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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.

Great Big Wheel could attract great big fair crowds

Great Big Wheel could attract great big fair crowds

The new $4 million attraction promises to be a true spectacle on the fair's north end, especially at night.
by Tim Nelson

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This is the least-crowded day to go to the State Fair

This is the least-crowded day to go to the State Fair

We looked at attendance figures from the past six years and concluded the first day — Thursday — is the best time to go if you hate long lines and big crowds.
by Nancy Yang

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The incredible life of the Minnesota State Fair police chief

The incredible life of the Minnesota State Fair police chief

Art Blakey has been chief of police for the state fair for 37 years. This will be his last. As he gets ready to retire, he looks back on his long career in law enforcement and those hot summer days at the fair.
by Tom Weber and Tracy Mumford

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State Fair reassures Minnesotans: Our rides are safe

State Fair reassures Minnesotans: Our rides are safe

Rides get three rounds of inspections, including an initial inspection when they're trucked in and assembled on the fairgrounds, a daily inspection by ride operators and a utility inspection by state electrical inspectors, said general manager Jerry Hammer.
by Tim Nelson

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When sideshows ruled state fairs

When sideshows ruled state fairs

In the 1950s and '60s, the U.S. had over 100 traveling sideshows — or "freak shows," as they were once known.
by MPR News Staff

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For Minnesota State Fair food judges, it's all tastefully done

For Minnesota State Fair food judges, it's all tastefully done

Food judging can be a sweet gig at the fair. But whether it's jams or jerky, the work demands a connoisseur's palate. Here's what we found -- and tasted.
by Brian Bakst

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Photos: State Fair's newest eats smush a lot of stuff together

Photos: State Fair's newest eats smush a lot of stuff together

This year's 31 new menu items range from sweet to savory to somewhat questionable. One of the new sandwiches was quickly renamed after backlash over it's anti-Semitic connotations.
by Tim Nelson and Nancy Yang

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Loud, vocal, dominant: What are they judging?

Loud, vocal, dominant: What are they judging?

Minnesotans can get competitive with just about anything at the State Fair.
by Nikki Tundel

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