The Minnesota State Fair. (FOX 9)
MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - The first weekend of the Minnesota State Fair, plus other beloved festivals and much more are going on this weekend.
Minnesota State Fair
- Minnesota State Fairgrounds in Falcon Heights
- Thursday, Aug. 22, through Labor Day, Sept. 2.
- Tickets: Adults (13-64): $18, seniors and children: $16, children 4 and under: free.
The Great Minnesota Get Together is back this year with dozens of new foods, beverages and free entertainment options, as well as a lineup of Grandstand concert acts and more. The fairgrounds open daily at 7 a.m. and close at 11 p.m., except for Labor Day when the fairgrounds close at 9 p.m. Most buildings close at 9 p.m., except on Labor Day, when most close at 8 p.m. Here's a guide to everything you need to know about the Minnesota State Fair this year. Don't forget to stop by the FOX 9 booth to play our claw machine to win prizes.
Valleyfair Corn Fest
- Valleyfair, Shakopee
- Weekends and Labor Day through Sept. 2, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
- Free with park admission
Corn Fest at Valleyfair celebrates Minnesota's favorite crop, and includes live and local music, games and a corn-eating contest. Find more information here.
Minnesota Renaissance Festival
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MN Renaissance Festival begins this weekend in Shakopee
For the next seven weekends, you can go back in time to the 16th century. The Minnesota Renaissance Festival returns for its 53rd season in Shakopee. It’s the largest renaissance festival in the country with annual attendance of 300,000 people. The festival is open weekends, Saturday and Sunday from Aug. 17 through Sept. 28, from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. rain or shine.
- Festival fairgrounds, Shakopee
- Weekends through the end of September
- Tickets: Adults are $27.95, Seniors are $25.95, children ages 5–12 years old are $19.95, and children 4 and under are free.
The Minnesota Renaissance Festival brings people back to a 16th Century European village, featuring 16 entertainment stages, 250 artisans, food and drinks. It's the 52nd season of the festival.
Potato Days Festival
- Barnesville, Minnesota
- Aug. 23-24
Barnesville is touted as one of the best potato-producing areas in the United States, and it will celebrate its potato heritage this weekend. The festival, which dates back to the late 1930s, combines "traditional fares with a new millennium twist." Events include potato picking and peeling contests, the Miss Tator Tot Pageant, and mashed potato sculpting. For more information, click here.
Lakes Bluegrass Festival
- Pine River, Minnesota
- Wednesdays through Sundays from Aug. 21-24
- Tickets required
The Lakes Bluegrass Festival features regional and local bluegrass bands during the five-day musical event in Pine River, Minnesota. More information here.