Issue: 65 | June 10, 2025 | | With 900 shows and more than 100 acts during the 12 days & nights of the Minnesota State Fair, there is fun for the whole family to be found! Check out the full free entertainment lineup and start planning your visit today. | | |
Thank You for Joining Us at Kickoff to Summer at the Fair!
Thousands of enthusiastic fair fans welcomed summer during our fifth annual Kickoff to Summer at the Fair event, May 22-25! The weather couldn't have been better, leading to sell-outs on Saturday and Sunday for this limited-attendance slice-of-the-fair get-together. From deep-fried ranch to puzzle hunts and elote to live music, there was food and fun around every corner. Check out our Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and X accounts for fun videos and photos from the weekend.
Thank you to our sponsors for their support!
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Nearly 400 Free Life Jackets Distributed During Kickoff to Summer!
Abbey’s Hope, a nonprofit dedicated to creating safer pools and safer kids, was on-site during Kickoff to Summer at the Fair educating guests about water safety as a part of the Minnesota State Fair’s Community Gives Together efforts. 374 life jackets were distributed to kids and adults and more than 4,000 guests learned how to keep everyone water-safe this summer. Learn more about Abbey’s Hope.
In addition, 534 guests were trained in hands-only CPR and AED use throughout the event. Visit our Community Gives Together webpage to learn more about past projects.
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Little Book. Big Savings. On Sale Now!
This year’s State Fair Blue Ribbon Bargain Book features:
- 100 coupons - the best deals at the fair - on food, merchandise and attractions.
- Every coupon for food or merchandise is worth at least 30% off.
- Coupons valid all 12 days of the 2025 State Fair.
- Use just one or two coupons and you'll cover the $5 price of the book!
Blue Ribbon Bargain Books, sponsored by Minnesota Lottery, are available wherever pre-fair tickets are sold:
At the fair, buy Blue Ribbon Bargain Books at State FairWear Gift Shops and Bargain Book Carts. Proceeds from books sold at the fair support the mission of the Minnesota State Fair Foundation.
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The Fair Documentary to Highlight the Great Minnesota Get-Together
Ever wondered what it’s like to try and capture everything you love about the Great Minnesota Get-Together – the energy, the spirit, the only-at-the-fair moments – in one film? Over the past 2½ years and counting, a crew led by local filmmaker Alec Fischer has been doing just that. Want a sneak peek? Fischr Media has released an exclusive extended trailer as a preview of their independent feature documentary, “The Fair.” The preview is available to watch via the film’s official Instagram account @thefairdocumentary or through The Fair Documentary’s website until July 1. Alec and team will be back to film more at the 2025 State Fair – keep an eye out for their cameras as they capture more hidden gems and fair magic!
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2025 Arts A’Fair Performers Announced!
Arts A’Fair at the Minnesota State Fair strives to showcase the best of the vibrant and varied performing arts community throughout the state and aims to present a wide and exemplary range of genres, cultures, ages and expertise. Through a competitive application process, each year local community groups are selected to present short pop-up performances in select locations on the fairgrounds.
We’re excited to welcome this year’s performers:
- Ballet Co.Laboratory (NEW in 2025!)
- CAAM Chinese Dance Theater
- Collide Theatrical Dance Company
- Colombia Live
- Eureka Aerial (NEW in 2025!)
- Jawaahir Dance Company (NEW in 2025!)
- Keane Sense of Rhythm
- Mexica Yolotl
- Minnesota Ballet Collective (NEW in 2025!)
- Open Eye Theater
- Ragamala Training Center Student Ensemble
- Rhythmically Speaking
- Shakespeare & Company
- South Asian Arts & Theater House
- The Gilbert & Sullivan Very Light Opera Company
- The State Fair Fitness Fanatics - Comedy Show!
- Twin Cities Trapeze
- Zorongo Flamenco Dance Theatre
Visit the Arts A’Fair webpage to learn more.
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Upgrades Across the Fairgrounds Underway!
Improvements across the fairgrounds continue after $20.1 million in capital and maintenance work was approved by the State Fair’s board of managers during the 166th annual meeting of the Minnesota State Agricultural Society earlier this year.
Projects currently underway include the first phase of major renovation work on the Lee & Rose Warner Coliseum, new sidewalks near CHS Miracle of Birth Center and DNR Park (see above), construction of a Friends of the Fair Pavilion outside the J.V. Bailey House, reconfiguration of the North End Gate #2 and more. Stay tuned for further updates as we get closer to the 2025 Great Minnesota Get-Together!
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Connecting Youth, Farms and Food Through Urban Ag Day
The Minnesota State Fair, Minnesota FFA and local agriculture commodity groups welcomed more than 1,300 Minneapolis and Saint Paul third-graders to connect food back to farms during Urban Ag Day 2025. This field trip to the State Fairgrounds taught young students that food does not come from the grocery store or refrigerator, but from farmers and their fields.
The day featured an up-close look at live animals, including swine, beef and dairy cattle, turkeys and goats, plus hands-on learning stations, each with a unique take-away:
- Feed the Cows (what cows eat and how their diet is similar to the human diet)
- Ready, Set, Grow! (growing food in your own garden)
- Busy Bees (a lesson on the importance of pollinators)
- Farm to Fork (how beef becomes lunch)
- The Amazing Soybean (the versatile crop and what it’s used for)
Thank you to the partners who joined the Minnesota State Fair in presenting Urban Ag Day 2025: Academy for Agriculture & Science FFA; AgCentric; Ag Country Farm Credit Services; Blue Earth FFA; CHS; Culver’s; Como Park FFA; Dassel-Cokato FFA & FFA Alumni; Glencoe-Silver Lake FFA; Hancock FFA; Highland Park FFA; Hormel; Lake City FFA; Land O’Lakes; Melrose FFA; Midwest Dairy Association; Minnesota Ag in the Classroom; Minnesota Beef Council; Minnesota Foundation for Agriculture; Minnesota State Fair Foundation; Minnesota Turkey Growers Association; Morris Area FFA; Rockford FFA; School of Environmental Studies in partnership with the Minnesota Zoo; Stevens County FFA Alumni; Tracy Area FFA; University of Minnesota - College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences; United States Department of Agriculture – Natural Resources Conservation Service; West Central Area FFA; and West Central Cattlemen’s Association
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Midway and Kidway Fun Cards Now On Sale!
A Fun Card is your pass to all the excitement Mighty Midway and Kidway have to offer. These paperless tickets can be used for carnival rides and games, and purchasing advance discount tickets helps you save!
Fun Cards with advance discount tickets are available wherever pre-fair tickets are sold:
After purchasing tickets on a Fun Card, we encourage you to register your Fun Card online. Registration links your name and contact information to the card so you can view your balance and transaction history and receive quicker customer service if you experience any issues. (Please note that while your card can be used in future years, all unused tickets from previous years will no longer be valid.)
Save even more at Mighty Midway and Kidway with the purchase of a Blue Ribbon Bargain Book!
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BELLE Grant Recipients Announced!
Committed to showcasing our state’s finest agriculture and recognizing the importance of cultivating youth experiences in the livestock industry, the Minnesota State Fair is proud to announce recipients of the 2025 Beginning Exhibitor Livestock Learning Experience (BELLE) Grants. Since 2021, funding from the Minnesota State Fair Foundation has supported grants awarded to youth livestock exhibitors who commit to participating in the Minnesota State Fair for the first time in 2025. Large-animal exhibitors will receive $500 and small-animal exhibitors will receive $250 each to help offset feed, animal care, transportation, supplies, lodging and other costs of exhibiting livestock at the Minnesota State Fair. Participants will also be paired with a peer-to-peer mentor to help guide them through their experience.
Congratulations to these Minnesota youth who were selected to receive BELLE Grants:
- Macy Albers of Dundas, Minn. (Dairy Cattle)
- Lauren Berning of Otsego, Minn. (Dairy Cattle)
- Brooke Betcher of Mazeppa, Minn. (Goats)
- Reagan Dee of Farmington, Minn. (Sheep)
- Abby Dicke of Goodhue, Minn. (Swine)
- Gavin Ebnet of Albany, Minn. (Beef Cattle)
- Daphne Frericks of Melrose, Minn. (Dairy Cattle)
- Vivian Lutgen of Avon, Minn. (Dairy Cattle)
- Caleb Miller of Osakis, Minn. (Dairy Cattle)
- Raelyn Paulsen of West Concord, Minn. (Llamas)
- Ella Roehl of Milaca, Minn. (Sheep)
- Aiden Schroeder of Courtland, Minn. (Dairy Cattle)
- Elena Sheehan of Rochester, Minn. (Dairy Cattle)
- Wyatt Wagner of Vermillion, Minn. (Sheep)
- Shaina Ylinen of Northfield, Minn. (Goats)
Learn more about the BELLE Grant on our website.
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Join the Minnesota State Fair Team!
We're searching for the perfect candidates to join our team! Several positions are now available including:
- Campground Lead (summer employment)
- Christensen Pavilion & Cattle Barn Building Superintendent (summer employment)
- Livestock Facilities Assistant (summer employment)
- North End & Pet Center Superintendent (fair-time)
- Ticket Office Intern (summer employment)
You can view all opportunities at the career portal, or get hiring news in your inbox by signing up for our employment email list.
Starting June 23, if you're interested in working the 12 days of the fair, visit our employment web page to register for an employment center appointment. The employment center will also open on June 23!
If you have questions about Minnesota State Fair employment, visit our employment webpage. Or feel free to contact us at employment@mnstatefair.org or 651-288-4475.
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Show Off Your Talents During Minnesota State Fair Amateur Talent Contest Auditions!
The ever-popular Minnesota State Fair Amateur Talent Contest, sponsored by Chase, is searching for dancers, singers, actors, jugglers, poets, beatboxers, pizza throwers, guitar players, yo-yo-ers and more to audition for this year’s show! Auditions will be held at the fairgrounds on July 21-27. If selected, semifinalists will perform at the Bandshell during the fair. Then, finalists will compete at the Grandstand on Aug. 31 for more than $20,000 in cash awards.
If you or anyone you know has been perfecting a talent, register for auditions by 4 p.m. July 23. Everyone who auditions receives a commemorative Amateur Talent Contest T-shirt.
If your talent is being part of a supportive audience, stop by the Bandshell during auditions to cheer on the performers – it’s free to watch and a fun way to spend time outdoors on a summer day. Auditions start at 5:30 p.m. weekdays and at 11 a.m. Saturday and Sunday.
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Tickets on sale now online at Etix or by calling 800-514-3849.
Stay tuned for the last show to be announced as part of the 2025 Grandstand Concert Series!
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Become an Official Friend of the Fair!
The Minnesota State Fair Foundation invites you to become an official 2025 Friend of the Fair! Not only does being a Friend of the Fair show your support for the Minnesota State Fair, it also comes with great perks. The deadline to become a Friend of the Fair for this year is approaching quickly! Sign up before July 31 to receive a variety of benefits through the Foundation. Membership levels start at $25 per year. Be sure to renew or sign up for your membership today to be ready for the fair! More information about the Friends of the Fair program can be found on the Foundation's website.
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Outstanding Young Adults to be Recognized with Minnesota State Fair Scholarships
Invested in the education endeavors of young adults from greater Minnesota, the Minnesota State Fair established the Minnesota State Fair Scholarship program in 1994. This year, up to 22 scholarships of $1,000 each will recognize outstanding youth from greater Minnesota or those enrolled in an agriculture program in 2024-25; these scholarships are available for students entering any field of study. Two $2,000 scholarships will also be awarded to persons of any age entering a skilled trade career or furthering their training.
Since its inception, more than $600,000 has been awarded. All Minnesota State Fair Scholarships are funded through donations to the Minnesota State Fair Foundation. The application deadline is July 14. Learn more.
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Register Today for Minnesota State Fair Competitions!
We have a competition for almost everything and everybody! Entering is free, and online registration is open now. Learn more about the variety of categories, rules for entering, judging criteria, registration and drop-off processes by clicking the links below to get more information. Or, take a look at the premium books online and contact our competition department with your questions - reach us at competition@mnstatefair.org or 651-288-4417.
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Ag-Hort-Bee: Bee & Honey; Christmas Trees; Crop Art & Scarecrow; Farm Crops; Flowers; Fruit & Wine; Vegetable & Potato
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Creative Activities: Baked Products; Canned & Preserved Foods; Collections; Garment Making; Handcrafts; Needlecraft; Work of Senior Citizens
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Fine Arts: Painting/Mixed Media; Sculpture; Watercolor/Gouache/Casein/Tempura; Drawing/Pastel; Prints; Ceramics/Glass; Textiles/Fiber; Photography
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K-12: Drawings; Paintings; Sewing; Jewelry; Reports; Creative Writing; Architectural Working Drawings; Photography; Welding; Robots; CO2 Cars; Supermileage
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Coming to the Fairgrounds
MSRA Back to the 50's Weekend: The 51st Annual Back to the 50's Weekend will feature over 10,000 street rods and custom cars along with commercial vendors, swappers, crafters, entertainment and much more from June 20-22!
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Other Upcoming Events
June
14-15: Minnesota Autosports Club Autocross MOWOG Series at the West Blue Lot
20-22: MSRA Back to the 50's Weekend at the State Fairgrounds
28-29: Minnesota Autosports Club Autocross MOWOG Series at the West Blue Lot
July
12: Inbound Brew Co. Book Fair for Grown Ups in the Education Building
12: Minnesota Antiquarian Book Fair at the North End Event Center
12-13: Minnesota Autosports Club Autocross MOWOG Series at the West Blue Lot
18-20: Street Machine Nationals at the State Fairgrounds
Check out our State Fairgrounds Event Calendar for event details and updates. Information subject to change.
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Watch This Website Page for Updates
Need a go-to source for important fair news? Visit the Updates page on our website as the starting point to find announcements. This page will be updated as needed. Check back throughout the summer and during the Great Minnesota Get-Together!
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