Issue: 63 | April 2, 2024 | | Advance Discount Tickets On Sale April 5! | | |
The fourth annual Kickoff to Summer at the Fair returns May 23-26, 2024! This slice-of-the-fair event features more food and fun things to do than ever before – but with the laid-back patio vibe we all love about Minnesota summers.
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Favorite fair food and brews at nearly 40 vendors including some of the most popular items like Amish doughnuts from Peachey’s Baking Company (new this year!), pickle pizza from Rick’s Pizza and State Fair specialty beers such as Mini Donut Beer, Chocolate Chip Cookie Beer and Key Lime Pie Beer. Check out the full list!
- Shopping at 20+ specialty Minnesota merchants including new vendors Always Northern Permanent Jewelry and Roots, Shoots & Leaves mobile houseplant shop
- Back by popular demand – three stages with non-stop music and entertainment including Giant Slide rides, Rock-It The Robot, Stroll Through History guided tours presented by the Minnesota State Fair Foundation, Trivia Mafia, pickleball, mini golf, yard games, and more!
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New activities for all including inflatable axe throwing by the Northern Star Council - Boy Scouts of America, The Arcade with dozens of coin-operated arcade games and ASL services during select Trivia Mafia and Stroll Through History guided walking tours on Saturday.
- Free parking (space is limited)
- And so much more!
To make this an extra-special experience, attendance is limited per day.
- Thursday, May 23: 4-9 p.m.
- Friday, May 24: 4-9 p.m.
- Saturday, May 25: 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
- Sunday, May 26: 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Save $3 on Tickets When You Buy in Advance!
Tickets are $13 each (fees and tax included) and go on sale at 10 a.m. Friday, April 5. Children 4 and under are free. Tickets at the gate will be $16 each via QR code, credit/debit only; fees and tax included. (Tickets are for a specific event date, and you will choose your date at time of purchase.) To buy your tickets in advance and save $3, visit Etix.
Sign Up to Win!
Winners, randomly selected from ticket buyers who opt in to enter at the time of purchase, will receive amazing door prizes, sponsored by Minnesota Rusco.
For all the fun event details, visit our Kickoff to Summer web page.
Kickoff to Summer Is Proudly Sponsored By
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Showcase Your Arts Organization with Pop-Up Performances at the Fair
From ballet to trapeze and drumming to opera, performing arts organizations of all kinds have been featured as part of the State Fair’s popular Arts A’Fair program over the past 10+ years, and we’re on the hunt for talent to showcase in 2024! Minnesota performing arts groups and individuals participating in the Arts A’Fair program present short pop-up showcases in select locations on the fairgrounds to highlight our state’s varied and vibrant performing arts community. Do you know performers who might be interested?
For more information about Arts A’Fair and how to submit a proposal to perform, visit our Arts A’Fair webpage. Proposals are due April 12, 2024.
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Fairgrounds Improvements Have Begun!
Improvements across the fairgrounds are well underway after $10.2 million in capital and maintenance work was approved by the State Fair’s board of managers during the 165th annual meeting of the Minnesota State Agricultural Society.
A much-needed sidewalk replacement south of the Horse Barn (pictured above) is one of the most recently completed projects.
Additional projects – including new windows and doors in the Fine Arts Center, upgrades to the Kidway lot, construction of a new ticket office outside the Grandstand and installation of new doors and additional fans in the Horse Barn and more – will be completed before the gates to the 2024 Great Minnesota Get-Together open – more updates to come!
All projects are funded through State Fair operating income and grants from the Minnesota State Fair Foundation. The fair is financially self-supporting and receives no government aid.
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A Touch of the Tropics Right Here in Minnesota
While the State Fair’s greenhouse staff is responsible for keeping our famous 100-plus-year-old cannas coming back year after year, they’re also responsible for scouting for new, exciting plants to freshen up the grounds!
This winter, a piece of the tropics was delivered to our greenhouse from Florida to liven up our plant mix. Catch these new palms and other tropicals being used as statement pieces in garden beds and flowerpots across the fairgrounds, particularly in the International Bazaar!
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97 Minnesota Family Farms Honored as Century Farms
The Minnesota State Fair and the Minnesota Farm Bureau are proud to honor 97 Minnesota family farms with the distinction of being named a Century Farm. Farms must be 50 acres or more and currently involved in agricultural production to be eligible for this recognition. Since the Century Farm program began in 1976, more than 11,000 Minnesota farms have been recognized for continuous family ownership of at least 100 years.
Among this year’s honorees are three sesquicentennial farms that have been in operation for more than 150 years. These include the Berquam-Krogstad Family Farm of Houston County, Speltz Farms Inc. of Winona County and The John Dacy Homestead of Meeker County.
Congratulations to you all – and thank you for everything you do as part of our state’s vital agriculture economy!
More Program Information and Complete List of 2024 Century Farms
Information on all Century Farms will be available at the Minnesota Farm Bureau exhibit during the 2024 Minnesota State Fair. A database of all Minnesota Century Farms is also available at fbmn.org.
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Seasonal Positions Now Available!
We’re looking to fill a wide variety of positions to help us get ready for the Great Minnesota Get-Together. Summer-long positions working from May to early September are now open. There’s something for everyone with office jobs and internships! You can view all opportunities at the career portal.
To learn more about the types of positions available, visit the Summer Job Opportunities page of our employment web page. Or feel free to contact us at employment@mnstatefair.org or 651-288-4475.
Fair-Time Employment News
Even though temperatures are still a bit cool, we're starting to build our fair-time team. Are you interested in working the 12 days of the Great Minnesota Get-Together, Aug. 22- Labor Day, Sept. 2. For examples of fair-time positions, check out the employment page on our website. Plus, sign up to receive employment email updates. When details are available, we'll send you information on open opportunities and how and when to apply.
Visit the State Fair career portal for job postings. Available opportunities will be updated throughout the summer.
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Are You Minnesota’s Most Talented?
We’re searching high and low for talented artists and entertainers to take the big stage and compete in the Minnesota State Fair Amateur Talent Contest! Auditions for this year’s show will be held July 22-28, so grab your dance shoes, pick up that guitar or write your comedy set, and get practicing. Semifinalists selected from the auditions will advance to compete during the State Fair at the Bandshell. Then, finalists will compete at the Grandstand on Sept. 1 for more than $20,000 in cash awards.
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Chance The Rapper
Friday, Aug. 23, 7 p.m.
$48, $68, $88, $108, $128 & $148 (All seats reserved); $96 (Party Deck)
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Blake Shelton
Sunday, Aug. 25, 7 p.m.
$77, $97, $127 & $207 (All seats reserved); $154 (Party Deck)
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Join the Minnesota State Fair Foundation’s 1854 Society
To honor the State Fair’s beginnings and recognize forward-thinking donors who have made plans to give gifts that will impact the fair beyond their lifetimes, the Minnesota State Fair Foundation proudly founded the 1854 Society.
In May the Foundation will gather members of the 1854 Society to show our appreciation for their generosity. We invite you to learn how you can join them through meaningful, flexible and easy ways to make the State Fair a beneficiary of your retirement plan, include a gift in your will or trust, or plan for gifts that provide income during your lifetime, while showing your support for the fair and making a lasting impact for generations to come. Visit the 1854 Society webpage for information.
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Spring Gift-Giving Made Easy!
On the hunt for an easy springtime surprise, a Mother’s Day gift or birthday present? Give a day of endless fun at the Great Minnesota Get-Together! 2024 fair admission tickets are on sale now at the pre-fair discount price of just $15! Choose the free print-at-home/mobile download delivery option for a quick and easy gift. (Please note that fair admission is not included with Grandstand concert tickets, and separate fair admission tickets are required.) Here is a free print-at-home greeting card to accompany your gift!
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Group Fundraising Made Easy at the State Fair
The Minnesota State Fair offers a great way for sports teams, community organizations, clubs, schools, churches and other groups to team-build while raising funds. Companies looking to earn money to donate to a favorite nonprofit are also welcome.
We coordinate all the details – you just need to round up your volunteers and then show up for your shift! Available opportunities include working on fairgrounds clean-up teams, in the Coliseum, barns, Grandstand or with our Parking and Park & Ride services. No prior experience is needed - we provide training, equipment and supplies to do the work. Group members can work alongside friends or teammates and enjoy the fair before or after their shift. In return, groups earn money to put toward whatever they're fundraising for – equipment, uniforms, travel expenses, facility maintenance, and more.
If you’re part of a group of at least 10 who are age 16+, visit State Fair Fundraising Opportunities for more information.
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Save the Date for Competition Registration!
If you’ve passed the winter months by mastering the perfect baked good, learning to sew, dabbling in crop art or planning for your garden, it’s time to put those talents to the test and enter a State Fair competition! There are dozens and dozens of opportunities to showcase your craft in Ag-Hort-Bee, Creative Activities, Fine Arts and K-12 categories – and entry registration begins May 6. We’ll be posting competition information on our website in the coming weeks, so stay tuned for more details, and get ready to show off those skills!
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Get Together With Your Group at the Fair!
The Great Minnesota Get-Together is the perfect backdrop for birthday and anniversary celebrations, reunions, company picnics, weddings and receptions and team-building events – any summer get-together.
While you’re at the fair, gather your group at the Horton Pavilions at Heffron Park. This private, covered event space is secluded from the hustle and bustle, but still close enough to the action. The affordable hourly rental price of the Horton Pavilions at Heffron Park includes tables and chairs, group activities and a staff person to help with day-of hospitality. Additional services such as catering and audio/visual production are available for an added fee. Learn more about bringing your group to the fair.
Contact us now to check fair-time availability – call 651-288-4400 or email groups@mnstatefair.org.
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Coming to the Fairgrounds
International Hmong Fashion Show: The Center for Hmong Arts & Talent brings Hmong fashion designers from Laos, Thailand and Vietnam together on Saturday, April 13 to showcase their work! Stop by the marketplace starting at 4:30 p.m. to find beautiful Hmong-inspired arts and crafts before the show starts at 6:30 p.m.
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Other Upcoming Events
April
- 6-7: GSTA Rod & Custom Spectacular Car Show at Lee & Rose Warner Coliseum
- 13: International Hmong Fashion Show at the North End Event Center
- 16, 23, 30: Machinery Hill Criterium Series Cycle Races at the State Fairgrounds
- 18-21: Munchkin Markets Children’s Consignment Sale at the Education Building
- 20: Minnesota Half-Arabian Horse Association WSCA/Schooling Show at Compeer Arena
- 26-28: Minnesota Horse Expo at the Livestock Area and Lee & Rose Warner Coliseum
May
- 3-5: Sahara Sands Spring Classic Arabian Horse Show at Lee & Rose Warner Coliseum
- 4: Animal Humane Society Walk for Animals at the International Bazaar
- 5: Gopher State Buick Spring Extravaganza Car Show & Swap Meet at the State Fairgrounds
- 5: Northland Vintage Toy, Train, Advertising & Pop Culture Show at the Progress Center
- 7, 14: Machinery Hill Criterium Series Cycle Races at the State Fairgrounds
- 9-12: Friends of the American Saddlebred Horse (FASH) Horse Show at Lee & Rose Warner Coliseum
- 10-12: Friends School Plant Sale at the Grandstand
- 11: Twin City Model Railroad Museum Hobby Show and Sale at the Education Building
- 19: Minnesota Saddlebred Horse Association Riders and Ribbons at Compeer Arena
- 23-26: Kickoff to Summer at the Fair at the State Fairgrounds
June
- 1: Girls on the Run 5K at the State Fairgrounds
- 2: General Motors Car Clubs Association Car/Truck Show & Swap Meet at the State Fairgrounds
- 4, 11: Machinery Hill Criterium Series Cycle Races at the State Fairgrounds
- 5-9: Region 10 Arabian Horse Association Championship Show at Lee & Rose Warner Coliseum
- 7-8: Vikings Chapter of the Antique Motorcycle Club of America National Show and Swap Meet at the Progress Center
- 8-9: Minnesota Autosports Club Autocross MOWOG Series at the Robin Lot
Check out our State Fairgrounds Event Calendar for event details and updates. Information subject to change.
| | If you’ve been dreaming of getting your hands on your favorite fair food or beverage,enjoying live bands and fun activities and browsing through Minnesota merchants, your chance is just around the corner! Kickoff to Summer at the Fair is May 23-26, and $13 discount tickets go on sale April 5. To make this slice-of-the-fair event extra special, attendance is limited each day. | | | | |
