Travis Gienger of Anoka, Minnesota, said the pumpkin he’s growing this year could weigh more than the one he grew in 2020, which was the heaviest pumpkin in North America that year.
Hot takes on pickle pizza, dessert hummus, cheese curd tacos, vegan fried chicken, a black licorice ice cream sundae and more new things you can put in your pie hole at the Great Minnesota Get-Together.
Butter carving is a long-running tradition at the State Fair. It’s part of the Princess Kay of the Milky Way competition, which brings 10 finalists from around the state to compete for the crown.
In recent years, the State Fair has taken the wide issue of accessibility and brought it to the forefront of their planning. They offer an extensive accessibility guide including ASL interpreting services and sensory-friendly visits.
Ahead of the “Great Minnesota Get Together,” the State Fair Police Department recruited 200 officers from more than 50 agencies to patrol the fairgrounds, and they’ll have backup from the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension. The fair will also continue to use metal detectors at the entrances, something that started in 2021.
The giant bird, in protective wrap, made the road trip early Thursday morning. It will be on display in the Eco Experience building to raise awareness of the dangers of lead pollution.
When the State Fair was canceled in 1945 due to World War II and in 1946 for the polio epidemic, fair workers began constructing the new building. It opened in 1947 and has been a landmark on the fairgrounds ever since.
Fair officials said the 1,200 open positions are among more than 2,700 employees hired each year to staff the fair, which runs Aug. 25-Sept. 5. Positions include ticket sellers, ticket takers, parking and park & ride attendants, barn attendants and custodians.
