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State Fair

The 2026 Minnesota State Fair runs Aug. 27 through Sept. 7. For all of the events at the MPR booth and Dan Patch Park, go to mpr.org/statefair.

Here’s a guide to what to know before you go to the 2026 Minnesota State Fair, including information on tickets, transportation, attractions, what to bring and ways to save.

Where do leftovers from the Minnesota State Fair go?

Where do leftovers from the Minnesota State Fair go?

More than 200 Minnesota State Fair vendors donated over 10,000 pounds of leftover food to hunger relief groups for distribution across the state.
by Ahmed Hassan

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Minnesota State Fair attendance just short of last year's total

Minnesota State Fair attendance just short of last year's total

Overall, this year’s fair drew over 1.92 million visitors, which is slightly below both the previous two years and short of the 2 million-visitor milestone set in 2019.
by MPR News Staff

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At the Great Minnesota Get-Together, sanitation workers spearhead trash awareness, composting

At the Great Minnesota Get-Together, sanitation workers spearhead trash awareness, composting

There has to be somewhere all that waste goes at the fair. Cue: the unsung hero of sanitation workers. Two workers say that working in sustainability, especially composting, has transformed how they look at the fair.
by Regina Medina

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'Terrifying': Crop artist speaks out after harassment over anti-Trump '8647' piece

'Terrifying': Crop artist speaks out after harassment over anti-Trump '8647' piece

Tamara Sawyer told MPR News that her viral “8647” crop art submission meant “Impeach Trump… I don't want him dead.” She was subjected to harassment and doxing online.
by Alex V. Cipolle and Sam Stroozas

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Why are there federal agents at the Minnesota State Fair?

Why are there federal agents at the Minnesota State Fair?

Minnesota State Fair officials say the people wearing Homeland Security uniforms are Transportation Security Administration Air Marshal service agents.
by Ahmed Hassan

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