Dairy Building Minnesota State Fair

The sirloin tips exceeded my expectations and are honestly a great deal. For $14, you get a full sirloin with mashed potatoes, mushrooms, and sautéed onions and peppers. The mashed potatoes were a bit soggy and had red skin, if that's important to you. If you're undecided, you can even ask for a sample. The food long hot dog with grilled onions is a classic; it’s $8 and absolutely hits the spot. The Peterson's pork chop was incredibly juicy and flavorful for just $11. And the onion rings from Danielson's? Adorably served to me by Grandpa and so fresh and hot—simply delicious for $5.50 with a coupon. The Nitro ice cream was such a treat that I forgot to take a photo! It’s only available in vanilla, but it’s the creamiest ice cream I’ve ever had. I recently started making ice cream sandwiches with Sweet Martha's cookies, and it’s a total game changer! That’s $6. A few tips for your visit: If you're not much of a drinker, invest in a refillable sipper and keep it for years; refills are usually under $3. Mine conveniently attaches to my bag. The park-and-ride lots fill up fast, so check social media for availability before you head over. Bring an insulated cup filled with ice for water, like my Stanley—it was a lifesaver on hot days, plus the refill stations have ice-cold water. Don't forget to bring Ziplock bags! I usually take two gallon-sized, two quart-sized, and two sandwich-sized for leftovers. And skip the backpack; there are enough bag giveaways that you can easily get one there. Come for the people-watching, the food, and just to have a great time!

Honestly, this place doesn’t even need a review, but if you're on the fence about going, let me assure you—you absolutely should! The variety and selection of food and drinks here are incomparable to any other fair I've attended. They've also made a commendable effort to include vegetarian and gluten-free options! Each year brings a fresh list of food items, and it's a blast to discover and taste all the new offerings. It can get quite crowded, so if you're not a fan of large crowds, the first few hours and the last few hours of each day are much more manageable.

Despite this, there's still plenty to explore, meet new people, and have fun—if you know the right places to go and what activities to engage in. Bring a good water bottle and some snacks, and make sure to refill your water whenever you can. Familiarize yourself with the restroom locations and keep an eye out for bargains, as there are definitely deals to be found. I particularly enjoy the exhibits featuring cows, pigs, horses, and the Eco-building. There’s so much to see! Arrive early and plan to spend the entire day there. Set a budget and stick to it, and you’ll still have a fantastic experience—it just needs a little fine-tuning.

There were tons of amazing food options; the cookies and milk stand had one of the longest lines, along with many fried delights, delicious drinks, and plenty of beer gardens and wine choices. I took the tram from one end to the other to get a better sense of the layout. There were also plenty of activities for kids to enjoy. Oh, and there was Bingo on the grounds! You can play for fair tickets for either the current year or for next year. I was so close to winning—just one number away! About the parking situation... good luck with that! There are fantastic headlining acts at the Grandstands, with a capacity of over 13,000. It's a great way to wrap up the fair. I'm definitely going back, and I can't wait!

How do you review something so classic? As a child, I visited this place often with my family, and I would get so excited that I would make myself feel unwell—at least, that’s what they say! (I might just have issues with crowds or something.) In 2023, I started volunteering in the veterinary medicine section, and I’m really glad to be back; I actually enjoyed wandering around on my own! I’m happy to see that they’ve been adding more vegan options. I attended a Brandi Carlile concert there in 2019, and it was my first time experiencing the Grand Stand. There’s always so much to do and so little time!