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.

From bee yard to table: How a Minnesota beekeeper makes State Fair ribbon-winning honey
Andrea Setsvold of Afton, Minn., has been beekeeping since 2016. She loves the hobby, and now, she has another reason to love it: entering the work of her and her honeybees into the Minnesota State Fair.  
Two sisters and two llamas: The costume competition of the summer  
Twelve-year-old Addie Odegaard and her sister Lucy are preparing their llamas, Riot and Dozer, for the State Fair’s popular llama costume contest with inventive designs — including Riot as a bath loofah with a bubble machine and Dozer as a parrot with rainbow wings — showcasing both creativity and the strong bonds they’ve built with their animals.
Lumberjills show off their skills at the State Fair
Axe throwing, logrolling, speed climbing and boom running are four of several sports featured on the North Woods stage at the Minnesota State Fair. For over two decades, the Timberworks Lumberjack Show has traveled to the fair to showcase the skills of lumberjacks and lumberjills.
Critical DMs: Exploring the many collections featured at the State Fair
Critical DMs finds arts editor Max Sparber and senior arts reporter and critic Alex V. Cipolle exploring the Minnesota State Fair’s Collections exhibit — an eclectic, chaotic counterpoint to the more codified tradition of crop art, featuring everything from stamps and postcards to scrapbooks, mail ephemera and license plates.
Monday's State Fair attendance sets first record of the year
Monday's daily attendance at the Minnesota State Fair hit a record. The daily attendance creeped just past 145,000 people — about 500 more people than the record set in 2017.
The 2025 Low-Stakes Debate from MPR News
Join us for a lively, fun-filled debate at the Minnesota State Fair! 📅 Thursday, Aug. 28 🕥 10:30 a.m. 📍 MPR Booth, at the corner of Judson Ave and Nelson St on the fairgrounds.
The 2025 Low-Stakes Debate from MPR News: Because even in a non-election year, everyone has an opinion about everything
Join us for a lively, fun-filled debate at the Minnesota State Fair! 📅 Thursday, Aug. 28 🕥 10:30 a.m. 📍 MPR Booth, at the corner of Judson Ave and Nelson St on the fairgrounds.
Talent booker juggles all sorts of acts for the Minnesota State Fair
Entertainment companies all across the country compete to get contracts with the Minnesota State Fair. One Minnesota talent booker has been working with the Fair for over 42 years.