What you need to know for day 5 of the State Fair: Los Lobos, Happy Together Tour and Lynx players

Monday will be the last time fairgoers can see knitting and quilting demonstrations.

August 25, 2025 at 10:00AM
Fairgoers ride the SkyGlider at the Minnesota State Fair. (Alex Kormann/The Minnesota Star Tribune)

The fifth day of the Great Minnesota Get-Together is here and with it, another warm and slightly humid day. Grab some sunscreen: Highs are projected to reach the mid-70s with a high UV index.

If you bought an online ticket, make sure to save it to your phone’s wallet, screenshot it or load the ticket fully before arriving. Some fairgoers are experiencing issues loading tickets at the fairgrounds due to busy cell service.

Monday is Seniors Day at the fairgrounds: People 65 and older get $5 off their admission tickets.

Traffic and parking have been a struggle at this year’s fair. Find parking options in real time at the State Fair’s website.

Things to do

Monday is the last day to see demonstrations from quilters and knitters in the Creative Activities Building. It marks mental health awareness and Minnesota State Patrol day. A full list of today’s events can be found here.

Love the Minnesota Lynx? Players Courtney Williams, Natisha Hiedeman and DiJonai Carrington will speak with Strib sportswriter Michael Rand at 5:30 p.m. at the Minnesota Star Tribune stag. Here’s the full lineup of events on the Strib stage.

Cannabis expert Clemon Dabney will also answer questions at 2 p.m. on the stage. At 4 p.m., Kenyon’s Ben and Meredith Johnson will sit with columnist Jill Burcum. The trio will discuss government and its impact on agribusiness.

Fair food

The Strib Taste Team tried more than 80 new foods at the fair so you don’t have to. While there are a dozen four-star favorites, the team’s “indisputable hit” was the Somali Street Fries for $15 at Oasis Grill & Hoyo Sambusa.

Twin Cities culinary influencer Jason Horowitz — who goes by @eatswithjason on Instagram — posted his top 10 staples at the fair this year. His favorites include Baba’s hummus bowls and Peterson’s Chicken N’ Chop charbroiled pork chop on-a-stick.

Looking for in-the-moment suggestions? The Strib Fair Bot helps choose fair food options by cuisine and location. The bot also helps find allergen-free foods.

Each Bandshell Tonight performer, including Los Lobos, will play two nights for free at the Minnesota State Fair. (Provided by Minnesota State Fair)

Music

Grandstand: The fair’s musical answer to its enduring amusement-park ride Ye Old Mill, the Turtles’ Happy Together Tour is still going round and round year after year with different oldies acts in tow. This year’s lineup includes what’s left of Jay and the Americans (“This Magic Moment”), Hibbing native Gary Puckett and the Union Gap (“Young Girl”), Little Anthony (“Tears on My Pillow”), the Vogues (“Five O’Clock World”) and the Cowsills (“The Rain, the Park & Other Things”). (7 p.m., $33-$77, axs.com)

Free: Way more than Happy Together, we are very happy the fair is bringing back Grammy-winning East Los Angeles rock institution Los Lobos for another two-night stand at the Bandshell on Monday and Tuesday. The acclaimed band that went to No. 1 in 1987 with “La Bamba” boasts all five of its core members and still puts on exuberant, danceable live shows filled with a cross-section of American and Mexican music. (8:30 p.m. Bandshell)

Local: When you play R&B and your name is James Brown, you better choose a stage name. Jaybee & the Routine are a veteran Twin Cities bar band that are anything but routine. They’re funky and soulful. (8 p.m. International Bazaar)

Want to stay in the loop on all things fair-related? Sign up for Essential State Fair to get the latest news, updates, and can’t-miss highlights — delivered straight to your inbox every day of the Minnesota State Fair.

about the writers

about the writers

Eleanor Hildebrandt

Reporter

Eleanor Hildebrandt is a reporter for the Minnesota Star Tribune.

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Chris Riemenschneider

Critic / Reporter

Chris Riemenschneider has been covering the Twin Cities music scene since 2001, long enough for Prince to shout him out during "Play That Funky Music (White Boy)." The St. Paul native authored the book "First Avenue: Minnesota's Mainroom" and previously worked as a music critic at the Austin American-Statesman in Texas.

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