Welcome to Day 1 of the Minnesota State Fair. Gates open for the Great Minnesota Get-Together on Thursday morning, kicking off the annual 12-day run of the fair. Many fairgoers line up hours before to be some of the first allowed in.
Day-of ticket prices are $20 for people 13 through 64 years old, $18 for people 65 and older and kids 5 to 12 years old, and free for children under 4. There are discounts on some days during the fair, including opening day.
MPR News staff will be reporting from the fairgrounds throughout the first day of the fair. Check back for updates.
First in the gates at the fair
7:45 a.m. | Estelle Timar-Wilcox
Scott and Nicholas Schwarz were the first through the State Fair gates this year. They’re a father-son duo from Oak Grove and Big Lake, and they came to celebrate Scott’s birthday on Wednesday.
They got in line a full day before the fair opened — at 7 a.m. Wednesday — and Scott told me that being first in line took a lot of preparation.
“I think it was all based on my birthday. You know, it was like, ‘Hey, this is an excuse to do this.’ We didn't know there was that much planning and stuff we had to do to do this,” he said. “Where are we going to sit? Who’s going to come? How much stuff we gotta have? Is it going to rain? Is it going to be 100 degrees?”
They said they played cards, worked on their fantasy football draft and talked with others who joined them in line over the day of waiting.
What was first on their agenda once they were inside? Mini donuts and coffee.
Gates open soon for the Minnesota State Fair
6:45 a.m. | Estelle Timar-Wilcox
It's sunrise on the Minnesota State Fair! But you'll have to be earlier than that to be first in line.
This year's first visitors have been outside the gates for almost 24 hours. They tell me they're ready for donuts and coffee. I'm dreaming of the new beignet stand.
Only 15 minutes until gates open!
‘It’s gettin’ hot in herre,’ so get a Grandstand ticket if you want one
6:45 a.m. | Feven Gerezgiher
Every year since I've joined MPR News, I've been tracking what shows at the Grandstand are near selling out. It’s been an interesting way to learn about the musical preferences of state fairgoers — or their capacity to plan ahead.
Many had snatched up Ludacris and T-Pain concert tickets by early June last year. In 2023, five shows were nearly at capacity by early July.
This year, the hot concerts are looking like Old Dominion with special guest Yam Haus on opening night, as well as the Melissa Etheridge and Indigo Girls show on Sunday. As of Wednesday afternoon, only single seats and obstructed-view seating were available for the two shows, according to Etix.
A colleague said she bought obstructed view seats last year and they were great; there was only a walkway in front of her. I’ve been told what qualifies as “obstructed view” varies, so people should call 1-800-514-3849 to learn more if they’re interested.
A State Fair spokesperson said tickets to Nelly — who performs Aug. 30 with Ja Rule, Mýa and the Ying Yang Twins — are also selling fast.
Getting to and from the Minnesota State Fair
6:35 a.m. | Estelle Timar-Wilcox
As always, with thousands of people flocking to the fairgrounds, transportation to and from the fair requires some planning.
Parking at the fairgrounds is limited and costs $25. In the past, lots of visitors parked in surrounding residential neighborhoods for free — but this year, street parking will cost $25. That’s a new fee that the city of Falcon Heights has implemented.
Other options include free park-and-ride lots with frequent bus service to the fairgrounds. Metro Transit, the Minnesota Valley Transit Authority and SouthWest Transit also offer express bus service to the fairgrounds, for a fee, from various sites around the Twin Cities metro area.
There’s also free bike parking at the fair, as well as designated drop-off and pick-up points for taxis and rideshare services.
