RNC in the Twin Cities: A day to squeeze in trip to fair

Labor Day brings both fairgoers and Republicans to St. Paul, but each group may never know that the other exists.

By KIM ODE, Star Tribune

Last update: July 8, 2008 - 5:34 PM

Odds are that politicians at the Republican National Convention won't be speaking softly. But if they move fast, they can eat food on big sticks.

OK, with abject apologies to Teddy Roosevelt, the good news is that people attending this year's Minnesota State Fair shouldn't even notice that there are an extra 45,000 people attending a national presidential nominating convention 6 miles away. If anything, the folks at the fairgrounds are hoping that conventioneers will arrive early enough to experience a few moments, or calories, of the state's annual get-together.

Officially, the two events will overlap one day -- Labor Day. The convention in downtown St. Paul runs Sept. 1-4; the fair's last day is Sept. 1.

"We don't anticipate that there will be any disruption for people coming to the fair," said Brienna Schuette, its communications supervisor. "As far as the convention's security perimeter, we know we'll be outside of that."

The Park & Ride locations are mostly suburban and so should be unaffected by traffic, she said. The only squeeze for out-of-towners may be finding lodging over the Labor Day weekend, but Schuette said she's heard that motel owners with longstanding customers made sure they kept rooms available for those who prefer eating pork chops on sticks to debating pork-barrel politics.

Schuette said the fair has been working closely with St. Paul police, and at any rate is familiar with visiting politicians. In 2004, John Kerry and Dick Cheney each campaigned there. Still, unauthorized protesting or picketing is prohibited on the fairgrounds, according to Statute 37 of the State Agricultural Society. That rule, Schuette said, has been around "for eons" -- sort of like the State Fair.

And politicians.

Kim Ode • 612-673-7185

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