City kids get up-close and personal with a mule at the Children's Barnyard. Photo: Henry A. Simacek, Sr. courtesy of Minnesota State Fair
The Great Minnesota Get-Together
(Minnesota State Fair)
One of the nation's largest and best-attended
agricultural and educational entertainments, the fair attracts over
1.6 million people annually from Minnesota, the U.S., and Canada.
Free entertainment on six stages, along with ten nights of
nationally known entertainers, make it the event of the summer in
Minnesota. Originally attended primarily by farmers and their
families, the fair still showcases the finest agriculture and
livestock in the state. Hands-on educational exhibits for
non-farmers have been added to the standard livestock displays. The
12-day exposition has been held since 1885 on 340 acres of
fairgrounds located between the downtown areas of St. Paul and
Minneapolis. (The first state fair was in 1859, but the site was
rotated each year.) The project includes historical text, 11
photographs, brochures, a poster, and copies of six annual reports
for the fair, including an 1880 and an 1899 report.
Originally submitted by: Rod Grams, Senator.
The Local Legacies project provides a "snapshot" of American Culture as it was expressed in spring of 2000. Consequently, it is not being updated with new or revised information with the exception of "Related Website" links.