It’s once again the most wonderful time of the year: the Minnesota State Fair. Over the course of 12 days, the iconic tradition will welcome more than one million ticket holders through the blue and green gates to give foodies and proud Minnesotans their annual fix of fried bites, endless entertainment and new core memories to last a lifetime. In that spirit, we shaped together a quick guide to make sure you’re living your best life throughout the entire Great Minnesota Get-Together.
Photography provided by Minnesota State Fair
Getting to the Fair
There are many ways one can get to the fair. Navigating the hunt for quality onsite parking is always a gamble, especially depending on what time of day you’re planning to get there and how much you’re willing to pay even before entering the fairgrounds. That being said, the most convenient and stress-free way is taking advantage of one of the 30 Park and Ride locations throughout the Twin Cities area. Park for free. Ride for free. That’s the tweet.
Photography provided by Sweet Martha’s Cookie Jar
Eating at the Fair
It’s really easy to get lost in the sauce trying to eat literally everything that’s on the fair’s endless menu. Make a list of must-haves and -tries before you arrive and plan to share everything, that way you’re pacing yourself throughout the day. Keep it classic with a bucket of Sweet Martha’s cookies and cheese curds from the Mouth Trap, and bite into something new like the Deep-Fried Ranch dressing at LuLu’s Public House or a refreshing sip from new vendor Loon Lake Iced Tea.
Photography provided by Minnesota State Fair
Soaking Up the Fair
The Great Minnesota Get-Together’s daily run of show is always stacked from open to close, meaning regardless of which day (or days) you decide to venture to the fair, there’s always a moment of quality culture, competition or entertainment for you to enjoy. Plan to stroll through the Fine Arts Center, the Agriculture Horticulture Building and, of course, the Dairy Building — home to the world famous Princess Kay of the Milky Way butter sculptures.
