Minnesota State Fair
Twelve days ending on Labor Day, 26 August to 6 September 2027: 278 food vendors, New Foods, food on-a-stick, tickets and tips for the fair in St. Paul.
At a glance
- Twelve days ending on Labor Day: 26 August to 6 September 2027
- 278 food and drink vendors in the official Fair Finder
- A yearly list of official New Foods, such as the 2026 Pickle Pie
- Food on-a-stick has its own filter in the Fair Finder
- 1,923,325 visits over the twelve days of 2026
The 2027 edition, day by day
- Thu26Aug
- Fri27Aug
- Sat28Aug
- Sun29Aug
- Mon30Aug
- Tue31Aug
- Wed1Sep
- Thu2Sep
- Fri3Sep
- Sat4Sep
- Sun5Sep
- Mon6Sep
Weekend · 12 days · Dates announced
How the festival runs
What to taste
Pickle Pie
A 2026 New Food: pie crust filled with chopped pickles, pickle juice and cream cheese, topped with ranch and Cholula hot sauce.
Sligo Slider Bites On-A-Stick
Another 2026 New Food: ravioli stuffed like a cheeseburger, skewered and deep-fried.
Cheese curds
Fresh nuggets of cheese, battered and fried, listed with the loaded fries in the Fair Finder.
Loaded Pickle Cheese Fry
One of the loaded fries in the Fair Finder, beside curly fries and french fries.
Food on-a-stick
The fair’s signature format: the Fair Finder has a filter just for it.
The Minnesota State Fair began in 1855 as a territorial fair to promote farming in the region, became the state fair in 1859, and now calls itself “the Great Minnesota Get-Together”: twelve days that always end on Labor Day.
The Minnesota State Fair, a farm fair with a food reputation
The fair celebrates “Minnesota’s agriculture, art and industry”, so livestock, concerts and rides share the 322-acre fairgrounds with the food.
“No. 1 State Fair Worth Traveling For in 2026”, according to Travel + Leisure, as quoted by the fair.
Heads carved in butter
Each year Princess Kay of the Milky Way and nine candidates sit in a refrigerated, rotating booth while their likenesses are carved in butter, says Midwest Dairy, which presents the programme on its site.
- The block: 90 pounds (about 41 kg) of Grade AA butter, produced for the event by Associated Milk Producers Inc.
- The booth: kept at 40 °F (about 4 °C). One sculpture takes about six hours.
- The history: butter sculptures were shown at the fair from 1898 to 1927, and the dairy princess heads began in 1965.
Outside the Dairy Building, the All You Can Drink Milk Stand pours cold milk, and the Dairy Goodness Bar serves the year’s Flavor of the Fair.
Between Minneapolis and St. Paul
The fairgrounds lie midway between the two cities, and the official address is 1265 Snelling Avenue North, St. Paul.
- Organiser: the Minnesota State Agricultural Society, trading as the Minnesota State Fair.
- Staying: both cities of the Twin Cities work as a base, and Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport serves them.
Before you go
- 2027 prices: no amount could be read on the ticket page on 15 October 2026. Check before you go.
- Discount days: the fair runs Opening Day, Kids Day, Seniors Day, Military Appreciation Day and Last Chance deals.
- Budget: the Fair Finder filters value items of $5 and under.
- App: the free official app carries the New Foods, a food finder, schedules and transport information.
- Alcohol: the minimum legal age to buy alcohol is 21.
Deal days of the 2026 fair
| Deal | 2026 date |
|---|---|
| Kids Day | 2 and 7 September |
| Last Chance | 1 September |
| Opening Day | n/a |
| Seniors Day | n/a |
| Military Appreciation Day | n/a |
Source: Minnesota State Fair, Fair Finder (2026). 2027 deal days not yet published.
Other food festivals nearby
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Cincinnati’s Oktoberfest on the Ohio riverfront, free to enter: brats, metts, cheese coneys and a festival lager. 2027 dates not yet published.CincinnatiView
Ken Thomas, Public domainSpiritsSep 16 to 19Kentucky Bourbon Festival
Bardstown’s bourbon festival at Spalding Hall, 16 to 19 September 2027: more than 200 brands from over 70 distilleries, tickets and distillery tours nearby.BardstownView
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Dallas’s 24-day fair at Fair Park, 25 September to 18 October in 2026: corny dogs, the Big Tex Choice Awards, coupons and the DART train. 2027 dates not yet published.DallasViewFrequently asked questions
When is the Minnesota State Fair 2027?
From Thursday 26 August to Monday 6 September 2027, Labor Day. The 2026 fair ran from 27 August to 7 September.
How many days is the Minnesota State Fair?
Twelve. It always ends on Labor Day.
Is the Minnesota State Fair free?
No. Entry is by admission ticket. The 2027 prices could not be read on the fair’s ticket page on 15 October 2026.
How many food vendors are at the Minnesota State Fair?
278 food and drink vendors, according to the official Fair Finder.
What are the new foods at the Minnesota State Fair?
The fair announces a list of official New Foods each year. In 2026 it included the Pickle Pie and the Sligo Slider Bites On-A-Stick.
How many people go to the Minnesota State Fair?
1,923,325 visits over the twelve days in 2026. The record, 2,126,551, dates from 2019.
Sources
- Minnesota State Fair: FAQ (2027 dates, ticket hours, app) consulted on October 15, 2026
- Minnesota State Fair: about the fair (history, fairgrounds, Travel + Leisure ranking) consulted on October 15, 2026
- Minnesota State Fair: attendance (2026 dates and totals) consulted on October 15, 2026
- Minnesota State Fair: contact (address, organiser) consulted on October 15, 2026
- Minnesota State Fair: tickets consulted on October 15, 2026
- Minnesota State Fair: New Foods for 2026 consulted on October 15, 2026
- Minnesota State Fair: Fair Finder, food (vendors, filters, deals) consulted on October 15, 2026
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