Meet me at the fair
It’s fair season in Minnesota. Fairs and festivals celebrating the past and the present abound all around the state. County fairs have been in full swing since the middle of June and come to a close in early September with Lac qui Parle having the last word. Minnesota hosts more than 90 county fairs showcasing every region’s food, fun, and farming world. If you hurry, you can still visit a few. More information.
The granddaddy of them all is the “Great Minnesota Get-together,” a spectacular 12-day event running August 24 through September 4. Located at the St. Paul fairgrounds, it has grown from events and competitions first brought together to encourage farming in the state. Over the decades, it has grown to include entertainment, food, exhibits, and scores of educational programs sponsored by many different groups and government institutions. Entertainment ranges from free Stage to ticketed Grand Stand performances, from Midway rides and games to Kidway rides and attractions for all ages.
Check out the more than 31 new foods and vendors and what’s new this year. Ride the new Great Big Wheel, the tallest travelling Ferris wheel in North America. Rest a while and grab a bite to eat at The Veranda before you explore the fiber art of Minnesota’s largest yarnbomb at the Great Minnesota Knit Together. Be sure to find your way to the NHL Centennial Fan Arena to relive or experience for the first time some of hockey’s greatest moments. Other new exhibits include Equine Artistry, Dress a Sheep Contest, and activities and demonstrations in the Agriculture Horticulture Building. For more information go to http://www.mnstatefair.org/
If the state fair is too big for you and you yearn for days past when life was simpler and fairs boasted gas and steam engines as the latest technology, then check out the Rice County Steam and Gas Engines Show in Dundas September 2-4. Here you may revisit grain threshing, the smithy shoppe, a flea market and swap meet, auction, tractor pull, and more. Examine antique tractors and jaw with fellow tractor lovers about your favorite farm equipment, vintage or not. The past isn’t as far away as you think. Go here to find out more about this and similar events this year and enjoy the best of Minnesota.
Credit: www.ricecountysteamandgas.com