What to Do at the Minnesota State Fair in 2026

Dates and Hours for the Minnesota State Fair

First, let’s start with the basics, the timeline of the Fair. The Fair begins on August 27th and is open every day through Labor Day, September 7th. While regular fairground hours are from 7am-11pm, it’s important to note that the last admission is at 9pm and many things like the barns, food buildings, rides, and centers only open for the day at 8 or 9 am. You can view the full hours here.

There are unique events going on each day at the Fair. We'll share some of the daily highlights below, but we recommend looking at the full event schedule for the days you plan to attend.

New in 2026 at the Minnesota State Fair

The Fair is jam-packed with never-ending fun, and every year they cook up new foods, beverages, attractions, and vendors for us to try!

New Foods

The 2026 list of new foods is here! Check out what concoctions caught our eyes this year:

• Hot Honey Brisket Battered Potatoes—Deep-fried Australian Battered Potatoes topped with beef brisket, smothered in nacho cheese and drizzled with hot honey.
• Dubai Whoopie Pie—Dubai chocolate-inspired whoopie pie made with pistachio cream sandwiched between two dark chocolate cakes. Rolled in Dino's Dubai crunch topping of shredded filo, crushed pistachios, honey and brown sugar. (Vegetarian)
• Longanisa Cheese Curd Lumpia—Homemade Filipino longanisa pork sausage combined with garlic and Wisconsin cheese curds, stuffed and rolled in a lumpia wrapper and deep-fried. Served with a side of sweet chili sauce.
• Iemochi Japanese Confections—New vendor Iemochi Japanese Confections serves Tanghulu (fruit skewered and coated in a hard candy shell) in four varieties: strawberry, green grape, Mandarin orange and dual-mix with strawberries and grapes. All Tanghulu is gluten-free.
• French Chouxnut Sundae—Bridgeman's Salted Caramel Espresso ice cream piled atop a choux pastry donut filled with milk chocolate mousse and topped with dark chocolate fondant icing and chocolate curls. Finished with caramel drizzle, whipped cream and a cherry. (Vegetarian)
• Strawberry Ube Sundae Tart—Swirled strawberry and ube marshmallow cream mixed with chocolate chips, chilled and scooped into a fudge-filled gluten-friendly shortbread crust. Topped with whipped cream, strawberry sauce and edible glitter sprinkles. (Gluten-friendly)
• Roon's Savories—New vendor Roon's Savories serves hand-rolled waffle cones flavored with parmesan, cheddar and herbs. Savory Cones are available with four choices of fillings: BBQ Pulled Pork Mac, Chicken Tinga & Rice (gluten-free), Classic Chicken Salad (gluten-free) and Three Cheese Mac (vegetarian).
• Peri-Peri Bowl—Fried peri-peri hot chicken, seasoned with African Bird's Eye chili peppers, garlic, lemon and herbs. Combined with mini beef sambusas and fried sweet plantains, all topped with peri-peri sauce and choice of: basbaas (spicy Somali green chili pepper sauce) or spicy red chili sauce.
• Minnesota's Original Apple Fries—A new vendor serving Apple Fries (fresh-cut apples, fried, tossed in cinnamon sugar and served with a side of caramel) and apple cider. (All gluten-friendly and vegetarian)

2026's new attractions haven't been released yet, but we will update you here as soon as they're out!

Minnesota State Fair Favorites

While these are definitely not new, these are long-standing state fair attractions that remain popular year after year:

• Blue Ribbon Bingo - Stop by Ramberg Center, sponsored by Cal Spas, to play Blue Ribbon BINGO benefiting the Minnesota State Fair Foundation.
• Daily Parade - The State Fair Parade begins at 2 p.m. daily and features the high school marching band competition, floats, animals, specialty units, and visiting royalty.
• Free Live Music & Shows - 900 shows and 100+ acts, all free with the price of fair admission! This year's shows include Arrested Development, a tribute to Selena, and Rachel Platten.
• History on-a-Schtick - See what happens when Minnesota icons face off in a quiz show hosted by Betty Crocker and when Minnesota’s state symbols stage a fashion show.
• Amateur Talent Contest - enjoy singers, dancers, instrumentalists, cloggers and every type of performer in between as they compete for the right to be named Minnesota’s top talent.
• Ye Olde Mill - Touted as the “original tunnel of love,” Ye Old Mill is the oldest attraction on the fairgrounds. Take a relaxing boat ride in a dark tunnel – and see some kitschy vignettes while you do!
• Skyglider - Get a bird’s-eye view of the spectacular fairgrounds while traveling from the heart of the fairgrounds to the North End and back.
• Kemps Little Farm Hands - Children and their families don their work aprons and fire up their imaginations to help with farm chores, collect goods to sell at the farmers market, and then spend their “earnings” on real products made from the farm at the grocery store.
• CHS Miracle of Birth Center - This one-of-a-kind agricultural education exhibit is home to baby animals - calves, lambs, goats and piglets. Stop by the adjoining FFA Chapter House & Leadership Center for hands-on activities.

Shows & Exhibits at the Minnesota State Fair

Check out some of these Minnesota State Fair shows and interactive exhibits when you need to take a break from tasting all the new foods.

• Thank a Farmer Magic Show - Children of ALL ages are completely engaged while learning the important role agriculture and our farmers and ranchers play in their daily lives.
• All-Star Stunt Dogs Splash - From large to small breeds, these dogs will mesmerize you as they compete in challenges, dock dives and leaps into the air to catch flying discs, plus astounding stunts such as jumping rope, walking backwards and doing paw-stands.
• Timberworks Lumberjack Show - World-class forest sports athletes compete in a decathlon of timber events designed to challenge even the hardiest lumberjacks.
• Minnesota Newspaper Museum - Watch type being set for The Maynard News, meet "Editors of the Day," and learn about the vital role of a free press.
• Arts A'fair - Minnesotan arts organizations and individual performing artists are selected each year to entertain fair guests in pop-up showcases throughout the fairgrounds.
• And so much more!

Rides and Attractions at the Minnesota State Fair

The fun is never ending at the Minnesota State Fair, and you will be sure to find many things to keep the whole family happy. Here are just some of the attractions to consider checking out:

• Adventure Park – the home to the most extreme activities, which include; rock climbing, skyscraper, slingshot, and turbo bungy.
• Kidway – perfect for families with small children as the rides are kiddie friendly and tons of games to try your hand at.
• Mighty Midway – rides, games, and food galore!
• Old Iron Show - Reminiscent of the former Machinery Hill, the Old Iron Show gives fair guests an opportunity to get up-close for demonstrations and displays of beautifully restored, rare antique farm equipment.
• Haunted House - Spooks, scares and thrills abound.
• Butterfly House - Stunning butterflies flit and soar before your eyes.
• Giant Slide - this iconic five-story attraction gives riders of all generations a thrill down a slide much larger than the one found on your average playground.
• And much more!

Stay Close and Do It All - Hotels Near the Minnesota State Fairgrounds

Plan to stay as close as possible to the Minnesota State Fairgrounds this year so you can get there early and stay late to pack everything in. By staying close to the fair, you can even plan to hit it up multiple days since you simply can’t see everything in one day. Plan ahead to make sure you see and do as much as possible! Check out the best places to stay for the fair (we might even have a few deals up our sleeves!).