What to See, Eat, Drink and Do at the Minnesota State Fair
Everyone has an opinion on the Minnesota State Fair — especially locals.
Here is how everyone from top chefs to longtime media personalities define "must-dos" every year. And if that's not enough State Fair coverage for you, there's always our beginner's guide and in-house insights.
Tony Cu
Content Creator
I like to look at the giant pumpkins in the Agriculture Horticulture Building and check out the other vegetables on display there. They're fascinating — something you don't see every day.
Then I stroll over to Peterson's for a grilled pork chop on a stick, which is my favorite item at the Fair. It's all in their seasoning: great flavor and a bit salty, just how I like it.
My friends and I always have a meeting spot, the Midway Mens Club. You can get a cheap beer and a cheap burger there. The best part about this place is that all the money goes to youth programs.
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Angela Davis
Radio Host
Pronto Pups are the first things I search for every year. Other must-haves include the roasted corn, pork chops on a stick, and a bucket of Sweet Martha’s cookies.
As for drinks, lemonade pairs well with everything.
I love walking through the Miracle of Birth Center to see the newborn animals, too. They’re so cute. I enjoy looking at all the babies and toddlers in strollers as they pass by, often wearing little sunglasses. They’re either smiling and laughing or cranky and crying.
And I always try to take in a live musical performance on one of the stages. [In 2023], I [had] tickets to see Chaka Khan and Boyz II Men at the Grandstand. I [was] so excited [for that one]; Chaka Khan is one of my favorite singers.
Listen to MPR News with Angela Davis.
Jason DeRusha
Media Personality
I never miss the State Fair Fine Arts Show. Ever since our kids were younger, we would do the scavenger hunt with the different hidden things on various pieces of art.
In fact, we have a piece of art in our home that we were inspired to buy from one of the Minnesota artists we saw in the Fine Arts building. It's one of the state's finest art galleries, with painting, photography, sculpture, glass and mixed media curated to really give a snapshot of the creativity happening in our state.
Listen to the WCCO show Drivetime with DeRusha and read his local food coverage.
Stephanie Hansen
Media Personality
I have been known to be at the gates at 8 a.m. for the fair's opening day. I usually grab a breakfast sandwich from the fair's oldest diner, The Peg, and I’ll sit and plan my day.
On opening day, I like to try as many new foods as possible. I always make room for music and shopping at the International Bazaar, and take a selfie at the Adam Turman booth with his iconic Minnesota murals. I’ll grab an ear of roasted corn and a pile of garlic fries at the Ball Park Cafe and wash it all down with a beer. Don't miss the Biscuits at Lulu’s Public House and the peaches with goat cheese at the Produce Exchange.
One of my favorite fair days is the insanely popular 4-H Llama-Alpaca Costume Contest. Seeing people dressed up with their llamas is a riot, and the costumes are so clever.
State Fair time means fall and winter aren’t far behind, and usually, by the time I have finished the last corn dog, cookie, or curd, I am ready.
Check out Stephanie Hansen's books, on-air appearances, and recipes.
Sharyn Jackson
Food Reporter
As a member of the Star Tribune Taste team, eating our way through all the new foods on day one of the State Fair, my personal favorite activity at the fair is to eat for pleasure, not work.
That means going back around day eight or nine, when I’m ready to eat again, and revisiting all my favorite bites from years’ past. Those almost always include the grilled peaches from Produce Exchange, the giant eggroll from Que Viet, a chocolate Kiwanis malt, and the deep-fried, cream cheese-stuffed olives from Fried Olives.
They’re not new, they’re not fancy, but they’re delicious, and bonus: I get to choose them myself.
Read the Star Tribune's State Fair coverage.
Gavin Kaysen
Chef / Restaurateur
I am going with my two older sons this year. We always hit the Fresh French Fries, Corn Roast and Pronto Pups stands.
Oh, and [Tom Thumb] Mini Donuts.
Eat at Spoon and Stable, Demi and Bellecour.
Ann Kim
Chef / Restaurateur
I love the fair and think of it as an extended farewell to the summer party! I don't usually get too fancy; my fair must-haves are the classics. I always get corn on the cob from the Corn Roast stand, the perfect Fresh French Fries that are made to order from just-sliced potatoes (they're always hot and crispy), a corn dog with ketchup and mustard, and of course, fried pickles from the Perfect Pickle.
My love for those pickles runs deep — so deep that I created the Perfect Pickle Pie as an homage a few years ago. It started as a special [at Young Joni], but now it's a permanent fixture on [Pizzeria Lola's] menu. This way, I can enjoy one of my favorite flavors of the fair year-round!
Eat at Pizzeria Lola and Hello Pizza.
Lazerbeak
Musician
I’m a sucker for the pickle on a stick dipped in a cup of Kool-Aid. It’s from this place called Pickle Dog.
Zero clue how the Kool-Aid and pickle combo came to be, but I remember hearing about it years back, and it was just crazy enough to work. Sweet and sour contrast for sure, and definitely a nod to the nostalgia of my childhood — getting a Kool-Aid mustache and all that.
Listen to Lazerbeak on Bandcamp.
Laura Melnick
Artist
It is so hard to identify a single activity or food we love at the fair, but I would say that what I can’t do without is the SkyGlider ride. It offers such a wonderful view of the fair and deposits us right by the sweet corn, which I adore.
[My husband] Mark’s favorite diversion is watching the staff at the sweet corn booth dance on top of the roasters right after the fireworks every night.
Check out crop art from Laura and Mark.
Rick Nelson
Food Critic
While the state fair should be a platform for celebrating Minnesota standard-bearers (roasted sweet corn, walleye cakes, wild rice burgers), one of my gotta-eats is an import: the tantalizingly ripe peaches at the Produce Exchange. Shipped at peak-season ripeness from Colorado and Washington state, their sweet, ultra-juicy bite is both an end-of-summer ritual and a refreshing palate cleanser to the fairgrounds’ endless supply of deep-fried, on-a-stick gut bombs.
The grilled peaches — paired with yogurt, honey and/or goat cheese — are spectacular.
Explore the Rick Nelson archive at The Minnesota Star Tribune and read about his favorite breakfast sandwiches and the best spots for brunch and breakfast in the Twin Cities.
Ben Nesvig
Humorist
I'm a huge fan of the fair, and every year I make at least one meme a day. There are the usual must-get foods that I have every year, but I'll try to give a more interesting answer....
Some artists toil in oils and clay. We Minnesotans have the rare opportunity to witness a dairy virtuoso craft: a 90-pound block of Grade AA salted butter into breathtaking works of art.
So my personal must-do is visiting the Dairy Building to gaze at the greatness of the rotating butter busts.
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Kat Peterson
Photographer
Honestly, trying to pick just one "must-do" at the Minnesota State Fair was a total fail. For me, it's all about the three C's: Corn Roast, Cows, and Cheese Curds. These things are the heart and soul of the fair, giving you a real taste of the traditions and flavors that make this event my favorite of the summer.
Follow Kat Peterson on Instagram.
Adam Turman
Illustrator
I love the fair, and I've got a few things I have to do every year. The Chicken in a Waffle at the Blue Barn is a must-have for me... It's the treat at the end of that waffle that makes it!
Additionally, I always cruise the Creative Activities Building. I'm floored by the amount of talent and beauty that's held in that space; it's next-level craft.
And my friends and I just discovered the Ye Old Mill ride. What a blast; it’s like sailing through time. We giggled the entire time, and now it's going to be an annual event.
Shop for Adam Turman's popular screen prints.
Aubry Walch
Vegan Butcher
Every year, my husband Dan, [my brother] Kale, Kale's partner, and I start our day at the Ag-Hort building for a beer tasting where most of the beers are vegan. After that, we snack on garlic fries at the Ballpark Cafe and fried pickles from The Perfect Pickle; we bring our own vegan ranch for dipping.
Until recently, the vegan options haven't been great, so the most important part of our State Fair experience has always been riding the Crazy Mouse at the Mighty Midway. Even though it's not that scary, we all jump on and scream our heads off.
Or maybe it's just me screaming and the other three laughing at me. We also always buy the picture from the biggest scream part of the ride, so we have years and years of photos.
Shop or eat at The Herbivorous Butcher.
Jon Wipfli
Chef / Restaurateur
Charlie T's has been cooking barbecue at the fair for [more than] 26 years. He usually has a local collaboration beer on tap, too.
Charlie [Torgerson] is an old-school BBQ guy in Minneapolis. He’s probably the guy who’s cooked the most barbecue around town, but has always been behind the scenes a bit.
His ribs and brisket are always great, but when he does specials, that is what to go for.
Bag some barbecue and burgers from Animales.
