From what I understand, based on the marketing for the Minnesota State Fair attempting to get attendance numbers up, most people spend one day at the Fair with their families and one day with just themselves. I know plenty of people who tell me they cannot see everything in one day and must go back time and time again to fit everything in. Never being one to get all that excited for the Great Minnesota Get Together but always heading there anyway because The Wife loves it, I find myself in the odd position of having to visit the State Fair twice this year.
For my company’s yearly picnic they are busing us to the State Fair and setting up a tent there for us to socialize and eat food. While I have never had the pleasure of attending my company’s other picnics as they have always been held during my yearly vacations, from what I understand this is a welcome change. While I originally suggested to my wife that she bring The Rooster and come that day, saving us a ticket cost, due to budgeting we’ll have to wait until closer to the end of the Fair in order for the rest of the family to go.
With two days at the Fair I really don’t know what I’m going to handle being there by myself as The Wife usually has a strict itinerary for us to stick to as we make our way through the fairgrounds. I figure I’ll stick to drinking beer and eating the spiciest foods I can find–that would make for a good post right?
So how many times do you go to the Minnesota State Fair and what do you do differently each time? When did you start the tradition of going multiple times? When it costs as much as it does how do you justify it to yourself? Whatever you have to say about this one go ahead and vote over on the sidebar and then comment on with your thoughts below! After you do that feel free to check out our expired polls in the archive or read through the previous posts about polls here.
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August 22nd, 2010 at 8:09 am
I have yet to visit the place. I was born in MN, raised 4 hours from here in Northern Wisconsin, but have been back in the Twin Cities area now for 8 years. Still haven’t been. Let’s just say crowds of people don’t exactly excite me. But maybe this year is the year…
August 22nd, 2010 at 8:37 am
I usually only go once a year, and I don’t go every year at that. When I was younger, though, I did go twice a couple of years — once during the day to be with my family and look at the stuff they’re interested in (animals, horticulture, and art) and the other time to hang out with my friends at night around the Midway. This was in the late 90′s, though, so it was cheaper then.
As far as trying to see everything — it’s not like it really ever changes for the most part. Unless there’s something going on that particular year, like if someone I knew was showing a horse or something, I’ve always just looked at whatever and left when I’d had enough.
August 22nd, 2010 at 8:44 am
My sister and I always take my Mom every year. That visit is strictly to make it to the food building area, sit Mom down and fetch her the foods she loves there. She is 86 and I think this year might be a challenge. She absolutely will not get in a wheelchair or scooter. I will do a night tour with my husband that will involve beer and various forms of hot dogs.
August 22nd, 2010 at 9:13 am
we’ll be only going once. the plan is to leave from the MOA early, work our way from the bus drop to the pet center, back to the barns, then back on the bus. hopefully out by 1pm. i don’t have any desire to cover the whole place.
bb
August 22nd, 2010 at 9:40 am
I would seriously consider quitting my job if they thought a good company picnic was at the state fair. GROSS.
August 22nd, 2010 at 9:44 am
We go twice — when we go with our kids, we start at all the ag buildings: go see the sheep and chickens and cows and horses. Then we go up to Machinery Hill – do the little farmhands exhibit, let the kids sit on John Deere tractors (never the Cat tractors or IH. They suck) and then go on the kids rides.
Then we go with a group of friends and eat and drink and listen to some of the live music. The acts on the Leinie’s Lodge bandshell can be really great.
I usually have to be out there a lot for work (WCCO-TV) – but I still get a kick out of the people-watching at the fair. It’s about the same cost as going to a movie – especially if you use one of the free park & rides (which you should- because parking is crazy).
August 22nd, 2010 at 10:20 am
I have not been to the state fair in probably 9 years now. I went at that time only to satisfy the whiny attitude of my now ex who LOVES the state fair. I have another obligation over that time span where I volunteer, and due to personal ties to this obligation, I shall not return to the fair, ever, which is OK with me.
It’s too many people, kids with no manners, obese people shoving anything they can find deep fried on a stick down their gullet and too many people. (Yes I repeated myself)
My other obligation at the Western MN Steam Threshers has over 200 acres of grounds, about 1/2 of that with working exhibits. Machinery hill is no comparison to WMSTR, since all of our stuff runs. We don’t have a million food vendors, or commercialization of annoying tween-radio stations pumping bass around the grounds. We’ve got plenty of activities for kids, working steam trains, parades, music, great food and even better people :)
The only reason I could ever conceive going to the fair, would be to see one of the country acts, but since they tour anyways, I can see them another time.
From what I remember, the cost for me, for two people at the fair when you included tickets, food, and all of the other fair related expenses, it was more than I care to spend in that short of time.
August 22nd, 2010 at 10:21 am
I work at the Fair, too, so I’m there for 12 days solid, 6am to midnight. The people-watching is pretty amazing sometimes, but it’s crazy seeing how some of the, um, bigger people keep stuffing stuff in their pie hole.
August 22nd, 2010 at 11:27 am
I go at least once, sometimes two or three times — depending on work obligations and the family schedule. Love the fair, the whole vibe. As Jason DeRusha said above, some of the free music acts at the Leinie’s stage are amazing — we saw the Wailers there last year. For free. The fam likes to look at all of the weird animals in the barns — the misshapen rabbits, oddly feathered chickens and dwarf horses. I like to graze my way around the fairgrounds and sip a few cold Summits (on or off a stick — it makes no nevermind to me). I also love to browse in the fur and hide shack in Heritage Square. Every now and then I purchase a claw or tooth to make necklaces for my nephews. Now that’s a shopping experience you won’t find at the Burnsville Center or MOA…
August 22nd, 2010 at 12:31 pm
I love the state fair. We usually go at least twice sometimes three times. This year we have tickets to Rush on 8/27 so we’ll show up after work and eat a couple of our favorites then head to the concert. We’ll go another day just to wander around without an itinerary.
In recent years I’ve made a day of it with my dad. He loves the fair (NOT for the food) but my step-mom doesn’t really like it so if she goes it is begrudgingly. My dad likes to wander around, people watch, the only thing he eats is the breakfast burrito (must be meatless) served in one of the buildings. I like to go with him because he tells a lot of good stories about growing up and going to the fair.
August 22nd, 2010 at 12:50 pm
I don’t go to the state fair.
Don’t like the prices of stuff there.
Don’t like the parking there.
Don’t like the traffic getting there. (I avoid the entire area during the state fair.)
Don’t like riding the bus.
All of that contributes quite well to the thought of not going.
August 22nd, 2010 at 5:38 pm
For the last 8 years my husband and I went to the State Fair as many times as we could afford, both money and time wise. So usually 5 times. But this year we are no longer together and I’m finding it hard to muster up the enthusiasm I usually have.
I love Fringe Fest, the Fair and Christmas. They are the three things I really look forward to every year. The rest of the year is waiting for one of those three things to happen.
August 23rd, 2010 at 3:23 am
I have gone once or twice to volunteer for an organization with an exhibit. But other than that ….
I find the fair … too hot … crowded … But I can see, if you’re a certain age, it’s a fine place to live for a while in an alternate reality.
August 23rd, 2010 at 10:40 am
usually end up going because of a concert. when I was younger I’d go once ever year, originally with parents, then my wife and our kids. the last few years I did’t go due to the feeling of just way too many people back in 2005. It’s not just the large amount of people, but the large amount of people that lack any form of courtesy. People will push right between you and your wife as you are walking along. People will inexplicably stop in the middle of a sidewalk as a group of 4 to 8 and just chat, while everyone else needs to move around them. It is like being trapped in a Grocery store on Saturday.
Going to go this year in the morning on a weekday and try and spend some quality time with the wife, and see if we can avoid the massive crowds.
August 23rd, 2010 at 1:19 pm
I put down zero, though that’s not exactly true. But, a quick average of the times I’ve been to the fair in the 9 years I’ve lived in Minnesota came out to less than .5, so there you have it.
I lived a block off of Snelling across from the fairgrounds for a year. That pretty much kills any joy associated with the fair. Two weeks of not being able to park at my own house, of people staring into our house, of having to stay awake until after the fireworks each night because they shook the house… not fun.
So I go once every year or three. It’s OK. I don’t really get why it’s such a big deal. Where I grew up (Illinois), we had county fairs, and while they’re smaller, they were pretty much just smaller versions of what we do here. Far fewer people, far less hassle, and still all the great fried foods. (Though to be fair, Illinois is not known for “food on a stick” like Minnesota is.)
August 23rd, 2010 at 1:39 pm
I’ll be there once — my 20th straight year dating back to when I moved to MN. I enjoy the Fair, although it offers a little less of interest than it used to. I get free admission (volunteering for a few hours) and my wife and kids will join up around noon when my shift is over. This year I plan on going VERY early (around sunrise, if possible) to try some photography before I have to report for duty at my booth. Who knows if I’ll actually have the discipline to follow through on that.
Bill didn’t ask specifically, but my favorite things to do there/the things that keep me going back are take some time in the Fine Arts building — there are usually some great photos in there, as well as some good paintings and other media. For some reason, strolling through the animal barns interests me, and last year my wife and I watched a sheep auction in the evening. It was kind of like a scene out of a Norman Rockwell painting. Every now and then, there’s a good free concert at the (I think) Leinie’s stage. About 10 years ago we saw Keith Urban there before he became a huge country star (and Nicole Kidman’s husband). It was a great concert.
August 23rd, 2010 at 5:25 pm
Hey Joey, they also have goats at the fair, just in case someone has “gotten your goat” recently. Maybe even “Olive” will show up. ;)
August 23rd, 2010 at 8:28 pm
@Whit, Casa Nostra has a booth?!? ;)
I can’t drive by that place without laughing now.
August 23rd, 2010 at 11:28 pm
We decided that we’ll consider going every other year. Last year we did the MN Renaissance Festival instead (another whole blog topic to be sure.) So this year we’ve talked about going to the Great MN Get Together. Two years ago we managed to see everything we wanted to see in the space of about 5 hours. We certainly didn’t cover the entire grounds, but honestly, how many times do we need to see the giant boar and the birth of baby farm animals?
August 25th, 2010 at 9:10 am
I was a 4-Her, and I brought pigs to fair for 4 years. Its a thrill, spending a 4-day weekend living in a dorm above the cattle barn or 4-H building, with one afternoon for your “show” and the remaining days screwing around the fair. I really had a lot of time to explore the nooks and crannies, which was an awesome experience. And since I knew the money I didn’t blow on food was mine to keep, I lived off the junk food I packed and over-priced milk from the “fair store” behind the poultry barn.
I tried going at least every-other year since, but having kids made that tougher. Wasn’t going to do it this year, until my son scored some free tickets from his library-book-club.
August 25th, 2010 at 9:50 pm
Kassie, I am sorry. I hope things will go well for you and that you find new and happy traditions.
August 26th, 2010 at 10:43 am
Olive hates the fair.
Olive hates the prices of stuff there.
Olive hates the parking there.
Olive hates the traffic getting there.
Olive hates riding the bus (because MTC won’t allow goats on the bus, bastards).
Olive is also afraid of running into some old relatives she hasn’t kept in touch with, leading to awkward situations.
August 28th, 2010 at 10:51 am
I have been to the Minnesota State Fair many, many times in the 25+ years of living in MN. I have gone at least once a year mostly, with one year going four times and one year not at all.
I absolutely LOVE it and my kids, too, count down the days until the fair opens again.
Granted it is vaguely the same buildings, same animals, same craft projects, same types of shows every year; each visit is soo vastly different from another.
Yesterday, highlights included: my one-year-old nephew randomly hugging elderly persons sitting in the row in front of us as we stopped to watch a show at the coliseum, calling each one ‘grandma’ or ‘grandpa’; stopping to help a woman whose child vomited in one of the buildings, offering any kleenex or napkins we had on hand, and sitting with her until we could find State Fair staff member to come aid her further; and seeing a cousin (and enjoying a shady bench with) whom I haven’t seen, let alone caught up with, in at least a year. After spending about $27 (including admission) and spending about 10 hours at the fair, I boarded the free park and ride bus, and I hear my young son, through a stifled yawn say, ‘I wanna come back tomorrow, too, mom.’ I smiled, sharing the same thoughts.
The Minnesota State Fair is about much, much more than huge crowds and enjoying foods on a stick. Too bad it only comes once a year…
August 29th, 2010 at 8:11 am
[...] week’s poll about how many times you attend the Minnesota State Fair every year came out with an unsurprising result that the vast majority of respondents go once or twice a year. [...]
August 31st, 2010 at 3:41 pm
p.s. if anyone is worried that Bill has cut down too much of his 4 letter word usage… don’t fret. Subscribe to his twitter stream and you learn he still can spell up to 4 letters. i.e. he’s having lots of fun at the Fair right now.
August 31st, 2010 at 3:46 pm
Heh.
August 31st, 2010 at 4:36 pm
We spent the day at the fair yesterday and had a great time. It seemed very busy for a weekday.
August 31st, 2010 at 6:17 pm
the mrs. is making noise about not going this year, dang!
bb