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Aug. 21 – Labor Day, Sept. 1, 2025

293 Days 12 Hours 5 Mins

History: 2024 Anniversaries

Anniversaries

170 years: 1854

  • Minnesota Territorial Agricultural Society was founded; later becomes Minnesota State Agricultural Society, which governs the Minnesota State Fair (Minnesota became a state in 1858).

165 years: 1859

  • First Minnesota State Fair, held in Minneapolis

140 years: 1884

  • State Fair held in Owatonna, the last year before finding a permanent home in its current location

125 years: 1899

  • First year of electricity on the fairgrounds, allowing the fair to stay open to the public in the evening
  • First evening grandstand show was horse races followed by a fireworks presentation

120 years: 1904

  • First enclosed carnival midway, called “The Mighty Pike”

115 years: 1909

  • Third (current) Grandstand constructed
  • First automobile show at the fairgrounds, held in the new Grandstand

110 years: 1914

  • Permanent rollercoaster east of the Grandstand built (was razed in 1935); carousel constructed (removed in 1989 and now resides in Como Park)

105 years: 1919

  • Rabbit breed classes added to the poultry department

100 years: 1924

  • Skywriting added as a daily feature

90 years: 1934

  • Conservation (DNR) Building constructed
  • Streetcar Arch constructed

85 years: 1939

  • State Fair extended from eight days to 10 days
  • Newly constructed 4-H Building dedicated on Aug. 31 (completed in 1940)

75 years: 1949

  • Salem Lutheran Church Dining Hall debuted
  • Food Show and Beer Garden (Food Building and The Garden) completed
  • Last year of horse racing at the Grandstand

70 years: 1954

  • Fine arts exhibit moves to third floor of Grandstand; loaned works from the Minneapolis Institute of Art include paintings by Matisse and Renoir
  • First year of using only buses for public transportation (streetcars removed in 1953)

60 years: 1964

  • Skyride constructed
  • Teen-Age Fair opened on west end of fairgrounds (later the site of Heritage Square and now West End Market)

55 years: 1969

  • Giant Slide constructed

40 years: 1984

  • Glass-enclosed Milking Parlor added to Cattle Barn

30 years: 1994

  • Adventure Park opened east of the carnival midway (In 2021 Adventure Park moved to its current location on Judson Avenue between the Dairy Building and Gate #9
  • Ben C. Hallberg Rural Youth Scholarship established (now known as Minnesota State Fair Scholarship)

25 years: 1999

  • The University of Minnesota Bee Lab debuted the bee beard demonstration – placing 10,000 honey bees on the faces of multiple brave volunteers located in Agriculture Horticulture Building.
  • The Garden featuring Tejas, Rajin Cajun, Ball Park Cafe and Chicago Dogs debuted

20 years: 2004

  • Nigerian dwarf goats breed added to open class dairy goats competition

15 years: 2009

  • Moo Booth renovated
  • FAN Central featuring Minnesota’s professional sports teams opened

10 years: 2014

  • West End Market debuted, replacing Heritage Square; includes History & Heritage Center, Schell’s Stage at Hugh & Margaret Schilling Amphitheater, The Blue Barn, LuLu’s Public House and more
  • Transit Hub constructed on west end of fairgrounds
  • Streetcar Arch originally built in 1934 restored and moved to new West End Gate entrance
  • University of Minnesota Driven to Discover exhibit debuted

5 years: 2019

  • North End Neighborhood redeveloped; includes North End Event Center, Minnesota Corn Fairstalk, Minnesota Marquees and new food and merchandise concessions
  • Chef Sean Sherman presented Indigenous Food Lab at Dan Patch Park