Issue: 69 | March 31, 2026 | | |
Join us for Kickoff to Summer at the Fair!
Kickoff to Summer at the Fair returns May 21-24, 2026, with more food, shopping and activities than ever before! Join us to get a taste of your favorite fair foods, listen to live music, take in the new-to-Kickoff Hunter & Jumper Horse Show and Second Glance Crop Art Exhibit, visit specialty shopping vendors, spin to win & more! This slice-of-the-fair event is the perfect way to welcome in summer and soak up your fair favorites. Kickoff to Summer includes:
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Food and brews at more than 40 vendors, including Aldo's Burgers, Amish Annie Donuts, Little Prairie Coffee, Mami Churros & Creamery and Sabino's Pizza Pies, who are joining Kickoff to Summer for the first time! Check out the full list.
- The Hunter & Jumper Horse Show in the newly renovated Lee & Rose Warner Coliseum – free with Kickoff admission!
- Shopping at nearly 50 specialty Minnesota merchants.
- Three stages with non-stop music and entertainment! Check out ABBASolutely Fab - Tribute Band on Thursday night and Hot Pastrami! on Friday night, plus more entertainment all weekend long.
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Fun activities for all, including Second Glance Crop Art Exhibit, Giant Slide rides, history tours, Read to a Breed (Saturday and Sunday only), blood typing and donating, Trivia Mafia, puzzle hunts, yard games and more. Check out the full list!
- Spin-to-Win Prizes: On Thursday and Friday only, try your luck at a free spin-to-win prize wheel for a chance at fair admission tickets and entries into grand prize drawings for tickets to a 2026 Grandstand concert of your choice, on-site State Fair parking passes, personalized tile on the Welcome Wall and more!
- Free parking!
- And so much more!
To make this an extra-special experience, attendance is limited per day and some days may sell out.
- Thursday, May 21: 4-9 p.m.
- Friday, May 22: 4-9 p.m.
- Saturday, May 23: 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
- Sunday, May 24: 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
SAVE $3 on Tickets When You Buy in Advance!
Advance discount tickets go on sale Friday, April 3, at 10 a.m., and are $14 each (fees and tax included) through May 20. Children 4 and under are free. Tickets purchased online and at the gate May 21-24 will be $17 each (via QR code, credit/debit only; fees and tax included). To buy your tickets in advance and save $3, visit Etix.
Back by popular demand, we're once again offering a Weekday Ticket Bundle Deal! Buy four advance discount Kickoff to Summer tickets through May 20, for either Thursday or Friday, and receive one free 2026 State Fair admission ticket!
Sign Up to Win!
Winners, randomly selected from ticket buyers who opt in to enter at the time of purchase, will receive amazing door prizes, sponsored by Human Touch.
For all the fun event details, visit our Kickoff to Summer web page.
Kickoff to Summer Is Proudly Sponsored By
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Arts A’Fair Program Seeking Pop-Up Performers
We’re on the hunt for new talent to showcase as part of the Minnesota State Fair’s popular Arts A’Fair program! Arts A’Fair has highlighted everything from poetry to trapeze and live theater to flamenco dance. If you are interested in presenting short pop-up showcases in select locations on the fairgrounds with your Minnesota arts organization, apply today!
For more information about Arts A’Fair and how to submit a proposal to perform, visit our website and learn how to become an entertainer. Proposals are due April 10, 2026.
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69 Minnesota Family Farms Honored as Century Farms
The Minnesota State Fair and the Minnesota Farm Bureau are proud to honor 69 Minnesota family farms with the distinction of being named a Century Farm. Farms must be 50 acres or more and currently involved in agricultural production to be eligible for this recognition. Since the Century Farm program began in 1976, more than 11,000 Minnesota farms have been recognized for continuous family ownership of at least 100 years.
Congratulations to you all – and thank you for everything you do as part of our state’s vital agriculture economy!
More Program Information and Complete List of 2026 Century Farms
Information on all Century Farms will be available at the Minnesota Farm Bureau exhibit during the 2026 Minnesota State Fair. A database of all Minnesota Century Farms is also available at fbmn.org.
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Join the Seasonal State Fair Team!
Looking to spend your summer assisting with maintenance of the fairgrounds, helping hire the State Fair team or supporting State Fair concessionaires and exhibitors? Look no further! We’re seeking candidates to join our seasonal staff and help plan the 12 best days of the summer. Seasonal positions available include:
- Employment Office Coordinator
- Grounds & Facilities Assistant
- Recruiting Intern
- Sales Office Assistant
To learn more about these opportunities, and see what other positions are available, visit the career portal. Or feel free to contact us at employment@mnstatefair.org or 651-288-4475.
Fair-Time Employment News
If you're interested in working the 12 days of the fair, look for registration information on our employment web page later this summer. Get hiring news in your inbox by signing up for our employment email list.
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Lee & Rose Warner Coliseum Renovations Nearly Complete!
Renovations on the Lee & Rose Warner Coliseum are quickly wrapping up as we prepare to welcome guests back to the historic building this spring. When events begin, attendees will see updated lighting, fully renovated restrooms, accessible family restrooms with adult-size changing tables, new seating, safety handrails, fresh paint and more. Watch an in-depth video to learn more about the Warner Coliseum renovation here.
Looking for a way to leave your mark on the updated Warner Coliseum and to support the fair? Now’s your chance! Engraved, personalized metal plates can be placed on a seat in the arena with a contribution of $800 to the Minnesota State Fair Foundation. Donations go directly to supporting the renovations and ensuring that the Warner Coliseum continues to be the home of memories for generations to come. To ensure plate placement by the 2026 State Fair, information must be received by April 30, 2026.
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The Business Behind the State Fair
The Minnesota State Fair may only be 12 days of summer, but the work that goes into producing one of America's largest State Fairs takes all year.
Click play on the video above to take a detailed behind the scenes look at the year-round business that is the Great Minnesota Get-Together.
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Spring Gift-Giving Made Easy!
On the hunt for an easy springtime surprise, a Mother’s Day gift or birthday present? Give a day of endless fun at the Great Minnesota Get-Together! 2026 fair admission tickets are on sale now at the pre-fair discount price of just $17! Choose the free print-at-home/mobile download delivery option for a quick and easy gift. (Please note that fair admission is not included with Grandstand concert tickets, and separate fair admission tickets are required.) Here is a free print-at-home greeting card to accompany your gift!
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Registration for State Fair Competitions Opens May 4!
Creativity is around every corner at the Minnesota State Fair and we want YOU to be a part of it! There are dozens and dozens of opportunities to showcase your talents in Ag-Hort-Bee (click play on the video above to learn what inspires one of our scarecrow exhibitors!), Creative Activities, Fine Arts and K-12 categories – and entry registration begins May 4.
Check our website for detailed competition information in the coming weeks, and get ready to put your best to the blue ribbon test!
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Coming to the Fairgrounds
The Minnesota Horticultural Society’s Spring Garden Gala (pictured above) takes place this year on Saturday, April 25, at the North End Event Center. Join fellow northern gardeners in your best garden party attire and help raise funds to support programs like Garden-in-a-Box, which provides garden kits to local organizations. Attendees will take part in a luncheon, live and silent auctions and a 2026 plant preview. Learn more.
April
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11 & 18: You Make the Difference Tour in the History & Heritage Center
- 12: Cold Blooded Expos Reptile Show in the North End Event Center
- 18: MHAHA Spring Horse Show in Compeer Arena
- 18: Twin Cities True Vintage Show – Spring in the North End Event Center
- 18-19: Rewind: Book Fair for Grown-ups in the Grandstand
- 18-19: Antique Spectacular Show – Spring in the Education Building
- 24-26: Minnesota Horse Expo in the Lee & Rose Warner Coliseum
- 25: Minnesota Horticultural Society’s Spring Garden Gala in the North End Event Center
May
- 1-3: Sahara Sands Spring Classic in the Lee & Rose Warner Coliseum
- 2: Animal Humane Society Walk for Animals at the International Bazaar
- 3: Spring Extravaganza Car Show & Swap Meet at the State Fairgrounds
- 3: Northland Vintage Toy, Train, Advertising & Pop Culture Show in the Progress Center
- 7-10: FASH Spring Horse Show in the Lee & Rose Warner Coliseum
- 8-10: Friends School Plant Sale in the Grandstand
- 9: Model Railroad Show & Sale in the Education Building
- 16-17: MAC Autocross MOWOG Series at the State Fairgrounds
- 17: Riders & Ribbons Horse Show in Compeer Arena
- 21-24: Kickoff to Summer at the Fair at the State Fairgrounds
- 30: Girls on the Run 5K at the State Fairgrounds
- 31: GMCCA Car Show & Swap Meet at the State Fairgrounds
June
- 6: Minnesota Comic Book Association SpringCon in the Education Building
- 6-7: MAC Autocross MOWOG Series at the State Fairgrounds
- 7: Cold Blooded Expos Reptile Show in the North End Event Center
- 9-13: Region 10 AHA Championship Show in the Lee & Rose Warner Coliseum
- 12-13: Viking Motorcycle Show in the Progress Center
- 13-14: MAC Autocross MOWOG Series at the State Fairgrounds
- 19-21: MSRA Back to the 50’s at the State Fairgrounds
- 24: Tanbark Cavalcade of Roses Horse Show in the Lee & Rose Warner Coliseum
- 26-28: International Gem & Jewelry Show in the Progress Center
- 27: Minnesota Antiquarian Book Fair in the North End Event Center
- 27-28: MAC Autocross MOWOG Series at the State Fairgrounds
Check out our State Fairgrounds Event Calendar for event details and updates. Information subject to change.
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Mark your calendars and join us for taste-of-the-fair fun at Kickoff to Summer at the Fair, May 21-24! Grab your advance discount tickets for $14 starting Friday, April 3, at 10 a.m., and help us welcome summer in style.
| | The Minnesota State Fair is financially self-supporting and does not receive government funding. Revenue from ticket sales, percentages and fees paid by vendors, facility rental, sponsorships and other sources brings the fair to life - powering memorable experiences, world-class operations, and exceptional care of the historic fairgrounds. | | | | |
