Although the COVID-19 infection peak in Minnesota is expected in July, the threat of contagion killed this year's event, which draws hundreds of thousands from around the state.
Permits are required on some city streets to help residents park near their homes. But some people have been selling their permits to make extra money, particularly during the State Fair.
Should we get used to 2 million? Or was the 2019 Great Minnesota Get-Together a particularly good year? Three observations show how we got there this time.
When the cold winds and dull tones of winter have set in, Minnesotans can look back at the colorful, flavorful height of summer, captured on Instagram at #stfair19 in shades of cotton-candy pink, Sky-Glider blue, mustard yellow and dairy calico.
In addition to the champion giant pumpkins and sugar beets, the State Fair boasts a large crop of cute babies, some straining at stroller straps, some lounging in hay.
For years, Dede Hard has ordered the food, organized the crew and overseen preparations. The 4-H kitchen gets the biggest food delivery at the State Fair.
Right around when the fair was born in the 1800s, tintype photography was in its heyday. This feat of photographic alchemy freezes a 2019 State Fair moment in Civil War-era tones. Tintype photography by Alex Kormann.
Coverage of the annual Minnesota State Fair. including food reviews, grandstand concert performances, full daily schedules, live video and a fairground map.