08/22/2026
30 years Ago Today
We Said “I Do” on the Giant Slide at The Minnesota State Fair
August 22, 1996 – August 22, 2026
Thirty years ago today, on August 22, 1996, Robert and I stood at the top of the Giant Slide at the Minnesota State Fair and said “I do.”
It may not have been the most traditional place to begin a marriage, but for us, it was absolutely perfect.
The Giant Slide had already been woven into the fabric of my life. My parents, Fred and Beverly Pittroff, had begun its story decades earlier, and I grew up surrounded by fairs, concessions, hard work, and the people who make this industry feel like family. So when Robert and I were ready to begin our life together, starting at the top of the Slide felt only natural.
We certainly didn’t have a small audience. Approximately 10,000 fairgoers gathered around the Giant Slide to watch Charles Flinn officiate our ceremony. I walked to the top with my dad, surrounded by family and friends, while the Minnesota State Fair carried on all around us.
After we exchanged our vows, white doves were released into the sky, forming a beautiful heart above us. Then came the moment that could only happen at a Giant Slide wedding: the wedding party climbed into their burlap sacks and rode down the Slide.
Our reception followed at the Pizza Palace, and the next morning, we woke up to find our wedding featured on the front page of the Pioneer Press.
At the time, we knew it was a special day. What we could not have imagined was how much love, life, and adventure the next 30 years would hold.
Together, we raised two daughters, We built businesses, traveled countless miles, worked long days at fairs, celebrated successes, faced challenges, and carried forward a family tradition that now spans three generations.
Through it all, the Giant Slide has remained part of our story.
Today, there is something deeply meaningful about standing here and realizing that 30 years have passed since we stood at the top of those stairs as a newly married couple.
Over the years, the Slide has welcomed millions of riders and generations of families. Children who once rode down with their parents now return with children of their own. Our family, too, has grown and changed alongside it.
When I look back at our wedding photographs, I see more than a bride and groom standing atop a Giant Slide. I see the beginning of everything that followed: our marriage, our family, our adventures, and a life built around the people and traditions we love.
Thirty years ago, we took our first ride down the Giant Slide as husband and wife.
Today, 30 years later, we are still riding through life together.
Happy 30th Anniversary, Robby !
Thank you to the Minnesota State Fair, all our Giant Slide, family, our friends, and everyone who has been part of our journey along the way.
August 22, 1996 — a day we will never forget.
August 22, 2026 — 30 years later, still together at the place where our story began.
