Aug. 25 – Labor Day, Sept. 5, 2022
97 Days 19 Hours 30 Mins
Welcome to the Great Minnesota Get-Together! We offer a variety of services so that our guests can make the most of their visit to the 12 best days of summer. This guide applies to the 2021 Minnesota State Fair, Aug. 26 through Labor Day, Sept. 6. (All information subject to change.)
HomeTown Mobility, an independent vendor, provides electric mobility scooters, strollers, wagons and wheelchairs for rent at five locations inside the main gates of the fairgrounds. Hours are 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. daily. Advance reservations are recommended; scroll down for details on how to make a reservation.
If renting on-site, equipment is available on a first-come basis and subject to availability. Cash, credit and debit cards are accepted.
Guests are welcome to bring their own electric scooters and wheelchairs. Please note that battery charging of personal mobility equipment is not available at HomeTown Mobility; please scroll down for alternate locations.
Note: Guests arriving via group charter buses will enter the fairgrounds at Gate #18 on Randall Avenue.
Check out a State Fair Map for rental locations
HomeTown Mobility is now accepting reservations for full-day rental of wheelchairs and electric mobility scooters. (Half-day rentals and wagon and stroller rentals must be made on-site.)
Reserve online, or call HomeTown Mobility’s home office at 877-928-5388 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. (During the fair, Aug. 26-Sept. 6, HomeTown’s office is also open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekends.)
Note: Reservations must be made 24 hours in advance. Cancellation must be made 48 hours in advance to receive a refund, less a $5 cancellation fee per rental unit. Reservations made by phone are subject to a $5 call-in fee; this fee does not apply to reservations made online.
Note: Reservations made by phone are subject to a $5 call-in fee.
If you need a regular electrical outlet plug-in for charging an electric mobility scooter battery, there are two options on the fairgrounds: Care & Assistance south of West End Market is open 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily (9 p.m. on Labor Day). Also, on the south side of the Grandstand outside between the entrance doors, outlets are designated with disability signs.
Parking spaces designated for vehicles with a valid disability parking certificate are available in the Camel, Robin and West and East Como lots on the State Fairgrounds on a first-come basis. Please note that these lots often fill up early each day, and there is no guarantee that space will be available. The cost is $16 per day (cash only).
Learn more about parking in fairgrounds lots
The State Fair provides a free Park & Ride lot with free wheelchair-accessible bus service exclusively for people with disabilities and their companions. The lot, open to those with disability parking certificates or disability license plates, is located south of the State Fairgrounds at Oscar Johnson Arena, 1039 De Courcy Circle, St. Paul, MN 55108. From Snelling Avenue, exit at Energy Park Drive; travel east past the Accord office building to the first left turn, and head to the north side of Oscar Johnson Arena. Parking is available on a first-come basis. Face coverings are required on all buses.
Buses run continuously 8 a.m. to midnight daily (11 p.m. on Labor Day). Passengers are dropped off and picked up at the Como Loop Gate #9.
The State Fair’s free Park & Ride service includes approximately 30 lots in the metro area located closer to the fairgrounds. A select number of lots are serviced by buses that are mostly wheelchair accessible. All other lots are serviced by a limited number of wheelchair-accessible buses. Face coverings are required on all buses. More information on which lots offer accessible buses
Metro Transit, along with Southwest Transit and Minnesota Valley Transit Authority, offers State Fair Express Bus service for a small fee from numerous locations with free parking throughout the metro area. All Express Bus service is wheelchair accessible. Face coverings are required on all buses. Learn more
Metro Mobility drops off and picks up passengers at two locations on the fairgrounds (check out a State Fair map):
Face coverings are required on Metro Mobility shuttles.
Learn more about designated drop-off and pick-up points
Metro Transit regular routes 960, 84, 61, 3 and the A Line serve the fairgrounds. All regular route service is wheelchair accessible. Face coverings are required on all buses. Learn more
Drivers wishing to drop off passengers and then leave the fairgrounds or continue to a parking area should do so either at the Como Loop Gate #9 (1741 Como Ave.) or outside the North End Gate #2 (1807 Hoyt Ave.). Charter buses drop off passengers at Gate #18. HomeTown Mobility booths that rent wheelchairs and electric scooters are located just inside each of these gates. Check out a State Fair map
During the fair, ASL interpreters are available to assist guests 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. If you would like ASL interpretation during your visit, please contact us by email at accessibility@mnstatefair.org, by phone at 651-288-4448, or stop by the Admin Too Building on Cosgrove Street, east of the Bandshell. (Advance arrangements are recommended. Requests for interpreter services will be accommodated based on interpreter availability.)
ASL interpretation is offered at these free shows each day, no reservations required.
MNHS Presents History On-A-Schtick
Located at the Schell’s Stage at Schilling Amphitheater
Daily at 10 a.m.
Raptor Displays and Flying Demonstration
Located at the DNR Garden Stage
Daily at 11 a.m. (no show Wednesday, Sept. 1)
The Raptor Center
Located at the DNR Volunteer Outdoor Stage
Wednesday, Sept. 1, 11 a.m.
Thank A Farmer
Located at the Christensen Farms Stage
Daily at 1 p.m.
All-Star Stunt Dogs Splash
Located at The North Woods Stage
Daily at 2 p.m.
Timberworks Lumberjack Show
Located at The North Woods Stage
Daily at 3 p.m.
Looking Inside the Hive
Located in the Agriculture Horticulture Building
Daily at 4:30 p.m.
ASL interpreting is also available upon request for evening Bandshell Tonight! shows at the Leinie Lodge Bandshell. Requests should be made at least 14 days prior to the concert. Contact accessibility@mnstatefair.org or 651-288-4448. Bandshell Tonight! shows are free with fair admission.
Please note: State Fair admission is not included in the purchase of Grandstand Concert Series tickets. Customers must purchase admission into the fairgrounds in addition to the Grandstand ticket.
There are several wheelchair seating locations in the Grandstand. These are available for purchase online, over the phone or in-person (see the “Buying Grandstand Tickets” link above). Ticket buyers who require wheelchair-accessible locations may purchase up to three companion seats for each wheelchair location, subject to availability.
Guests using wheelchairs may enter the Grandstand by way of the ramp at the west end of the Grandstand, the Grandstand Ramp from Carnes Avenue, or the elevators at the east and west ends of the Grandstand. For more information, call 651-288-4427.
ASL interpreting is available upon request for the Grandstand Concert Series. Requests must be made at least 14 days prior to the concert. To purchase Grandstand tickets and request an interpreter, please call Etix (800-514-3849) or the State Fair Ticket Office (651-288-4427), or purchase in-person at the State Fair Ticket Office.
Assistive listening devices are available free for use during Grandstand shows. Receivers and headsets are available from the guest services desk on the east side of the Grandstand Plaza. A valid driver’s license or state ID and a credit card are required for check-out. (The credit card will only be charged if the receiver and headset are not returned or are damaged.)
All entertainment venues, indoor and outdoor, have access for entry, exit and viewing. Special seating areas are available for guests with disabilities on a first-come basis.
This new take-a-break oasis is specially created for fair guests of all ages with sensory-processing challenges who may find the sights, sounds, smells and crowds of the fair overwhelming.
The Fraser take-a-break sensory space in the Fraser Sensory Building offers a calming atmosphere, support staff and private side entrance. Fraser-trained sensory support volunteers will help fair guests calm their sensory systems with tools and techniques – such as weighted blankets and shoulder wraps, calming music, floor cushions, an exercise ball and fidget toys – so they can rejoin the fun.
Front-of-building activities include games, giveaways, special guests, employment information and educational resources. Fraser, a nonprofit that has served Minnesotans for more than 85 years, is the premier provider and expert on services that intersect the needs of autism, mental health and diverse intellectual, emotional and physical needs.
Located on the west side of Cosgrove Street, south of the Home Improvement Building
Open daily, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. (8 p.m. on Labor Day)
Printable Tips for Visiting the Fair with Sensory Sensitivities
Below are tips to help you make the most of your day at the fair.
Before you come to the fair, please visit the Updates page of our website for the latest information on the 2021 State Fair.
Information subject to change.
Social narratives, also called pre-visit stories, provide a blueprint to explain new experiences and decrease the anxiety around unfamiliar or potentially overwhelming events.
This narrative, developed by Fraser, highlights in general the parts of the fair that might be the most challenging and explains that if individuals feel overwhelmed, they can take a break in the Fraser Sensory Building (more info above).
Read Fraser’s Minnesota State Fair social narrative to help you and your family or group prepare for the fair.
Service dogs are permitted on the fairgrounds. Service dogs are those that have been individually trained to do work or perform tasks for a person with a disability. Dogs whose sole function is to provide comfort or emotional support do not qualify as service animals under the Americans with Disabilities Act. Please note: During the 12 days of the Minnesota State Fair, pets are not allowed on the fairgrounds, with the exception of service dogs or animals approved as part of an exhibition.
Printable Mighty Midway & Kidway Accessibility Information
The Minnesota State Fair’s Mighty Midway and Kidway welcome you! Our first responsibility is to ensure that guests have a safe and enjoyable experience each time they visit. We encourage guests to take responsibility for choosing which amusement attractions are appropriate for them. Here is some helpful information:
Whenever a guest is required to be accompanied by a responsible companion, the accompanying person must be able to safely ride the ride and assist the guest. This includes helping the guest in boarding, de-boarding and passing through the attraction; assisting the guest to maintain postural control while riding; and assisting the guest down stairs, catwalks or ladders in case evacuation is necessary. Attraction operators are neither trained nor permitted to physically assist guests.
Guests should observe an attraction through at least one cycle of operation to become familiar with the motion and dynamic actions before choosing to ride.
Before entering a ride/attraction, all guests must:
Guests with service animals must have a companion stay with their animal while they are riding. Attraction operators cannot be responsible for the care and safety of service animals and still maintain proper control of their attraction.
Persons with conditions that could be aggravated by an attraction’s dynamic actions, such as bumping or jarring, are cautioned not to ride. Guests should use caution in choosing attractions if they are pregnant or have head, back, neck, stomach, heart, cardiovascular or respiratory conditions, degenerative bone disease, or other health issues.
Parents are responsible for deciding if an attraction is appropriate before placing a child on an amusement ride.
Rides and Attractions at the Minnesota State Fair
Dozens of food and beverage locations throughout the fairgrounds offer seating areas that are accessible by curb cuts and have hard, sturdy floor surfaces and tables that a guest can pull up to in a wheelchair or scooter or move a chair to make room for a wheelchair or scooter. Here is the published list in Access Press.
Large-print daily schedules and fairgrounds maps are available at any information booth.
accessibility@mnstatefair.org
651-288-4448
All information subject to change.
