Local
Gallery: Keith Urban at the Minnesota State Fair
Review: Country superstar Keith Urban at the State Fair, with opener Kelsea Ballerini.
Eat & Drink
Record number of new State Fair foods, but which ones are best?
Quantity wins over quality in this year's nod to over-the-top excess in a season that boasts the most-ever new State Fair foods. We sampled dozens of offerings and rated them all.
Local
Minnesota State Fair opens with nice weather, big crowds
Gov. Mark Dayton proclaimed Thursday Ye Old Mill day in honor of the ride's first century.
Local
Music
![Def Leppard's Joe Elliott , left, and Phil Collen performed "Disintegrate" with the rest of the band. ]](https://arc.stimg.co/startribunemedia/JCPNMLSM3NPBP3E4TL4WKKRNW4.jpg?h=91&w=145&fit=crop&bg=999&crop=faces)
Def Leppard, Styx show how to rock at State Fair
"Rock of Ages" took on new meaning in the first grandstand concert of the fair's latest musical lineup.
St. Paul
Black Lives Matter pushes ahead with fair protest plans
The group plans to hold a march and rally outside the fair at 11 a.m. Saturday to call attention to issues facing black communities and to alleged disparity issues at the fair.
Local
Gallery: A rockin' start for Fair concert series
It was a '70s revival night on opening day of the State Fair as rockers Def Leppard, Styx and Tesla brought squeals and screams from a sold-out crowd.
Variety
Hey, Minnstagrammers: Let's meet up at the State Fair
The Star Tribune is partnering with the local Insta-experts at @Minnstameets on the Aug. 29 event, which we're calling the Great Minnesota Gram Together.
Local
Politics
Gov. Mark Dayton State Fair appearance marked by salty comments
Gov. Mark Dayton has a reputation for speaking his mind, at times to his own political detriment. He spoke freely again at a State Fair visit Thursday.
Local
Driving to the fair today? Expect to wait in traffic
Early afternoon is when parking spaces start to turnover as folks who arrived early head out and crowds expected for the sold out Grandstand show featuring Def Leppard and STYX won't start showing up for a few hours. Expect things to remain busy, however.
Eager fairgoers line up before dawn for MN State Fair kickoff
The Great Minnesota Get-Together opened its gates at 6 a.m. Thursday.
Eat & Drink
Rick Nelson tries every new State Fair food – and tells all
Star Tribune restaurant critic Rick Nelson is in for a marathon day at the Minnesota State Fair, sampling every new food offered for 2015. Let out your belt and follow along.
Local
Wright County's Kyla Mauk is State Fair's new Princess Kay
On each of the 12 days of the fair, Princess Kay of the Milky Way and her court will have their likenesses carved into 90-pound blocks of butter.
Eat & Drink
Nothing better than breakfast at the Minnesota State Fair
The most underrated food category at the Minnesota State Fair? Breakfast. Think about it. The crowds? Thin. The parking? Easy. The heat? Coming later. The prices? Reasonable.
Local
Live: Climb it. Pat it. Ride it. Day One at the Fair
The gates are open, breakfast on a stick is served and royalty and politicians are already doing their thing at the Minnesota State Fair.
Local
Why this Minnesota transplant loves the State Fair
The fair not only neutralizes cheap irony, but it allows you to love so many things that seem grubby and dumb and obnoxious the other 50 ½ weeks of the year.
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Minnesota State Fair
Coverage of the annual Minnesota State Fair. including food reviews, grandstand concert performances, full daily schedules, live video and a fairground map.
