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The start of the Minnesota State Fair is now less than a month away, and organizers on Tuesday announced a slate of new attractions, improvements and upgrades for the 2023 edition of the fair.

Among the new features: A special morning session on the Mighty Midway and Kidway, aimed at visitors with sensory sensitivities. 

The new morning session — set for Aug. 28, the first Monday of the fair, will feature reduced lighting and sound, and limited non-safety related announcements on both the Midway and Kidway, for fairgoers with autism or other sensory-processing challenges. It will run from 9-11 a.m. at the Kidway and from 10 a.m. to noon at the Midway.

There’ll be two new Kidway rides this year, and fair officials announced Tuesday that Mighty Midway and Kidway ride and game tickets will be loaded onto a “Fun Card,” replacing paper tickets. 

This year’s Minnesota State Fair opens on Aug. 24 and runs through Labor Day, Sept. 4.

Among other new events, attractions and upgrades this year:

Minnesota State Fair unveils new foods list for 2023

5 things to know for the 2023 Minnesota State Fair

You could win $10,000 at the Minnesota State Fair

There will be a host of new fair competitions or competition themes this year, including “Roadside Attractions” in the cake decorating contest, “Shoes” in the decorated cookie competition, and “Pets” in the decorated cupcake contest. 

The theme of the Quilt On-A-Stick competition — an 8-by-9-inch creation with a paint-stirring stick inserted — will be “The Fair at First Light.”

The Minnesota State Fair Flower Show’s theme will be “Minnesota Loves Summer”

The theme of the Minnesota State Florists Association’s Floralpalooza will be “Happily Ever After.”

There will be three FFA agricultural mechanics competitions over Labor Day weekend — a Small Engines Build-Off timed contest for students in grades 10 through 12 on Friday; a Wood Construction Build-Off for teams of two to build a bench on Saturday; and a Weld-Off on Sunday for competitors to complete a metal campfire grate.

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Andrew Krueger

Minnesota State Fair organizers have announced a slate of new attractions, improvements and upgrades for the 2023 fair — including a special morning session on the Mighty Midway and Kidway, aimed at visitors with sensory sensitivities. 

Minnesota State Fair announces new attractions, events, upgrades for this year

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