Memories of fried food, romance as Taste turns 25

Excerpt from StarTribune.com June 29, 2007

THE BRIDE

Karen and Todd Frigstad's marriage has its roots in the Taste.

Seven years ago, they had their very first date at the festival. On a sweltering July night, they headed to the Capitol to catch the fireworks. They shared a basket of deep-fried potato chips, sipped on lemonade and found a spot on the grass to watch the show.

"We could hear the music and we could see the Capitol," Karen Frigstad recalled. "There was almost no one else around us. It felt that way, of course."

They gazed in awe at the colors exploding overhead and later shared their first kiss on the front steps of Karen's dad's house.

One year later at a Taste of Minnesota 2001, the couple returned to the festival, and this time, Todd had a surprise for Karen. In his pocket was a diamond ring. They walked around the food stands all evening, with Todd keeping tabs on the ring.

"He told me later he was so worried. He didn't have it in the box because it would have been too bulky," she said.

Again, they found a choice spot on the grass to view the fireworks. Todd, who was sitting behind Karen, reached into his pocket and presented the ring and shouted over the booming fireworks, "Will you marry me?" Of course, I said 'Yes,'" Karen Frigstad said.

Fast forward to the next year's Taste of Minnesota, where the Frigstads were married. Amid the striped food tents and performance stages, they gathered with 350 of their closest friends and family members and tied the knot.

Maddox drove the couple around in his signature golf cart, and later they were photographed riding the Taste ferris wheel.

"We danced, serenaded by Pat Boone," Karen Frigstad recalled. "My aunt thought it was the coolest thing."