|
Plan Your Trip to the 2016 Minnesota State Fair
|
|
| |
|
|
|
Are you ready? The 2016 Great Minnesota Get-Together begins in just one week. Use this list and the helpful links in this newsletter to make the most of your visit to the Minnesota State Fair. We look forward to seeing you here!
- Savor new foods
- Experience new attractions
- Save on tickets and rides & games
- Get deals on food and merchandise
- Find an easy way to get to the fair
- Scope out things to do and see
- Shop for specialty items and unique merchandise
- Catch some of the nonstop free entertainment
- Get guest service questions answered
- Take and share awesome photos
- Play fun games with friends and family
- End your fair day with a night at the Grandstand
|
This year, our State Fair staples are joined by more than 30 new foods and frozen treats - plus three new vendors making their State Fair debut - featuring distinctive palette pleasers such as candied bacon, beer batter, roasted bruschetta, Moroccan spices, edible chocolate rocks and more!
Check out the 2016 list of new foods and new vendors.
|
Unforgettable new traditions await! Dozens of attractions and exhibits make their State Fair debut in 2016, including the Hen House at the CHS Miracle of Birth Center, Recipe Card Roundup at the Creative Activities Building, National Park Service Centennial Day on Aug. 29, the Great Yoga Get-Together on Sept. 4, garden kaleidoscopes in the Agriculture Horticulture Building, and more.
|
 Unite in Purple
Join in a fair-wide celebration honoring Minnesota's own Prince on Friday, Aug. 26, from 5 p.m. to close. More info on
Unite in Purple.
|
Buy Early and Save!
Save before the fair begins! All you have to do is plan ahead a bit. Pre-fair discount
admission tickets, ride & game tickets and Blue Ribbon Bargain Books are available through next Wednesday, Aug. 24, at Cub locations, the State Fairgrounds Ticket Office and many locations in greater Minnesota and Hudson, Wis. (while supplies last).
Get pre-fair pricing and sales locations here.
|
 Eat. Shop. Ride. Save. Get Your Blue Ribbon Bargain Book!
The State Fair's little book of big savings is available now
for just $5!
- 150 coupons - the best deals at the fair
- on food, merchandise and attractions
- Every coupon is worth at least 30% off.
- Coupons valid all 12 days of the 2016
State Fair
- Use just one or two coupons and you'll
cover the price of the book!
- Get a preview of this year's coupon deals
Pick up your Bargain Book where pre-fair discount tickets are sold or during the fair at State FairWear Gift Shops and Bargain Book & State Fair
Poster Carts.
More tips on ways to save at the Minnesota State Fair.
|
The free Deals, Drawings and Giveaways Guide lists discount days, best values, free stuff, items for less than $1 and hidden bargains at the fair, including deals on food, beverages and merchandise. Pick one up at any State Fair information booth or download it now.
|
Save on the Way! Bus-It, Bike-It or Uber-It!
 Free parking with free shuttle bus service to and from the fair is available from 8 a.m to midnight daily at 33 free
Park & Ride locations within a short distance from the fairgrounds.
State Fair Express Bus Service is offered at more than 20 sites throughout the Twin Cities area. At these locations, you can park free, ride for $5 roundtrip to and from the fair, and get dropped off right at the gate. Through Aug. 24, discounted roundtrip Bus Bargain Tickets are available for $4.50 (children 4
and under are free).
Three free secured
bicycle parking lots are available on the fairgrounds and open from
6 a.m. to midnight.
State Fair parking lots are located around the perimeters of the fairgrounds and are filled on a first-come basis. (Please note that they often fill early in the day.) The cost is $13 cash only. (We no longer accept pre-fair discount tickets as payment for parking.) Check out this
map of State Fairgrounds parking lot locations and how to access them from area streets.
 Grab a free first Uber ride to or from the Great Minnesota Get-Together! Enter code MNSTATEFAIR16 when you sign up at t.uber.com/MNStateFair16 for up to $20 off your first ride. (New Uber users only.) Information on drop-off and pick-up spots.
|
Tools to Help You Scope Out Things to See and Do
How will you fill your fair day? The choices are endless! Use these tools to help you find entertainment, demonstrations, exhibits and more:
 Minnesota State Fair App
Our free app features our famous Food Finder, Fun Finder and Merch Search tools to help you find your favorites at The Great Minnesota Get-Together. Use the
"Star" feature to mark those stops you don't want to miss. Useful app hint: When you're on the fairgrounds, the Food Finder and Merch Search will give you the option to display vendor search results in two ways - Toggle between proximity-based results OR alphabetically listed results simply by touching the Food Finder (fork & knife) or Merch Search (shopping bag) icons at the bottom of your screen again. The
Minnesota State Fair App is available now at the
App Store or
Google Play store.
Fair Finders
Our online, searchable tools include details on anything and everything to do, see and eat at the fair!
- Food Finder: Search for new foods and vendors, foods on-a-stick, specialty beers, breakfast foods, bargains and all your favorites. Plus see menu items, vendor locations and booth photos.
- Fun Finder: Search for entertainment, demonstrations, competitions and exhibits by day, location or key words. Plus get event descriptions and location information. Create your own personal fair planner by using the "My Fair" checkbox feature.
- Merch & More Search: Find any type of merchandise sold on the fairgrounds using keywords, phrases or categories. Plus, see merchandise lists, booth location information and vendors participating in special day deals and discounts.
Daily Schedules
These printed daily schedules list the when and where details for hundreds of activities happening each day of the fair. Take a look now or pick one up at any information booth at the fair.
Brochure Rack
Whether you're looking for a brochure on accessibility, the State Fair gardens, art & sculptures on the grounds, the History Walking Tour, new foods, The Dirt demonstrations,
the detailed Horse Show schedule and more, the
brochure rack is a collection of interesting, useful, informative pieces to help you make the most of your fair day!
|
This year's
free entertainment lineup features more than 900 shows - all free with the price of your admission ticket. It's 12 days and nights of entertainment everywhere, making the State Fair Minnesota's largest music festival!
|
Unparalleled Shopping at Hundreds of Vendors
Whether you make an annual pilgrimage to the vendor who sells exclusively at the State Fair or you find the perfect gift at a booth you've never visited before, our
shopping options are unparalleled. Discover artisan creations, locally made wares, gadgets, upcycled home décor, foodie fun, hobby gear and more at nearly 1,000 unique boutiques and merchants. Great places to shop include: West End Market, International Bazaar, Grandstand, Warner Coliseum, Merchandise Mart, Creative Activities Annex, Dairy Building, Family Fair, the Pet Center and
throughout the grounds.
|
Answers to Your Guest Service Questions A to Z
Whether you have questions about cell phone charging, electric scooter rental, lost & found, seeing the mascots and more, find answers in our A to Z
Visitor Guide or email us at
[email protected]. When you're here at the fair, just stop by an information booth and ASK! The information booths also have free daily schedules, maps, accessibility guides and other specialty brochures.
|
 S Marks the Spot for Designated Smoking
Look for the
S on our
State Fair map, designating our smoking areas. For the comfort and safety of all, these designated smoking areas have been established at convenient locations throughout the fairgrounds and include a bench and a receptacle to safely deposit spent cigarettes. Smoking (including use of electronic cigarettes) is permitted only in these areas. Stop by an information booth for a
State Fair map or look
online.
|
A Reminder About Bag Checks
The Minnesota State Fair's comprehensive security program will be expanded for 2016 to include bag checks at all entry gates. Prohibited items include weapons, fireworks, alcoholic beverages and drones.
|
 Taking the Best Selfies at the Fair Just
Got Easier!
We've selected five iconic fairgrounds spots and marked them with a Selfie Spot badge on the ground. Stand on the badges to snap fabulous State Fair photo memories.
Check out this Selfie Spot map, or stop by an information booth for exact locations.
|
Capture the Fair in Photos and Share Them With Us
|
|
|
Thanks to Kat B for sharing this photo taken in the CHS Miracle of Birth Center.
|
We've launched a Flickr Group Pool - "
Minnesota State Fair Photo Community" - and invite you to share your most stellar photos of the fair. (Group members will need to have a Flickr account to upload photos to the pool.) We can't wait to see how you've visually captured the incomparable spirit of our Great Minnesota Get-Together!
|
 Fair-Time Fun & Games
Try something new! Play fair-time bingo or go on a scavenger hunt with your friends and family. We've created fun games that you can download and print! Visit our
Group Hospitality webpage (even if you're a group of 2!) for links to games, trivia, best bets, and History Walking Tour, art & sculpture and State Fair gardens brochures.
|
This year's Grandstand Concert Series is home to 11 nights of big-name entertainment - from Don Henley, Charlie Wilson and G-Eazy to Alabama, Garrison Keillor, Weezer and Bonnie Raitt. With so much variety, there's a show for everyone and every musical taste. Get the complete
2016 Grandstand Concert Series
Lineup and ticket details here. A perfect way to end a perfect day at the fair!
|
Maps of the Fairgrounds & Directions to the Fair
|
2016 Commemorative Art by mosaic artist Michael Sweere
|
See our story unfold on Snapchat and use exclusive geofilters!
|
Follow us on Twitter @mnstatefair for up-to-date info.
|
|
Get Ready!
The 2016 Great Minnesota Get-Together runs
|
|
| |
|
