Minnesota State Fair Reviews

Best State Fair in the country in my opinion. Fun for all ages and price points. Clean fairgrounds and great attractions. Fun!

It's a fun day at the fair. When we initially got there it wasn't too crowded and there was really no lines to anything that we went to. As the evening progressed obviously so did the lines but all in all it was a great time!

Been going my whole life, but the crowds have gotten absurd. It's about how much money can we make. Great Minnesota Get Together? More like Great Minnesotan Infestation. Done.

Love the atmosphere here always meet new and exciting people... food is always great and numerous

The best state fair in the Midwest, if you ask me. Huge! The MN State Fair is a religion of sorts, one that you must make your pilgrimage to every year. I have for more than 45 years. Even though I don t live near St. Paul anymore, it s a MUST to travel to MN for the fair. It keeps all the sentimental things you hold dear to your heart from when you were a child, while also keeping up with newer trends. You must visit the dairy barn, 4H building, machinery hill, merchandise mart and of course, the food building. Because, let s be truthful, it s all about the food.... The parking is a nightmare on weekends. Even the external park & ride sites can fill up, city buses run often and fill up fast too. Your best bet is to go early, early morning on a weekday. Park up by machinery hill and go in from there. What ever way you get there, it s all worth it in the end.

You get to see people who you are surprised to learn also live in Minnesota, although those people aren t the best people.
Fun but most of it is just marketing stands and stuff.

Our state fair is the best state fair... but really it is fantastic! We go yearly and look forward to eating our favorite items (fudge puppies, corn, fries, and mini doughnuts) as well as trying a few of the new food items. The app is helpful for marking where you want to go but doesn't replace a paper map for me.

Great family day, weather was perfect, food and fun for all!

Horse Expo 2019, always a blast, never disappointed!!

I am 89 years old and have loved the fair since I was very young. Pronto pups foot longs espresso top the food list I must see the Clydesdale horses. I go at least 3 times. When I used to go by myself I would go 4 or 5 times. I love it all. I got hooked on the fair when I was very young and my dad and I would go to the fair in Albert Lea. See you at the fair!

I recommend to go there during the night. Good music and vibes. During the day it is very crowded.

Every kind of great fair food, tons of animals, great exhibits, DNR pool with all of the MN fish

Everything is here. The fair has won tons of awards. But, I have to give it 4 stars because it is just too big. It makes the parking rough. It makes losing your friends/children/loved ones easy. It means long lines and huge crowds. It is one of those things that you have to go to because you will find your favorite fair food/event/stand there but the crowds are starting to become unbearable.

Best Fair anywhere. We drive 1000 miles every year to be there.

Love the donuts, fries, fried olives, and veggie sticks!!!

I have never liked a single piece of meat I bought from here. very average

The great Minnesota Get Together! Had a great time sampling the food and drink. Bring plenty of money and take the Metro Transit Park-N-Ride -- best deal ever.

It was really fun like always and the food was great

The great MN get together! Awesome food, games, rides, entertainment. Cheap to get in and a lot of free stuff once you're in there. Great time for a while day adventure with friends and or family.

Always an amazing experience! So much to eat, so much to see, so much to do and experience! Don't forget to go the the 2nd floor in the grandstand. I always use the park and ride and purchase tickets prior to arrival, it seems to make things go a bit smoother and quicker. A great time had by all.

Who doesn't love the fair? Expensive day but always fun. The best food, fun, and people watching of the year!

My sister and I went we had the best time we will go again next year, alot of shopping and trying all the new food..

I love the state fair! Such a wide variety of things to do and see! There's definitely something for everyone. They've definitely made improvements over the past few years and while it's definitely changed, it's still the same fair you know and love.

We are really happy about the service from the police officers we spoke with to get directions!

Good food, expensive, huge crowds of people. Best fair in the United States!

State fairs are great. This one can get a bit crowded due to the small size of the grounds and the large metropolitan area it is in. But a lot of fun nonetheless.

Best state fair I've ever attended!! Love the livestock barns. Many great exhibition halls to visit and browse. Enjoy the parades and other entertainment venues. Our boys loved the rides and carnival section. Great selection of food booths with traditional and fair foods available. The only thing I don't like is how crowded this place becomes!!

I don't like the fair. I had to drive and pick someone up and the traffic was so annoying gee willies it was not enjoyable. Thanks a lot mn state fair. Also there's too many people. If you don't like the general population don't go there

Getting to be more expensive every yr. All the repairs done were ones that they lacked on doing in the past. Like our roads, they let them get so bad now its time to catch up.
With another attendance record this yr, it gives them another reason to raise it. 18 next yr i bet.
Some suggestions i would make is half price entry after 6pm. A parking ramp on south lot. Its fees could cover its cost with no hike to entry. I would like to see pkg deals. Multi day tickets for less. Buy 2 days get one free.

Faithful fair-goer for 28 years!! Sad to not attend the normal festivities this year, but the drive-thru was still fun and very organized! I was afraid we d be in line for hours or something but it was so smooth!!! In and out in 45 minutes! Thank you fair staff!!!!

Awesome experience visited all our old friends had all of our favorite foods, and shopped til we dropped. The cream puffs and coffee we're a great way to finish the day with fire works.

AMAZING! The food was great and the time with my family PRICELESS!!

If you enjoy classic Americana, there is no place better then the Minnesota State Fair or in the mid-west. During the State Fair in August, it is jam packed with visitors from many parts of the country and locals alike. It is also a perfect time to enjoy everything that makes a FAIR wonderful, some new some old and try local favorites. During the off season, there are many events and shows that continue to occupy the spaces. Some buildings shows its age but some has been recently renovated. I highly recommend this place.

Way crowded.. over priced... Went once and probably won't ever go again. My mom makes better cookies then them over priced cookies!

We travel from Salt Lake City, Utah every year to come to this fair. It's a "real" fair. We especially like going early in the morning to watch the young people groom their animals. Also the horse shows in the arena. Went to Dallas, TX which bills itself as America's largest. It is, geographically but not in numbers of people. Minnesota is a better choice if you have to choose. We'll continue to go as long as poaasble.

Was able to make it to the last day of the fair and what a great day we had from the birds of prey to the bull riding and the cattle barn, skyride etc....really a must do each year

Prices were outrageous! I loved the free park and ride options available to the fair. Its just one of those must do experiences in Minnesota. Relatively clean given the number of people in attendance. Low safety rating given fact that there was a shooting incident outside the main gate with possibly 3 victims and no suspects.

The great Minnesota get together. Wife and I go every year and get our picture taken this year will be our 8th straight year.

The Great Minnesota Get Together and it stays true to its name every year. Bigger and better but true to its history and traditions. The food, and all of its glory, seems to get all of the attention, but the real attraction should be the vendors! There's such variety of retail at the fair, from nail clippers to Harley Davidsons, bonsai trees to Christmas ornaments, state of the art mops to garage doors! And the deals that they offer are real, we've taken advantage of them ourselves. I wish every vendor success and thank them for supporting the fair, too.

ALWAYS a great time! Fair. Food...anything you want. One exception is the eco display which was full of unscientific info and predictions...as usual!

Love it! And on a prefect day.... Until it hailed and rained on us lol! Still had a good time though. Ate soo much food, probably gained 10 pounds!

Food was great but parking is a joke!!! Had no idea that lots of things are cash. Spent almost all of what I brought on parking and still had to walk almost 20 minutes to the gate! Lots of cool things to do inside the fair, from informational to entertainment. However, many buildings don't have airflow and the heat can be stifling. When we went it was PACKED with people! Might be better on a weekday.

If you're a Minnesotan, you should experience the fair at least once. I dont like huge crowds, but it's still worth it.

Good time, three stars because nothing ever changes, just my opinion. Good time though.

I was really impressed with the Dahlias. While everyone else was going crazy with the rides, food, noise and flashing lights outside, checking out the exhibits was a nice quiet escape. The flowers were gorgeous. I had no idea there were so many different varieties of Dahlia. Makes me want to try to grow some of my own at home.

Big place, fun, something for everyone, tons of great food, free bus rides to and from, trolley rides in the fair.

I spent 12 Days working the Fair as Overnight Security. This place is run with Profession , Everyone knows what is supposed to happen.

A must go. I've been every year since I moved here (9 years ago) and I'm still finding new things I haven't seen or done (or eaten!) before. Highly recommend the corn, deep fried ribs, and mini donut beer.

As expected. Too many people for my taste, but never unexpected. We came early and stayed for only a few hours. The bus to the fair is always my preference and make a beeline to some faves. Mine are the corn fritters and mini donuts. I did miss the big slide this year and could have used more time in the buildings! It seemed less dusty/dirty than usual? The grounds are always being cleaned up, but maybe the weather has been playing nice?

So much to do and eat! Kid friendly and lots of seating

We went for a concert. The fair was very packed with people. It was hard to get anywhere. but there is a ton of stuff to do and oh so much food ! I try to make it there at least once each year just to try the new foods. It always gets a bit overwhelming with all the people though. Still worth a visit though, especially if you are not from the area.

The fair is always a good time! Second highest fair in the country. Every little detail of the fair is well planned. Take some time to do something you wouldn t have expected to and you will find that you have a great day.

Its the great Minnesota get together at last!! Let's break last year attendance record!!

Fantastic fair. Tons of people, but it never felt over crowded. Really weird (but tasty!) food. The horse show was cool too.

An absolute joy. So much fun! This fair is jam packed with games, rides, activities, animals, music, food and people. We had an absolute blast.

Love love love everything about the fair! They always are updating and improving the grounds. It is all well done and see changes every year. I have not missed a year and am moving out of state this summer but definitely planning on making a trip back during the fair time just to attend the fair. My favorites are walking the bazar and checking out the local companies on machinery hill and of course eating a bucket of Sweet Martha cookies. Been to 4 different state fairs and they can't even compare to the Minnesota fair !

The absolute best fair in the world!!! I just went to the Texas fair our is way better!!!

According to me, one of the must visit Minnesota attractions which is held in Aug till Labor Day. I loved it for lots of food options, and fun games. Specially liked the International Bazar , farm animals exhibition. Kids will love it.

Really fun day for the whole family! We'll continue to go every year! The park and ride lots are great to avoid traffic.

One of the best fairs in the country! I love to eat my way through the fairgrounds while people watching. There are so many things to see and do. I like to check out the DNR building and watch the fish in the pond. The Heritage building with the 4H projects. The fine arts building has great displays of art and photography. Then there are the animal barns. What I mentioned is just scratching the surface. The fairgrounds also host various other events throughout the year. Today we are here for a plant sale check out their calendar of events on their website.

Amazing & interesting place to learn many things. Glass blowing demonstration class. Very good

This IS the MN get together! Always wonderful new foods to try, activities, free entertainment, learning made fun, and rides. Something for everyone.

Love it, can't visit without getting pork chop on stick

Fun times for this family of four on a tight budget. Ok dog show was a bit cold by the third act we took off. Entered into Eco Building. Put on rain boots and warm clothes and braved the rest of the state fair. Sun came out again before long.

Wonderful experience. tons of food and games for kids and family. I loved the agriculture building show

Not like it used to be. Boring, just push the fried foods. A family of 4 needs to take out a loan to have fun.

Cmon it's the mn state fair awesome food every where lots to see and do lol

HAVE been going to this fair for many many years, since I'm a native Mn. This is the best of all fairs I have been to. Lots of goodies to eat, music to hear, love the barns and 4hers, at 16 I worked a root beer stand, and met lots of cuties. Drank gallons of free ice cold milk. Even thou I am older and slower, I love all the food and exhibition of art, All the new products out there. Foot longs.oh my I could go on and on.

I traveled from Milwaukee WI to Minnesota just for Martha's cookies and it was well worth the 5 hour trip! I will be back to take the history tour and see the creative art building. Oh, we LOVED the trolley ride through the fair. People were very friendly and the food was great! The curds don't compare to Wisconsin's though.

The number one fair in the world for 12 days a year in late August through labor day. Every decadent food craving, drinks, shopping of every kind. Rides for young to old. With the best recipes, agricultural products to see and try. Concerts all over with Grandstand of mega performers every night and fireworks. Except to go value fair or baller fair and everything in between. It takes several visits to enjoy everything. Unless you have the stamina to walk 16 hours or so. If you're young do what young people do if you have kids split up days or take extra helpers to manage the kids. Older and disables have many options. Go to the website get everything early make a plan since it is an event like no other. Make a vacation of it and go for several days.

Greatest fair in the USA. Eat the sweet Martha's cookies, the grilled corn and the cheese curds. See the animals, crafts, and catch a show at the bandstand!

The place with deep fried food, but not just deep fried foods also beers or alcohol that you can only get there. They also have shops there too. Don't forget the rides and fun games to win prize.

I love this fair. I have flown up several times to attend and I am never disappointed. So much to do, see and eat. My grandson had a blast. It is extremely crowded, but we did not hear of any altercations. Tickets are prices and the activities cost between 4 to 6 tickets. I've never seen so much beer in my life and the concerts were plentiful too.. if you ever have the opportunity, this is a good to do. They receive over 200,000 guests a day.

Cannot breathe, to much cigarette smoke. Please make Minnesota State Fair smoke free or set up areas for smokers, my children don't need to breath in this bad air. Enforce your laws.

One of my favorite events of the year, every year! I have always gone since I was a child, and as an adult often go multiple times. Make sure to buy tickets early & get a Blue Ribbon Bargain book to save a little $$ - you make up the cost after only 2-3 coupons.

In Minnesota great get together is a wonderful spot for end of summer fun! There is tons of things to do from concerts, farm animals, rides, attractions, food, and of course alcohol!

The cookies are a must-have to try! There's always new foods to try also depending on the year!

I'm not even going to argue. This is the best fair. I've been to six other state fairs, none compare. Music, food, events, competitions, vendors selling, midways....Best fair.

One of my most favorite places. Fond memories from my childhood. The best food ever. Fun.

August 26, 2019 was Mental Health Awareness at the fair and it was a blast with tons of booths and great entertainment. Elsa Lee sang and playes the keyboard. What an amazing young woman. I hope yhe continue to have this event in the future.

If you are in Minnesota at the end of August - this is such a fun family event. I have personally never been to the Midway (carnival rides) and have been enjoying the fair since I was a little kid.

Can you get any better than the Great Minnesota Get Together? We have become a fair family over the years. And while it leaves our feet tired and wallets empty, it reminds you of how many people find common shared space and common shared enjoyment together.

My wife kept saying it's the biggest and best Fair in USA. It may be but it's only open for a week and the crowds are crazy 60-80k a day and that is nuts!! I'm from Texas and the fair is open for a month just so people can enjoy it without a line around the corner.

It was fun but the bathrooms are a place I would avoid.

The best summer for place to walk and gorge on unhealthy food

There s a reason why this state fair breaks records with visitors every year! The food, the people, the music and of course, THE FOOD!

Always fun at the State Fair. They have maps for you to get around, they have about every food you're looking for, and there's always something to see and do. There's tons of food to look for but also there's radio stations, buildings that hold certain sports teams merchandise and sometimes even have celebrities in these buildings who you can get an autograph from. There's also scooters you can rent but they're a bit difficult to find and you can also get yours on golf carts and such. Never dissapointed at the state fair. Remember to always leave at least 2, hours early though. PARKING IS INSANE.