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Aug. 21 – Labor Day, Sept. 1, 2025

309 Days 6 Hours 56 Mins

Kids Guide

Visiting with Young Children

Use these tips to plan your visit with young fair fans. (All information subject to change.)

Ways to Save

Admission

Children 4 and under are always free – every day!

Admission for kids ages 5-12 is discounted on these days when you purchase tickets at the gate:

  • Opening Day, Aug. 22
  • Military Appreciation Day, Tuesday, Aug. 27 (discount for active military, their spouses and kids)
  • Kids Day, Wednesday, Aug. 28
  • Kids Day, Labor Day, Monday, Sept. 2

Ticket Deals & Discounts

Rides & Games

Rides & games at Kidway and Mighty Midway are discounted for everyone on:

  • Thursday, Aug. 22 (all day)
  • Friday, Aug. 23 (until 1 p.m.)
  • Monday, Aug. 26 (until 1 p.m.)
  • Tuesday, Aug. 27 (all day)
  • Wednesday, Aug. 28 (all day)
  • Thursday, Aug. 29 (until 1 p.m.)
  • Friday, Aug. 30 (until 1 p.m.)
  • Monday, Sept. 2 (all day)

Ride & Game Tickets

Blue Ribbon Bargain Book

Save big on food, merchandise and things to do with this book of 100 coupons valid all 12 days of the fair. Popular deals for young children include discounts on ride & game tickets, merchandise and kid-friendly food & beverages. The Blue Ribbon Bargain Book is just $5.

Guest Services

ID Wristbands

To help reunite lost children with their adults, pick up a free ID wristband when you arrive at the fairgrounds at any information booth or at Care & Assistance (fairgrounds map).

Tip: Take a photo of the young ones when you arrive at the fair, so you’ll have a readily available picture showing what they look like and what they’re wearing at the fair.

Strollers & Wagons

Collapsible strollers are permitted on buses servicing free Park & Ride lots and State Fair Express Bus locations. Get Here info

Strollers and wagons are available for rent at the fairgrounds from HomeTown Mobility locations near five entrance gates. Rental info

Breastfeeding Facilities

Breastfeeding facilities are located at:

  • Care & Assistance, located on West Dan Patch Avenue south of West End Market and north of Mighty Midway. Private and semi-private rooms are available on a first-come basis. Care & Assistance is open 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily (8 p.m. Labor Day).
  • myTalk 107.1, located on the west side of Underwood Street between Randall and Wright avenues.
  • TPT | Twin Cities PBS, located on the west side of Underwood Street at the intersection of Lee Avenue.
  • KaiBi Mobile Family Care Center, located on the west side of Underwood Street between Carnes & Judson avenues

All breastfeeding facilities provide electricity. Fairgrounds map

Food & Drink

Fair guests are welcome to bring their own water bottles, as well as outside food and drink. No alcoholic beverages may be brought into the fair. PLEASE NOTE: Coolers are not permitted in the Grandstand.

Water fountains are located throughout the fairgrounds. Water bottle refill stations are located at:

  • 4-H Building
  • Agriculture Horticulture Building
  • Care & Assistance
  • Eco Experience
  • Education Building
  • Grandstand
  • Restroom south of Kidway on the west side of Cooper Street
  • Restroom on the north end of the fairgrounds on the south side of Murphy Avenue
  • Warner Coliseum

Drinking fountains and water bottle refill stations are noted on the fairgrounds map.

Complimentary water is also available at some independent concessionaires, including Culligan and KARE TV.

Hand-washing Stations

Please wash or sanitize hands throughout your visit and especially before and after time with the animals and prior to eating. Hand-washing stations are located in the Food Building and at many entrances to buildings in the livestock area, including: Compeer Arena, Cattle Barn, Cattle Annex, Sheep & Poultry Barn, Robert A. Christensen Pavilion, and the CHS Miracle of Birth Center. Fairgrounds map

Baby Changing Stations, Family Restrooms and Universal Changing Restroom

Baby changing stations, family and accessible restrooms are located throughout the fairgrounds. Fairgrounds map

A universally designed changing restroom with hoist by Momentum Refresh is located on Cosgrove Street just north of Lee Avenue (sling not provided), open 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily (8 p.m. Labor Day).

A height-adjustable changing table is located in Care & Assistance on West Dan Patch Avenue across from West End Market, open 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily (8 p.m. Labor Day).

Facilities for diaper changing, nursing, pumping, feeding and sensory comfort in a climate controlled environment, and an adult-size changing table located at KaiBi Mobile Family Care Center on the west side of Underwood St., between Carnes & Judson avenues. Open daily, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. (8 p.m. on Labor Day).

More info

Accessibility

For information about sensory-friendly spaces, Sensory-Friendly Morning at Mighty Midway & Kidway, ASL services and more, check out our Accessibility Guide.

Things to Do

Fill your day with unlimited fun for young fair fans – all included with the price of admission!

Cats & Dogs The Exhibition

Go inside the minds of our favorite furry friends at Cats & Dogs The Exhibition, a sensory and interactive journey devoted to understanding and decoding the behavior of our beloved, entertaining (and sometimes confounding) fluffy family members. A fun – and surprising – experience for all ages!

All-Star Stunt Dogs Splash

Big-air stunts, incredible dog tricks, high-jumping water challenges and comedy antics will have your youngsters cheering.

Alphabet Forest

Take a break at this oasis of creative crafts, books, games, photo ops and meet-the-author activities to inspire a love of letters, words and reading.

Arts A’Fair

Vibrant performing arts groups present lively pop-up showcases featuring puppetry, music, dance, storytelling, theater and more.

CHS Miracle of Birth Center

This one-of-a-kind agricultural education exhibit is home to newborn lambs, goats and piglets during the State Fair’s 12 days.

Dan Patch Park and Special Day Activities

Each day is different at the fair! Young fair guests will especially enjoy:

Family Fair Stage at Baldwin Park

From amazing jugglers and magicians to energetic song and dance, this entertainment stage features family-friendly fun that will have little tykes smiling, clapping and dancing along.

Kemps Little Farm Hands

Fire up the imagination of young farm hands as they help with chores and bring their “food” to the farmers market in this mini agriculture experience specially created for ages 3-10. Big kid farm hands can earn an Ag-Vestigator ribbon by testing their knowledge in a fun trivia challenge.

Livestock Complex

Meander through the Cattle Barn, Horse Barn, Robert A. Christensen Pavilion and the Sheep & Poultry Barn for an up-close look at the largest exhibition of livestock in the Upper Midwest – hundreds of breeds of cattle, horses, swine, poultry, goats, sheep, llamas and alpacas and rabbits.

At each barn, stop by these education stations:

  • Aisle of Breeds: A showcase of a variety of horse breeds
  • Baa Booth: Sheep displays and fun, hands-on activities (Aug. 22-29)
  • EquiMania!™: Unique educational displays, activities and quizzes on a variety of horse topics
  • Goat Booth: Interactive displays, hands-on activities and a variety of goat breeds can be found here (Aug. 30-Sept. 2)
  • Moo Booth: Cow-to-kitchen showcase of dairy and beef cattle farming – watch a milking machine, hand milk a fiberglass cow, see cattle and compete in contests.
  • Oink Booth: Pick up your free pig ear headband!

Check schedules for details. Breeds vary by day. Please note that barns hours vary, and some barns will close early for the safety of guests, animals and exhibitors on select days when animals are leaving the fair and we are preparing for the arrival of new animals. Make sure to visit the animals early, especially on Aug. 25, Aug. 29 and Sept. 2!

Math On-A-Stick

Play with geometric shapes, sort and count, enjoy a numbers book, search for things to count at the fair, meet a creative mathematician and more!

Meet the Mascots

Our very own gopher good guys, Fairchild and Fairborne, greet fair fans of all ages daily at 11 a.m. and 4 p.m. at Visitors Plaza.

Parade

Marching bands, local royalty, mascots and more make their way through the fairgrounds every day at 2 p.m. Parade route

Thank a Farmer Magic Show

Captivating magic tricks are interwoven with fun facts about the important role agriculture, farmers and ranchers play in our daily lives.

Timberworks Lumberjack Show

Teams of lumberjacks and lumberjills show off their skills at climbing, sawing, log rolling and more in friendly, fun competition.

And More

In every nook and around every corner of the fair, you’ll find fun for all ages! Here are other stops we’d recommend for children:

Kidway, Mighty Midway and Other Ticketed Attractions

These fun adventures require the purchase of additional tickets:

  • Kidway: Fun houses, bumper boats, swings, mini rollercoasters and truck, train, motorcycle, whale rides and more – dozens of rides, games and food options for pint-sized youngsters
  • Mighty Midway: Even more rides to thrill and games of skill
  • More Rides and Attractions: Iconic must-dos include the Giant Slide, Great Big Wheel, SkyGlider, Space Tower, carousel, reptiles and butterflies, and more.

Use the links above to find information on height requirements, ticket prices, locations and hours.

KIDZ BOP LIVE 2024 at the Grandstand – Sept. 2 at 3 p.m.

A concert especially for young fair fans! KIDZ BOP is Billboard Magazine’s “#1 Kid Artist” for 11 years. Featuring today’s biggest global pop hits “sung by kids for kids,” this family-friendly music brand has sold more than 24 million albums and generated more than 11 billion streams. This high-energy show will be the perfect highlight of your afternoon at the Great Minnesota Get-Together! Grandstand ticket info

All information subject to change.