The Minnesota State Fair reached its halfway point on Tuesday, September 1, with live coverage from Falcon Heights focusing on Military Appreciation Day, fairground entertainment and some of the event’s most talked-about food trends.
Active-duty service members, veterans and eligible military families were offered discounted admission, with the fair’s official programme featuring ceremonies, exhibitions and performances centred on Dan Patch Park.
The Minnesota National Guard co-ordinated the day’s activities, which included military bands, veterans’ recognition events and a military flyover. The 34th Infantry Division “Red Bull” Band was among those scheduled to perform.
The fair, which runs for 12 days from August 27 to September 7, is open from 7am to 11pm on most days. Tuesday’s programme also included a ceremony at the Bandshell and a range of military-related displays and support organisations at Dan Patch Park.
Entertainment was due to continue into the evening with Hairball, the 1980s rock tribute act, performing a free concert at the Grandstand from 7pm. The group was booked alongside special guest Slave Raider after a previously scheduled appearance by Rod Stewart was cancelled by the artist.
FOX 9’s live coverage from its booth beside the Giant Slide also followed the fair’s food scene. Reporter Chenue Her sampled a butter-dipped ice cream cone, while Tom Butler searched for the best tacos, including a new taco de mole from El Burrito Mercado.
An “On a Stick” inflation index featured in the day’s coverage found that prices for popular State Fair foods had remained broadly steady, as visitors continued to work their way through the event’s extensive food offering.
The 2026 fair also includes the new America Wheel, a 230ft observation wheel with 45 gondolas, alongside centenary celebrations for the Tilt-A-Whirl, which was invented in Minnesota.
