At-Home Edition: Friday, Sept. 4

Check out what’s happening today for the Minnesota State Fair: At-Home Edition here and on our Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube pages!

Virtual Showcase: Quilt On-A-Stick

Results are now live for the Quilt On-A-Stick virtual showcase! Over the past few weeks, we asked you to submit entries for the Quilt On-A-Stick competition, normally featured in the Creative Activities Building. This year’s theme was “Fishing in Minnesota: The One That Got Away.” First-place winner (chosen by creative activities judges) is Carol L. of Byron, Minn. Congratulations! Thanks to all who entered – we look forward to our usual competition and display in 2021! The theme will be announced in the spring.

Arts A’Fair Performance: Duniya Drum & Dance

Arts A’Fair is a program supported by the Minnesota State Fair Foundation that celebrates performing arts with pop-up showcases of drumming, music, dance and theater to entertain guests throughout the fairgrounds. This year, some Arts A’Fair groups are performing at the Food Parade, thanks to Mazda!

Watch this impressive performance by Duniya Drum & Dance!

Eco Experience

Is Eco Experience on your yearly State Fair bucket list? Presented by the Minnesota State Fair and the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, this exhibit is designed to inspire people to lead more sustainable lives while improving quality of life and the environment. For more information, visit ecoexperience.org.

Did you catch the giant ice block melting last year? See a timelapse of this display, which raises awareness of the shortening of Minnesota’s lake ice season.

Minnesota State Fair Healing Garden

The Minnesota State Fair Healing Garden was developed in 2019 as a way to showcase the various health benefits of plants and herbs. Greenhouse & gardens supervisor Jenny Cunningham shows off the garden and its features in this video. Find this garden just south of the 4-H Building during the fair.

Chat with State Fair Competition Judges

Clarity, volume, moisture and taste. All that and more goes into producing award-winning honey! Check out this behind-the-scenes look at how jars of honey are evaluated.

If you’re interested in hearing from other competition judges, check out our YouTube playlist!

Can You Dig It?

Kemps Little Farm Hands is a hands-on agricultural education exhibit that walks children through the agricultural process from farm to grocery store. It teaches children that food comes from the farm – not a grocery store.

A unique area within this exhibit is called Can You Dig It, which teaches the Little Farm Hands about the importance of our soil. Learn more about it in this video!

12 Days of Giveaways

Head on over to our Instagram and follow along for 12 Days of Giveaways! This is your chance to win some excellent State Fair swag! Our username is mnstatefair – we’ll see you there. Today’s entries begin at 10 a.m. Good luck!

History Highlight

The first permanent amusements at the State Fairgrounds were the Cannon Ball Rollercoaster and the carousel, both built in 1914. The last year of the coaster was in 1934, and the carousel’s last year at the fair was in 1989 (it now resides in Como Park). The oldest amusement still on the fairgrounds is Ye Old Mill, which was built in 1915! Here are photos of some of the other permanent amusements on the fairgrounds.

Photo circa 1928

Photo circa 1943

Photo circa 1976

Mighty Midway Game

What’s a State Fair without some games at Mighty Midway? Thanks to our friends at Sleep Number, we have you covered. Play this midway game – and enter for the chance to win some stellar prizes!

Show Us Your Minnesota State Fair Photos

Each day, we want to see your favorite photos from past Minnesota State Fairs so let’s take a trip down memory lane together! There will be a different theme daily, and we hope you’ll share your photos with us. Feel free to send them to us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram, or email them to fairinfo@mnstatefair.org.

Today’s theme: Your favorite State Fair memory!

Daily Trivia

Test your State Fair knowledge! Each day we will post a trivia question along with the answer.

Today’s question is: What is the most popular flavor of pies entered in the creative activities baked goods category?

Answer: Apple pie

History Page

The Minnesota State Fair showcases our state’s best in areas from agriculture to history, and entertainment to education. For 165 years, the Minnesota State Fair has always been a place where traditions are made and stories are shared. Check out our History Page for photos, facts and more!

At-Home Fair Fun For All Ages

Looking for some fun at-home activities to do with the young and young at heart? Head to our At-Home Fair Fun page to find interactive State Fair activities, from Kemps Little Farm Hands trivia, EquiMania!^TM challenges, Moo Booth quizzes, coloring pages and Math On-A-Stick games. Plus, fair fans of all ages can also enjoy cooking demonstrations, videos that highlight agriculture and much more!

Minnesota State Fair Foundation

Become an official 2021 Friend of the Fair! In a year without a fair and without 95% of our revenue, your membership helps support the Minnesota State Fair Foundation in enriching the unforgettable memories and traditions that are made here at the Minnesota State Fair. Learn more about how to become a Friend of the Fair.

The Minnesota State Fair Foundation is also bringing the fair to you through a 12-day online auction, presented by By The Yard, now through Sept. 7. The auction features fun State Fair items and experiences you can’t get anywhere else and supports the Foundation’s mission to preserve and improve State Fair programs, buildings and the fairgrounds. Check out the auction items, and place your bids now.

Minnesota State Fair Online Marketplace

Missing your annual Minnesota State Fair shopping trip this year? We’ve got you covered with the first-ever State Fair Online Marketplace. This searchable hub has more than 270 of your favorite State Fair vendors and exhibitors. Search by vendor name, shopping area, product categories or other keywords and click through to their website to finish the order process. Many businesses are offering State Fair deals and special merchandise. It’s available now through Dec. 31, 2020. Happy shopping!

2020 Minnesota State Fair Merchandise

Even though we can’t be together this year, you can still get your 2020 Minnesota State Fair merchandise. There are buttons, T-shirts, sweatshirts, hats, drinkware, face coverings and much more! The best part? A portion of sales benefits the Minnesota State Fair Foundation. Get your State Fair swag now!

Celebrating the Fair at Home!

We want to see how you’re celebrating the Minnesota State Fair from home this year. Send us your most creative State Fair at-home photos and videos to fairinfo@mnstatefair.org. Brownie points (or should we say, cookie points) for creativity!

Specialty Brews and Beverages

Sip, sip, hooray! This summer you can find some of your favorite State Fair specialty brews and beverages at Twin Cities taprooms. Usually only found during the 12 days of the fair, fair fans will be able to get their fix of State Fair sips. Check out which beers and ciders are available and where you can get them.

Zoom Backgrounds

You can celebrate what would have been the Great Minnesota Get-Together on your next Zoom call with fair-themed backgrounds. Head to our Facebook or Twitter to download the backgrounds and start Zooming in State Fair style!