minnesota state fair

Visitors to the Minnesota State Fair will be able to cool off with ice cold beers topped with frozen foam.

The Minnesota State Fair kicks-off tomorrow (Thursday) in Falcon Heights. If you're planning on going to the fair any time during it's 12-day run, today (Wednesday) is your last chance to take advantage of some discount tickets.

Two local women will represent Stearns County this evening (Wednesday) for a chance to be crowned Minnesota's 61st Princess Kay of the Milky Way, the dairy industry’s official goodwill ambassador.

The Minnesota State Fair is raising admission prices by a dollar. Tickets at the gate of the Great Minnesota Get-Together will now cost $13 for adults and $11 for seniors 65 and older and kids 5-12. Children under 5 are still admitted for free.

The Minnesota State Fair draws nearly 2 million people, making it a choice location for nearly 800 businesses hawking everything from corn dogs to tractors. But officials and vendors say profits don't come easy.

Health officials are paying close attention at the Minnesota State Fair for any signs of swine flu. A strain of swine flu swept through fairs last summer, sickening over 300 people in a dozen states including Minnesota.

Smoking will be a little trickier at this year's Minnesota State Fair. A new rule limits smoking to 18 stations set up around the fairgrounds.

This glorious concoction is jammed with maggots, smothered with cheese (because we know that a creamy cheese topping makes everything tastier), and dropped on a good ole bun for easy handling. Oh, and of course, since it’s a state fair, the maggots are deep-fried.

The Minnesota State Fair will offer more than 20 new attractions and exhibits for the 2013 edition of the Great Minnesota Get-Together. Thrill-seekers will find four new rides, including "Air Raid," which takes riders on an acrobatic flight in all directions including upside down, and Riptide, a rollercoaster that ends with a spiral helix grand finale.

The Minnesota State Fair plans to limit open air smoking on its 320-acre property beginning this year. Smoking has already been prohibited in fair buildings and in entertainment seating areas, such as the grandstand.