Minnesota State Fair

Minnesota State Fair grounds are a fabulous location with many events other than the state fair. This review was written on the Back to the 50s event. The event was well organized and to get in if you did not have a ticket it was cash only and they had on-site ATM machines. The transaction was very smooth and painless. As we explored and gazed upon the beautiful classic cars we made our way to the beer stand to get ice cold beverages and mini doughnuts. The powdery sweet taste left us wanting more. We then saw a heavenly sign, the cheese curd taco sign. A combination of the best of both worlds and we made our way over. The taco shell had the perfect crunch while the cheese curds burst with salty flavors. As the day wound down we explored and looked at more cars and had alcoholic slushies to quench our thirst. We struck up lots of great conversations and had many good memories. We can't wait till next year's event.

The state fair is the largest activity held here every year and one of the best in the countries! There’s a lot of good food, rides to explore, local vendors and more!

One of the best fairs I have ever been to. I have been here several times and the experience here is always amazing. Incredible food, performances, games, shows, attractions, and rides. I especially enjoyed the buckets! Coming in and out gets hectic as well as parking lots, however it was all worthwhile. There’s many things to see here especially the campers. There is a butterfly garden, great for the kids! You are allowed to go into a dorm of butterflies that will land on you which is pretty cool. Great attraction for the adults as well and other family-friendly activities!

We really enjoyed the kickoff to summer event. Its the perfect experience if you're not into the crowds of the larger event but still want to experience the fair. The food is expensive but thats to be expected. This small event has all the popular food options plus some shopping and music. We spent a good couple hours their walking around and trying some foods. Highlights are definitely the Pronto pups, cheese curds, French fries, pickle pizza and donuts.

This property is a great gathering place for all Minnesotans. We enjoyed the Back to the 50s car show, and the 2025 Great Race Launch today.

We were here for Street Machine Nationals July 18-20. Grounds were nice. Several State Fair food vendors were open.

This review is for Back to the 50’s!! Amazing weekend of fun, food, and old cars (10,000+)! Great for all ages, highly recommend!

Absolutely fantastic. My first visit was in 2016 and I went again last year 2024. My wife and I have already made plans for this year as well. They having an abundance of food and most of it is great and delicious. Some amazing sites and even things to learn about nature. They have concerts and plenty of music around the entire park. If you go bring your walking shoes because it’s huge and prepare to be amongst hundreds of thousands of people. And people who are nice and pleasant by the way. I truly have not one thing bad to say about the Minnesota State fair.

A visit to the Minnesota State Fair should be on everyone's bucket list! Our 2024 visit was the final Friday on a hot sunny day with my family and 200K plus of our closest friends. When you visit make sure you download the "MN State Fair" app- and this year- the app "MN on a Stick" was super useful. Also- always chose Park & Ride to get there- there's lots of options and parking close to the fair is a non-starter. Remember your sunscreen and your water bottle- these are key survival tools! Oh- and lots of cash & a credit card & your ID (for all the tasty beverage options). Have your tickets on your phone and be prepared for a survival of the fittest experience trying to gain entry at the gate as the lines were loooong. Be prepared to be entertained by the line jumpers- which seemed to be older entitled folks- or you might enter a bit agitated. I think we spent the entire day walking and eating! Despite wanting Peachey's Donuts (@peacheysbakingco) for the 2nd year in a row- the line was beyond long. I'd say if this donut is calling to you- be on a 7 am bus to the fair and immediately find their donut truck. The longest line we waited in was for Nordic Waffles (@nordicwaffles) and probably took us 30-45 minutes. Other lines for our choices were shorter. I'd say the bacon wrapped hot dog at Nordic Waffles wasn't really worth the wait. It was a bit over the top and the waffle was lost in the mix. There was a lot of eating and drinking - and no fair visit is complete without Sweet Martha's Cookies (@sweetmarthas) in the bucket! You will be pretty tired by the time you get on the bus to head back to your car- but the memories will sustain you until next year! See you in 2025 at the Great Minnesota Get-Together!

The Mn State Fair is cool. Growing up in Mn I think I had only been to the Fair once but now as an adult I go 1-2 times a year. Since Covid I kind of feel like I no longer need to go every year. I always look forward to the New foods lost coming out and I will say for the '24 season the new foods were kind of disappointing (to me at least). This year the only thing I really cared to get was the Amish donuts, everything else was kind of a random purchase. The line for the Amish donuts was crazy both times I attended the fair this year. The first day we went it was about an hr wait and the 2nd time about 2 hrs. I was lucky enough to attend the Fair Preview earlier in the year and was able to try a lot of great foods and when I went back during the regular fair their lines were long as well so I was happy to see that they were thriving. Besides food there is quite a bit to do, I always enjoy looking at the fine arts and just people watching sometimes. Overall both times I attended it was decently packed but no drama or anything crazy. It was really hot out both times so we didn't stay too long, kind of got what we wanted and got out.

Always a great time! This year my favorite new food was from newcomer (to the fair) el burrito Mercado and their quesabirria taquitos! These were delicious. Although there was no beef consommé, the salsa verde had a nice kick to it, and the crunch on them was otherworldly! Also enjoyed a number of the new beers, with my favorite probably being the caked up cinnamon limoncello from Mankato brewing.

if you haven't been to the minnesota state fair, it's worth going to! they've always got a variety of foods/drinks, from pickled pizza to sweet martha's cookies to cheese curds. the options are truly endless. there's also a huge barn section, plenty of carnival games, and a bunch of rides. there are lines pretty much anywhere you go and everything is pretty pricey. i definitely recommend getting the blue ribbon bargain book since it has so many coupons and only costs $5. parking can be tricky and expensive, but they offer free shuttles to and from many locations around the twin cities! overall rating: 8/10

First time ever to the Minnesota State Fair. It is massive in size. I was really thankful for the scooter rental being right at the entrance. It is a bit pricey but if you have issues being on your feet for long periods of time you are going to want to rent one or arrange for a rental beforehand/bring your own. The rental right at the entrance was $75. For the most part all of the exhibits were accessible. People are just a bit ignorant when it comes to being courteous, you may have to use the horn a few times. Especially, if a food line is blocking your way. Other than that it was good. The rides were well run and didn't have too long of a wait. My kids rode several rides and they felt safe and had a ton of fun. As far as the fair food goes, we tried bratwurst, bucket of chocolate chip cookies, burrito, corn dog, cheesy fries and the Turkey legs! Everything was delicious!

100% recommend the MN State Fair. Best state fair in the country. So many things to see and eat, it really is unique. Get there early and make a day out of it, you won't regret it!! Take the shuttle to save the headache of parking. Pro tip: download the app to make it easier to find your favorite foods or stands. Cant wait to go next year!!

Another amazing year at the Minnesota State Fair! I had the chance to go twice this year, and it didn't disappoint. I tried a lot of the new food items--some were definite hits, while others were misses, but that's part of the fun. Even with thousands of people attending, I felt safe the entire time, and the atmosphere was lively as always. I also bought tickets for the Monday it stormed, and unfortunately, they closed the fair that day. I called the fair office, and they were quick to refund me for my tickets, which was a great customer service experience. Overall, it was another fantastic year at the Great Minnesota Get-Together, and I can't wait to go again next year!

This is such a great state fair! It has so many options for food, even for those who are gluten free. My friend and I shared the signature fried ranch, which was way better than expected. We also had the cheese curds from mouth trap and the wonderful cookies, where we took some home with us. They also have quite a bit of vendors selling great souvenirs for those looking for something to buy for others

Every year, the MN State Fair gets better, and so does the crowd size. I love the theme and the unique charm that the fair brings. This year, I tried a fruit popsicle that was absolutely amazing. We also sampled a variety of foods, including pickle pizza, Spam curds, blue sticky rice with jerky, curly fries, and sirloin tips. They were all very good, and I was pleasantly surprised that the prices haven't increased significantly. The app is also a great tool, making it easy to search for everything right at your fingertips. Overall, it was another fantastic year at the fair!

Jealous of you locals who will be able to catch Semisonic this weekend but I enjoyed Terrance Simien and Radius. Warning: deep fried ranch dressing lines are long. Don't miss Peterson's pork chop on a stick or the space tower ($5 cash only).

Food Fair Fun Okay, attended here less than a dozen times https://www.mnstatefair.org. We set a few new records for attendance in 2024! As resident or tourist here? Even newcomers... Must Experience it Locals and your lifelong fair-going friends teach you! Ride the Fair Buses. Some roads built just for the State Fair Buses. Ride To the "city" built just for the fairgrounds. Wow. Just do it. This small town country farmers daughter grew up in "4H Fairs" and "County Fairs". State Fair anywhere? Only in Minnesota. See it, Navigated in the daytime by a few pre written directions with a few landmarks to follow. This year made my way totally w/out a map or prewritten directions. It was fun. Until nightfall? You will still find your way. Each year made a new theme for the fair visit such as "Music and Dancing" or "Farm Animals" or "Arts Crafts & 4H" of course food themes as well. This year was... "Footlong Hotdogs and Corn Dogs" Or one year did "Everything on a stick" Best fair in the world Well behaved crowd Thank you Entire Fair Team @mnstatefair.org

I was able to attend the fair a second time this year in order to try some more beers, more food, and of course see all of the animals! Beyond the first foray where I enjoyed offerings from the West End Market, this time I explored the rest of the fairgrounds getting in a TON of steps. Food Enjoyed: - Cookie Dough on a Stick (Reeses Peanut Butter of course) - Tom Thumb Mini Donuts - Produce Exchange Grilled Peach topped with herbed goat cheese and honey - @thehideawayspeakeasy The Gambler Panini (A classic Italian panini featuring capicola, Genoa salami, provolone cheese and fire roasted red peppers drizzled with herb-infused oil and vinegar on a hoagie roll) - Mouth Trap Cheese Curds - @sweetmarthas Cookies Drinks Savored: - @liftbridge Mini Donut Beer - Lift Bridge @ballparkcafe Vice Slushy - Anchor Coffee House Mini Donut Latte - Lift Bridge Grumpy Old Manhattan - @surlybrewing Attack of The Quack! - Two Flights from @mncraftbrewersguild containing: LocAle Scarletta, Lift Bridge Mango Blonde, St. Paul Brewing Mummy Train, Garphish Lemony Lemonkins, LocAle HibernAle, Fergus Krumkake Ale, Indeed Mexican Honey Imperial Lager, StormKing Bloodline Also got to enjoy free samples of Saputo Cheese and Kemps Mini Ice Cream Sandwiches, pet some cute piglets, and see some great dogs! Overall another Great MN Get Together.

A staple for all things Minnesotan including DNR building, giant slide, sky glider, pronto pups, hot tubs for sale, machinery hill, crop art, agriculture building, Sweet Martha's cookies, deep fried pickles, Grand Stand, haunted mansion, blueberry basil mint lemonade, turkey to go, cheese curds, and so much more. Yes it is always busy but always a great time! I 10/10 recommend biking or leveraging any of the convenient park and rides. Come one, come all!

This is a MUST if you are in the twin cities around the week leading up to the Labor Day weekend. The state fair runs for 12 glorious days! Not being a native to MN, I was introduced to the fair roughly 10 years ago....its a bucket list item! There's so much to be said about the fair, you've got the rides, the amazing food, ribbon winning animals, baby animals being born, meeting vendors and buying some unique merchandise. For 2024, my top spots were... 1. The skyride - my first time this year! 2. Ye Ol Mill with my 6 yr old son...cheesy but now it's a tradition. 3. Loon Lake Cotton Candy Ice Tea - not only is it beautiful, it's yummy and comes with glitter and a rock candy lollipop. 4. Auntie M's gfree corn dog! 5. The kidway for the kiddo to ride some pint size rides. 6. The butter queens! I even got to watch him sculpting them too! 6. Grabbing my free rhubarb crisp lip balm at the MN Star tribune stand - always a must each year to grab their newest concoction. 7. Minnesnowii - the most delish shaved ice you'll ever have. I had the Hawaiian sunrise with cream. Jason the owner is awesome! 8. Little kids farm - hands on learning for little ones to learn about farming. So much fun! 9. The baby piglets that were 1 hr old! 10. Adam Turman merchandise at the grandstand. Bought a shirt and fun stickers and temp tattoos! 11. Pickle lemonade at the Nordic waffle stand. Another fun day was had at the fair and you can't go wrong getting the $5 bargain book! We saved so much money. Enjoy!

I love thMN state fair. II usually go 3 times each year. My favorite things are the pronto pups, sweet Martha's cookies, the fried pickles and roasted corn! Buy all your tickets early at Cub or online to save some money.

Went to fair on Sunday Aug 25, super hot and it wasn't as crowded as I had thought. Even with the heat warning, there was still a lot of people that it felt crowded in certain areas of the fair. We had fun trying all the different Fair foods that didn't get pictured like the cheese pizza from Green Mill, Hawaiian shaved ice, caramel apple with cinnamon ice cream, Bee Nana Pie at Sabino's, walleye cakes, cold brew coffee from Jammy Sammie's, and chicken strips with fries. The Island Hopper at the Hangar was good but the teriyaki sauce was too salty and it needed a little more sweetness and tang in the seasoning of the chicken. The grilled pineapples were delicious. The turkey leg looked amazing and it was good. The beef quesadilla was flavorful but it fell apart to easily. The gizmo was good but very messy to eat that all the meat just fell out of the bun because it's was too soggy. Our kids did some rides at the kidway and the mighty midway. Overall, we had fun and it was the longest day that I've spent at the fair in all the years of going to the fair!

My girlfriend and I went for half the day today and loved it, I've only been a couple times but we explored the fairgrounds and tried a bunch of food. Our favorite food was the gourmet fried pickles that had cream cheese in them!! We will be going back before it ends this year

I absolutely loved the Minnesota State Fair. Food options galore. My wife and I had not been since before the pandemic, and coming back has been an absolute dream. Big thanks to all the staff that made it awesome. Lines were long sometimes, but kept moving. Vendors and MN staff were very good throughout the event. Hmong Union Kitchen, Giggles Campirefire, and Sara's Tipsy Pies were among my favorites of the day if I had to keep it to 3. Shout outs to Holy Land, Salem Lutheran Church Dining Hall, and the Amish Donut place for also having really tasty stuff. I'll be back next year to eat my way through the fair for 9.5 more hours. :)

We attended this years Kick off to the summer at the State Fair grounds. It was a lovely day. The crowds weren't bad, due to a limit of people entering. This is a great event to go to if you think the fair is too large and has too many people try this one. You get your taste of fair goodies without the huge crowds and the heat!

Opening Day! Wow that was a big crowd! Would recommend the MN state fair to anyone! I'm already planning my return trip next year. I loved the vibe, everyone seemed so happy . Prepare yourself for some serious walking as there's so much to explore and discover! Lots of agricultural sights, I loved the award winning vegetable displays with their winning ribbons. Since moving to MN I've become quite the farmer ‍ I feel pretty confident I can display some of my monster sized zucchini and I'd win. Not gonna lie, I'm killing it out here on the farm. Lol who knew!? Lots of fabulous foods, cookies and milk had one of the longest lines, so many fried choices ,lots of yummy drinks, beer gardens and wine to choose from. I rode the tram from one side to another to get a better layout of the place. Lots of stuff for kids to do. Ohhh and Bingo on the grounds. You play for fair tickets the choice of current year or for next year we're offered. I almost won to, needed 1 number!! The parking situation... hahaha! Good luck. . Fantastic choices for headlining at the Grandstands. Capacity is 13.000 plus? Makes for a great end to the fair. I'm going back and I can't wait

I'm in a food coma after all the good eats. GET THE AMISH DONUTS. I waited 40 minutes and it was worth it. It dissolved as soon as I bit into it. Think Krispy Kreme on crack. $5 The sirloin tips were better then I expected and honestly a good value. $14 for a whole sirloin, mashed potatoes, mushrooms and sautéed onions and peppers. The potatoes were a bit soggy and red skin on if that matters to anyone. You can ask for a sample if undecided. The food long hot dog with grilled onions a classic. $8 Peterson's pork chop. So juicy and flavorful. $11 Danielson's onion rings. So cute to have my onion rings handed to me by grandpa. Family owed and the onions rings were hot and fresh...delicious. $5.50 with a coupon Nitro ice cream: So good I forgot to snap a pic. Only available in vanilla but the silkiest ice cream I've had. I recently discovered making ice cream sandwiches with Sweet Martha's cookies and it's game changer!!!$6 Pro tips: If your not a drinker invest in a refillable sipper and keep it for years. Refills are cheaper usually less then $3. Mine attaches to my bag. Park and ride lots fill up quickly. Check before going to the lot to see availability on social media Bring a insulated cup filled with just ice for water. I used my Stanley and it was a lifesaver on the really hot days. Plus at refill stations your water is always ice cold. Bring ziplock bags: I bring 2 gallon, 2 quart and 2 sandwich size got leftovers. Don't bring a backpack. There are so many bag giveaways that you can get one there. Come to people watch, eat and have fun

I go to the fair every year, sometimes twice and it never disappoints. I always get my tickets at Cub foods to save the extra bucks and take the free park-and-ride from the University of Minnesota. All the food I get is amazing. But the deep fried cookie dough with the vanilla malt in the food building is ELITE!! -Pickle Fries at Mike's Hamburgers -Gourmet pickle at the perfect pickle -Cheese curds from mouth trap in the food building -Deep fried cookie dough and vanilla malt in food building -Cheese curd tacos from Richies Cheese Curd Tacos -Irish Butter Ice Cream over brown sugar cinnamon toast from Blue Moon Dine-In Theater -MinneCookieDough Pie from Minneaple Pie

Truly one of the best fairs in the US. Highly recommend going if you are not from Minnesota. If possible try to go early and not on the weekends. Try to plan ahead too, the concert we wanted to go to was sold out. The coupon book is worth it. But not everything in the book is good.

My third time going to the Minnesota State Fair and second time as a MN resident! As usual the food and drinks were on point and wish we could have tried more! Our favorites of the day: 1) luluspublichouse Tot Dog with cheese dipping sauce which is one I'll always get from now on 2) Dairy Goodness Ice cream Chocolate Sunday... so good! 3) bigfatbacon which serves: you guessed it big fat bacon 4) thehideawayspeakeasy Sunset Beer pretty taste if you like a sour taste 5) minnesnowii to help cool off in the heat! I got mango and strawberry flavors 6) freshfrenchfries cause Duh! 7) sweetmarthas bucket of cookies Tip: we always get a bucket on the way out to eat them on the way home and so we don't fill up on them during the fair... they are addicting It's always a battle of trying something new or to get the traditional favorites The fair is a great place to go with family, friends, or even alone!

Who doesn't love the state fair? Fun foods to try every year, the best people watching around, and no shortage of things to do.

Always a great time at the fair! We went for opening day and had a blast as always. Some of our highlights included playing Blue Ribbon bingo while viewing the world record holding blue ribbon on display, enjoying fried foods from corn dogs to cheese curds, enjoying new state fair beers like the mini donut beer from the ballpark cafe and the rhubarb shandy from the building by the lumberjack show! The crowd was heavy in the morning but slowed following the midafternoon rain which allowed to get a lot of food without too long of lines. The longest line we saw was for the pickle pizza which was worth the wait in our opinion. We ended our night with a bucket of Sweet Martha's cookies and a not too far walk back to our car. We are truly lucky as Minnesotans to have a state fair this beautiful and big! For anyone going for the first year, make sure to see the miracle of birth center, walk through the international bazar, catch the daily talent show, and try as many foods as you can!

So much food! This fair is a foodies dream and worth a trip at least once of your life. With the crowds they still kept up the grounds considering the size of this fair. Come early and hit all the popular spots or be prepared for lines! I can't judge the fair rides bc like I said I came to eat and I had a wonderful time doing so.

I mean... this really doesn't even need a review, but in case you were questioning going... you should!! The range and selection of food and drinks is unlike any other fair I've ever been to. They have even done a great job of working in vegetarian and gluten free options! Every year there is a new food list and it's so fun to find and try all the new additions. It is crowded, so if you're not into crowds the first few hours and last few hours of every day are much less intense.

I usually take the park and ride to the fair every year, the closer you are you don't have to pay but the further you are out from the fair you will have to pay. There are lots you can pay to park at if you don't want to take the bus and walk a block or so. Prices vary. I love getting the fried pickles, we usually go twice a year on a week day so we don't have to deal with as many people or wait too long in lines compared to on the weekends. First time trying the dill pickle lemonade this year from Nordic waffles and it was wonderful! It's awesome that there are tons of vendors with different types of food and new features every year. Minnesota has the second biggest state fair in the entire U.S, and I love that for us

As a Minnesotan I didn't realize how special our state fair was. I have been going since I was a kid and it is always so much fun! I love seeing all of the local businesses and restaurants come together.

This is the second largest state fair in the nation (Texas is first). I have lots of pictures and many fond memories of fairs past. The thing is, they cannot expand the grounds. The entry prices keep going up along with everything else. It is getting to be less about state and community and more about just packing people in and making money. So sad. Still, you can explore, meet new people and whoop it up, if you know where to go and what to do. Bring a good water bottle, some snacks, refill water wherever possible, find the restrooms, and keep an eye out for the bargains--they are there to find. My favorites are the cows, pigs, horses, and the Eco-building. Lots to explore. Get there early and make a day of it. Set a budget and stick to it. It is still a great experience, it just needs a little refining.

How do you review something so timeless. As a little one I came here frequently with my family and I would get so excited I would make myself sick! (Or so they say, I probably have issues with crowds or something). Anyway, I started volunteering in the vet med area in 2023 and I am so glad to be back - I actually kind of preferred walking around by myself! I am glad they've been getting more vegan options. I was there in 2019 to see Brandi Carlile and that was my first time Grand Standing it. Always so much to do and so little time!

Was in town from Virginia and couldn't pass up the opportunity to go to the State Fair. I only had a couple hours to enjoy it, but it was so much fun! Lots of delicious food options that made me wish I could have stayed longer, and so many cool exhibits like the creative arts and agricultural buildings as well as butter sculptures in progress. It's a bit crazy to get in since everyone is headed there, but so much fun!

By far the biggest and best state fair I've been to. Better than SC and CA by far. More fair food than you can eat and so many animal exhibits. My little one loved petting the horses, donkeys, goats, and rabbits. I

The place was a literal zoo of people on the first Sunday of the 2023 fair. I guess if you don't like waiting in line for things, you probably won't be too happy. Several new items I wanted I was unwilling to wait in huge lines. Your constantly dodging people and strollers and if you go the wrong direction walking, you might not get out alive. Most items were not that good, but the cinnamon rolls at Buni's and the pizza on a stick were the highlights for us.

I hadn't been to the fair since i was at least a teenager, so I was actually excited when a friend offered to take me. We walked so much I literally had to sit down a few times and according to my fitbit that day I had walked almost 15,000 steps! Parking took a while, but once we got in line, we whizzed right in. First stop was the restroom - get that outta the way immediately. My friend is an annual MN State Fair participant, so he knew his way around the fair, thank God! LOL 2nd stop was to get a beer for him and a frozen margarita for moi! We had lobster tail on stick, foot long hotdogs/polish, steak sandwiches, deep-fried strawberry shortcakes, Martha's cookies, played some games, Korean tacos, lots of frozen margaritas/beer. I can't believe it's taken me so long to return to the fair! I'll start going annually now.

I'm from Southern California and the closest fairs to me are LA County Fair and OC Fair. Those fairs are nothing compared to the Iowa State Fair I recently visited. I thought Iowa's was the best US state fair I've ever experienced. Weeks later I ended up on a trip to Minneapolis during Labor Day weekend and squeezed in Minnesota State Fair into my calendar. Wow was I mind blown by how top notch and awesome Minnesota State Fair is. I now truly believe Minnesota has THE BEST state fair in the country. I love all the variety of food you can get. While there are some vendors that have a couple outlets throughout the fair like Pronto Pup, there are unique vendors where I'd walk all over the fair seeking them like a treasure hunt. Even observing what people were eating and looking for those food items was fun. Some of the food items I tried were cheese curds, Minnesota's First Kiss apple cider and apple cider popsicle, corn from Corn Roast, Bridge 'N Barrel root beer, Pronto Pup, Fresh French Fries, and Sweet Martha's Cookies. Everything, and I really mean everything, was outstanding. If my trip wasn't so short I would've went for a second day to try even more food. Besides the food, the farm animal competitions were entertaining too especially for someone who isn't from the Midwest where these things are commonplace. Oh and the butter sculptures. I had to explain that butter sculptures are a thing to my colleagues and they were all intrigued. Parking was pretty easy if you go before 10am on the weekend to any of the fair's Park & Ride lots. Just a heads up that the Park & Ride lots that are on church properties are closed on Sunday mornings. I didn't know until I got there but luckily saw another bus shuttle driving on the street and followed it to another lot nearby where I ended up parking. Minnesota State Fair left a strong impression on me. I'm hoping I get to go again sometime in the future and bring more friends to try more food variety.

Each year we visit the mn state fair and stuffed ourselves from open to close. We always design our routes and maximize the food we could try within a day. What we usually do is to share each food items so we can eat more. We rarely try the same thing each year and always go for their new food items. We enjoy the gathering each year and will return again and again.

It's my favorite time of year - State Fair time! This year we went on a Tuesday night, and it was pretty easy to get around without huge crowds. We got just about everything I wanted to try, except Andy's was out of Caramel Apple Seltzer by 5pm. GOURMET FRIED PICKLES: Every year my first stop is the fried pickle stand, and I changed it up this year by getting them with the cream cheese in the middle! It was definitely worth the extra charge for the touch of cream cheese. CHEESE CURD TACOS: Honestly, was a little disappointed in these. I totally thought the fried shells were going to be crispy cheese, but they weren't. Overall, they were ok, but I didn't love the heavy bacon flavor in them. CLAWGARITA: Every year I end up with a beergarita, so this year I wanted to try the claw! It was good for about half the cup, then it got way too sweet and left me feeling almost a bit sick from it. I tried a friend's mojito beergarita and definitely recommend that over the claw. PICKLE PIZZA: Definitely worth waiting in line for to try - I loved the ranch/pickle flavor, it almost reminded me of a funky flatbread. This just fell short for us because the dough wasn't fully cooked so it was extra floppy and raw-tasting. S'MORES BEER: My favorite fun drink at the fair this year! I was expecting this to be a dark beer, but was pleasantly surprised when it wasn't. It's great and not too hoppy if you like lighter beer. My favorite part was the graham cracker crumb rim and beer soaked marshmallow. CHOCOLATE COVERED KEY LIME PIE: This is my yearly sweet treat at the fair and it never fails! It's frozen, so the key lime pie is almost like a cheesecake texture and the dark chocolate wraps it together. Was a little disappointed this year when they made them smaller! PRETZEL DOG WITH WHITE CHEDDAR: This was our favorite at the fair - and we weren't expecting it at all! It's a delicious all beef hot dog, wrapped in soft pretzel and doused in white cheddar. It was amazing and I wish I could have it again! SWEET MARTHAS: The usual chocolate chip cookie stop! A great way to top off the fair. Pro-tip: if you take your cookies home put them in the freezer immediately, they stay soft and cold.

This is a review to the Kickoff to Summer event in late May. I have attended this with family for the last couple of years. Tickets are usually purchased through a lottery, with the first group getting their first choice of dates. I've been in the third group a couple of times and not had an issue with getting the date I wanted. I wouldn't call it a mini-fair as there are only a few places opened, but it does provide for fun and entertainment. While there are bands and a few bands playing, we go to basically eat fair food for our dinner. This year "dinner" was fresh fries (always the first stop), cheese curds, Que Viet egg roll on a stick, nachos, and beer. I don't want to know the number of miles I need to run to wear off those calories. Be prepared to spend a lot of money. Nothing is cheap. Bring friends so you can share dishes and try more. Parking is free and close to the two entrances.

What a great day at the fair! Bring cash. About half the vendors accept credit card and the other half are cash-only. Parking was $20 and totally full by 10:30am. Food Australian Battered Potatoes $12.50. Very crunchy! But don't love the sauce and only ate half of it so I wouldn't totally fill up on potato. Poncho's Corn Dog $6. Such a great cornmeal batter! Pronto's Pup $6. A good corn dog, but not as good as poncho's. Corn on the Cob $4. Definitely the best thing at the fair. So hot, fresh, buttery, salty, peppery, charred goodness. Apple Freeze $2. I don't love apple cider, so probably makes sense that I didn't love the apple Freeze. First Kiss. It's $3 for an apple, but damn if it's not the best apple I've ever had. Chocolate Malt $8. Not the best chocolate malt I've ever had. High quality milk. Baba's Buffalo Chicken Hummus $13. Pretty good flavor! Activities The parade is great! The birthing area is super weird and cool Gotta check out the butter sculpture

My family and I moved from NYC and we are east coasters. This year was our first state fair experience of any kind. Holy heck! This was awesome. I came to find out that the MN state fair is one of the biggest in the country. I have never seen anything like this in my life. It was amazing. My whole family had a blast. I won't go on and on here, but parking wasn't too bad and although it was very busy, it never felt claustrophobic or crowded. It is also surprisingly neat and clean. We wandered around for hours, ate lots of food, and bought stuff from local vendors. I saw some cool stuff, like a cattle show, sort of like the Westminster dog show, but for cows. We just didn't have this stuff growing up in the northeast. This is just such a cool cultural experience. I am very much looking forward to coming back next year!

Can I give 6 stars? The fair is my favorite!! Vibes, people, quick (enough) service--what else could you ask for??

You know I couldn't miss going to the biggest state fair in the US right? This fair definitely lives up to its name! It is huggge and there are so many food and game choices! Definitely go to the barn section and pet all the animals! I got to pet a baby goat, lamb, and a pregnant cow. My friend and I also watched the draft horse hitch competition which was so cool! I've never seen anything like it before. Some must do's: get a bucket of sweet martha's cookies, eat fried cheese curds, go on the skyway, and watch a horse hitch competition!

***ADA/Handicap + Grandstand POV*** As a native Minnesotan, I attend the Minnesota State Fair every year. This year, I went twice since The Jonas Brothers were playing, and my family didn't want to go. LOL. Parking: The state fair has multiple Park & Ride locations around the Twin Cities. The only downside is the availability of parking spaces at these locations, which determines the time. You'll likely find parking at these Park & Ride early in the morning vs. afternoon/evening. This was my issue when I worked at one of the vendors at the fair. Otherwise, you could have a family member drop you off at these Park & Ride locations and pick you up from there later, which was what my mom did when I worked at the fair to avoid the fair's traffic and to get me where I need to be. But this year, I parked near the fairground for $30. The only downside was traffic, especially by Como Avenue, which is to be expected. ADA/Handicap: On the fair's website, you can RSVP a manual wheelchair for $25 or an electric scooter for $70 for the whole day. There was no security deposit or hold. They have multiple rental booths, but we went to one by gate #9 (Como Ave). You can also leave your crutches behind. From personal experience, I recommend an electric scooter. Due to pricing, we rented a manual wheelchair, which became a big mistake when I had to push my husband uphill, downhill, and get onto a sidewalk. It was an unpleasant experience between the hot high 90's weather, his weight, crowd, and fighting mother nature/man road construction was no fun. There are various ADA parking around the fair. It is on a first-come, first-served basis for $20 and with a valid handicap placard. I saw one by gate #9. This is also where you could drop off your handicapped person. Food: Everyone will have their opinion about the food at the state fair. Every year, I will get a Pronto Pup (corn dog on a stick) and Pickle Dog (a pastrami smothered with cream cheese rolled with a pickle), and Sweet Martha Cookies are always good. I recommend bringing a Ziploc bag because they will overfill the bucket or cup. There's an excellent vendor by the grandstand with roasted corn on the cob; the only downside is this vendor accepts cash only. German Root Bear was delicious - better than Barq, A&W, 1919, and Not Your Father's Root Beer. They also accept the state fair's cup. Most vendors will close around 9 p.m. You may not be able to visit some vendors after the concert. Grandstand: This year, I attended The Jonas Brothers concert. Getting in was simple: have your tickets ready so the staff can scan them. You can print your ticket from home in case of technology issues. Otherwise, they were able to scan the etix barcode from my phone. I got in with my drawstring bag, which had a Ziploc bag, hand sanitizer, a few napkins, a hat, sunglasses, and Excedrin/TUMS, state fair's cup with root beer in it - you know, state fair survival items. Haha. They will have security to direct you to your seats. The concert merch was worth the wait - same pricing as their official website. Like many concert/sports venues, they open cans or uncap bottles. The Jonas Brothers' concert had seats. From another experience when I went to Linkin Park, it was all-standing. I sat in the plaza and noticed that security was very strict. They will check your ticket every time, so make sure you bring it with you mid-concert if you need to get a drink or go to the restroom. The concert ended at 10:10 p.m. when fireworks went off. Tips: - Download the Minnesota State Fair app. It is not available in the iTunes store, but you can get a helpful interactive map of it if you go to their website on your phone. It will have an interactive map, which will be helpful when searching for certain vendors. - Bring a Ziploc or containers to store food like Sweet Martha's Cookies. 4 out of 5 stars due to having the Jonas Brothers modify their setlist and some popular food vendors close by 9 p.m. If time were not an issue, I would have visited Que Viet for egg roll on a stick and Mouse Trap Cheese Curds. On the day when I attended the grandstand, gate #9 exit only allow one person out at a time, so there was a long line to exit the fair. Gate #10 was not accessible at the time.

I've been to fairs in California, but nothing to this level! The fair was a factor in the timing of my trip to Minnesota, and though it was a little nerve wracking with Covid, we chose to go on their slowest day in past history, Monday. Parking was full by noon so we parked across the street but saw plenty of parking as we were walking in...looks like we missed the timing of them opening it up for others. My friend and I were one of very few wearing masks, but the fairgrounds was not super packed fortunately. Some stands only accepted cash which seemed a bit odd during these times. Pronto Pups was our first stop, and it was quite salty for my taste. Tried Millers' garlic cheese curds with a side of ranch and it was fried deliciousness. Fried pickles were a hit at the fair which my friend loved. Frozen grapes were a nice treat during the warm weather. Had some beer, checked out the vendors, and taking a ride up above to enjoy the clear blue skies. Ended with Blue Barn and did not care for the pieorgis but the service was really friendly. Plenty of restrooms, no lines and clean! Was a great experience and hope to visit again, mask less in the future!

First time in Minnesota and very happy we had an opportunity to go to the fair during the opening weekend! It was crowded but the place is huge and there was so much to do, so much to see, and so much to eat!! We ate as much cheese curds 5 adults can consume, amongst other things. One of our favorite foods came from the international bazaar at the Hmong station. Definitely would love to go again to try more food, like the cookies which we never got to try!

This year marked my 4th year to attend the Minnesota State Fair and I hope I'm lucky enough to have many more visits in the future. This fair is truly an epic experience. It is HUGE, the fairgrounds are 322 acres. My husband and I attended on Saturday and stayed for 10 hours and according to my watch walked 9.4 miles! There are so many things to do at this fair it would truly take visits over several days to experience them all. We love the Miracle of Birth Center, seeing all those babies is amazing! We also love to see all the other animals. A personal favorite of mine is the Fine Arts exhibition. The talent displayed is breathtaking. We like to take a break and sit watching one of the many free concerts and shows available all day long. I love to check out all the shopping booths located throughout the fairgrounds as well. Now the MAIN reason I love this fair so much is the food is second to none!! There are so many types of delicious foods offered, it is mind boggling! One of my very favorite things are the wild rice meatballs with lingonberry sauce at the Hamline Church Dining Hall, but I love sooooooo many things at this fair. We also take advantage of the park and ride option, it's so convenient!! Well done Minnesota, your state fair is absolutely amazing!!

What an experience. I had heard about the Minnesota State Fair for years after listening to Prairie Home Companion. I finally got a chance to go. The fair is massive. Even with pandemic restrictions this year, lots of people. With 300 acres of space, you need to do your research, plan your visit so you see what you want to see. Best time to go, on a weekday, early in the week preferred. No way you can do it all in a day. We concentrated on food -- junk food to be precise. The pronto pups -- nah. The beer yes. The roasted corn -- yes. The fried Walleye - no dried out. The duck wontons -- alright. Miracle of life center with the baby calves, lambs and pigs was interesting. The crafts barn was spectacular. The vegetable displays beautiful. The cakes, cookies and desserts so exceptional. The arranged flowers superb. So many creative and talented people in this world, especially those living in Minnesota. Did not get to the midway with all rides.