin State Fair Park. The honor was bestowed upon the governor by the State Fair Park Board and Chairman John Yingling in recognition of the governor’s longstanding support of Wisconsin State Fair Park while in office, as well as his well-documented love for the renowned Wisconsin delicacy.
“Kathy and I have been coming to the state fair for 57 years, and I can’t remember a time when a mountain of Cream Puffs didn’t come home with us—no joke. The Cream Puff is one of the best desserts there is, hands down, so now to be recognized at the Wisconsin State Fair, where Wisconsinites will continue to be served our beloved Cream Puffs year after year, is something amazing,” said Gov. Evers. “I am beyond grateful, humbled, and perfectly jazzed to receive this honor. There’s no beating the Cream Puff—it’s a perfect food and a proud part of what makes Wisconsin the Dairy State, so this is really quite a treat for me today.”
Gov. Evers has been a proud champion of the Original Cream Puff since long before he was elected governor, and since taking office, he has been a vocal advocate for the iconic Wisconsin dessert, which has even become the subject of hotly contested (read: fun) online debates. Each year as governor, Gov. Evers has helped serve Cream Puffs to Wisconsin State Fair goers, and in 2024, Gov. Evers declared August 10th “Cream Puff Day” in honor of the centennial anniversary of the Original Cream Puff’s debut at State Fair Park. The governor has frequently touted the Original Cream Puff as “a perfect food,” going so far as to expound on the best way to eat the beloved dessert, coined by journalists as the “Evers Style,” which entails twisting apart the top and bottom halves of the pastry to ensure equal parts cream on both sides and minimal mess. Additionally, the governor has also advised fellow Cream Puff enthusiasts to bring a few Cream Puffs home and put them in the freezer to be enjoyed all year round.
“Over the past eight years, I have had the wonderful opportunity to work with Governor Evers, who has been a tremendous support to Wisconsin State Fair Park,” said Wisconsin State Fair Park Board of Directors Chairman John Yingling. “He is truly the best salesperson for Cream Puffs, buying annually and freezing so he can enjoy the Fair’s signature item all year long. This bakery is named in his honor as we continue to sell up to 400,000 Cream Puffs a year, and I hope more people pick up his tradition to buy and freeze so they can have a taste of the Wisconsin State Fair throughout the year.”
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Hundreds of thousands of Original Cream Puffs are consumed at the Wisconsin State Fair each year, and each Original Cream Puff is baked by the Wisconsin Bakers Association in The Dairy Building. First opened in 1909 and formerly known as the Original Cream Puff Pavilion, The Dairy Building officially re-opened last year after a $12.5 million renovation and restoration project, which was funded and approved by the Wisconsin State Building Commission, chaired by Gov. Evers. The renovations included the new, state-of-the-art bakery, which now bears the governor’s name, as well as an expanded guest area and dairy education exhibits.
As America’s Dairyland, Wisconsin’s dairy industry is a significant part of the state’s cultural heritage and a central driver of the state’s economic future. According to the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection, Wisconsin is home to approximately 1.3 million dairy cows and more than 5,000 dairy farms—more than any other state—and the dairy industry contributes $52.8 billion annually to Wisconsin’s economy. The Evers Administration has made it a priority to invest in critical projects, such as the renovation of The Dairy Building, that support dairy education and bolster the state’s agriculture industry.
