Minnesota State Fair Just Crowned Best in the U.S. Again
As the Minnesota State Fair is gearing up for its 2025 run, it was once again just named the Best State Fair in America... again.
The Minnesota State Fair is one of the largest and best-attended expositions in the world. Showcasing the North Star State’s finest agriculture, art, and industry, as its website says, 'the Great Minnesota Get-Together is 12 Days of Fun ending Labor Day!'
Our state fair has been a summer tradition here in the Land of 10,000 Lakes for almost as many years as Minnesota has been around. According to the official Minnesota State Fair website, the first Fair was held way back in 1859, just a year after Minnesota itself became a state.
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Speaking of fun, here's a fun fact: Did you know the state fair used to be held at various cities around Minnesota? That's right, before the permanent location on fairgrounds in Falcon Heights (midway between Minneapolis and St. Paul) it used to rotate locations, with various versions having been held in Rochester, Red Wing, Winona, Owatonna, Minneapolis, and St. Paul.
This year's State Fair will kick off on Thursday, August 21st, and run through Labor Day, September 1st. And now, once again, Minnesota is in the spotlight for having the Best State Fair in the entire country.
That's not a brag, that's a fact... at least according to People's 2025 Reader's Choice Awards. Earlier this year, People said, 'an expert panel nominated their top picks for state fairs, then readers voted to decide who gets the blue ribbons.' And it turns out, they chose the Minnesota State Fair as the best in the U.S.
Specifically, People said the following about our state fair:
The Minnesota State Fair is one of the region’s most widely attended activities, drawing nearly two million visitors every year. The fair is located on a 320-acre fairground and typically runs from late August into Labor Day. It’s one of the nation’s biggest fairs, employing 80 full-time employees and about 2,000 people during fair time, and it has enormous economic impact on the Twin Cities and surrounding areas.
Of course, this latest accolade about our state fair from the national media isn't new. Just last year, Morning Brew called the Minnesota State Fair the best in the country, and in 2023, the website Wide Open Country ranked the Minnesota State Fair as the best in the U.S. And, don't forget, readers of USA Today also named the Great Minnesota Get-Together as the best state fair in the country back in 2015 as well.
From the entertainment, to the exhibits, and the food, the Minnesota State Fair will no doubt continue to impress again this year. Speaking of great State Fair food, keep scrolling to take a look at all the new food and drink items that are making their debut at this year's Minnesota State Fair!
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New Foods and Food Vendors for the 2025 Minnesota State Fair
Gallery Credit: Carly Ross
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