What to do in Minnesota: 9 things happening this weekend (Aug. 26-28)

There is no shortage of events this week, especially with all the new offerings at the Minnesota State Fair.

Have an event you want to see featured? Email me at adelaide.vanpelt@fox.com.

Minnesota State Fair

• 1256 Snelling Ave. N, St. Paul
• August 26 through September 5
• Tickets: $17 per person

The Great Minnesota Get-Together is back! There are 38 official new foods and 10 new food vendors at the 2022 Minnesota State Fair, bringing the total to nearly 500 foods and about 300 different concession locations throughout the fairgrounds. Two new vendors include Pickle Barrel Sirloin Tips and Richie's Cheese Curd Tacos.

Along with the new food options, there will also be 46 new specialty beer choices at the fair this year.

There will also be more than 900 free shows at the Minnesota State Fair this summer, from concerts to stunt dog shows and the annual talent contest.

Related: Minnesota State Fair says security will be fully staffed this year

Minneapolis Vintage Market

• Utepils Brewing Company, Minneapolis
• August 28
• Free admission, $10 early access tickets available

Find Minnesota's best vintage clothing, accessories, and home goods vendors in one spot. Music from DJ Buster Baxter and coffee from the Get Down Coffee Co. will also be featured at the market.

Early Bird tickets cover first dibs on vintage shopping and include a complimentary coffee from The Get Down Coffee Co.

Summer Beer Dabbler

• Harriet Island, St. Paul
• August 26
• Tickets: $20-$70

The 13th annual Summer Beer Dabbler is back in a new location with riverside views on Harriet Island. With over 130 breweries sampling more than 400 beers, this event is a must-see for any craft beer lover. Cider, wine, and hard seltzer are also available from select vendors.

A variety of food will be available from local food trucks.

No one under the age of 21 is allowed at this event.

White Bear Meadery Grand Opening

• 1320 County Road D Circle, Maplewood
• August 26 beginning at noon
• Free admission

Minnesota's first mead hall opens this week. The meadery focuses on locally sourced ingredients, especially honey. 

The meadery will be debuting a special mead called Ratatoskr, a lingonberry mead made with Minnesota Grown wildflower honey. In addition, honey tasting and live honeybee containers will be at the event from the Meadery's main honey provider. The first 50 people receive a free White Bear Meadery tote bag. 

Milkweed Books Reopening Celebration

• 1011 Washington Ave. S, Suite 300, Minneapolis
• August 27 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• Free admission

For the first time since 2020, the local staple, Milkweed Books, is reopening. The celebration features special promotions, community connections, and excellent books.

Milkweed Books is owned and operated by Milkweed Editions, an independent literary press. Its mission is "to identify, nurture, and publish transformative literature, and build an engaged community around it."

Free events in Minnesota this weekend

Friday Flicks on the Bricks

• Nicollet Commons Park, Burnsville
• August 26 at 7:30 p.m.
• Free admission

Enjoy a free showing of "Raya and the Last Dragon" in the park. Seating begins at 7:30 p.m.

Apple Camp

• Multiple locations
• August 26 through August 28
• Free admission

This free program invites children ages 8 to 12 and their parents or guardians to their local Apple Store to participate in the activity Art Lab: Comic Book Adventure with Your Family.

Led by Apple Creative Pros, campers will create a story about protecting the planet and then take an iPad Pro and Apple Pencil outside to find inspiration in their surroundings. Next, the campers will take photos and add drawings, speech bubbles, and stickers to design their very own heroic stories. Campers will also receive a camp t-shirt and certificate following the session.

Find more details here.

Second Annual Lil Riders Day

• Highlands Park in Cottage Grove
• August 28 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
• Sign up for free here.

This event is dedicated to the youngest riders and their families. Introduce kids to biking or encourage them to learn about the world of BMX biking at this event.

The Mik Mart Ice Cream Truck will offer sweet treats at the park. 

The Cottage Grove Bike Park is a free 3-acre urban-style bike park. The park includes a paved pump track, a dirt pump track, four progressive dirt jump lines, a slopestyle course, a 4x track, a tot track, and two mountain bike skills areas. 

Erica West Live

• Umbra Minneapolis
• August 26 and August 27
• Free to attend

Erica brings a beautiful fusion of soulful R&B, pop, jazz, and blues-inspired melodies to the microphone at a beautiful venue, the Umbra within the Canopy Hotel. Get dinner reservations here.