Minnesota State Fair Day 7: Read & Ride, Oink Day and Toby Keith

To know: The rides at Mighty Midway and Kidway have a one ticket discount all day. Equine fun will have to wait as the horse barn is closed for the day. The weather is expected to be a high of 82 degrees with a 20 percent chance of rain. Check out the fair’s Website for a full schedule of the day’s activities and events.

To bookmark on your calendar: It’s Read & Ride Day at the fair, and public library cardholders of all ages receive a $2 or $3 discount on admission. Children can write a “story-on-a-stick” and participate in a Minnesota Library Scavenger Hunt. Activities are held all day at Carousel Park.

To wallow in the muck: Porcine pleasures abound during Minnesota Oink Day. Pig programming includes trivia contests, temporary tattoos and appearances by Farmer Nelson and Perfect the Pig. From 10 a.m. on at the Christensen Farm Stage, adjacent to the Miracle of Birth Center.

To buck: It’s the first day for the High School Rodeo at the Warner Coliseum. The show starts at 6:30 p.m.

To hear: St. Louis Park businessman and country star Toby Keith plays the grandstand at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are available for $39, $49 and $59, but seating is limited. Keith shares the stage with Eric Church.

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Golden Valley Patch's ongoing Minnesota State Fair coverage:

Monday 'Where at the Fair?' Answer: Midway Ticket Booth

Updated: 

State Fair Day 5: Stock Dogs, Drug-Sniffing Dogs and Sixties Songs

State Fair Day 4: Fiddle Contests, Milk Runs and Minnesota Chefs

Saturday 'Where at the Fair?' Answer: Haunted House

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Fair information

Here’s Patch’s rundown on what you need to know to get to the fair and find your way around:

Admission

Hours

Admission gates open daily at 6 a.m. Ticket sales end at 10 p.m. (9 p.m. on Labor Day). Grounds close at midnight (10 p.m. on Labor Day). Most buildings are open 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Cost

Adults (13-64) pay $12, seniors and children 5 and older pay $10, and children younger than 5 are admitted for free. Promotional days are offered throughout the fair.

Transportation

The Minnesota State Fairgrounds are located at 1265 North Snelling Ave. N. in St. Paul. Maps and directions are available on the fair’s website. Note that light-rail construction on University Avenue will slow traffic flow; the fair’s Website has tips on how to avoid the congestion.

Here’s a breakdown of various transportation options:

Car
Fairgrounds parking
State fair parking lots cost $12 and can be accessed off Larpenteur, Snelling, or Cleveland avenues. Discount tickets can be purchased in advance through Aug. 24 at Cub Foods or the State Fair Box Office. (Motorcycle parking is offered for $6 on Como Avenue.)

Free park and ride
Free parking is available at 34 locations around the fairgrounds. Complimentary buses leave every 20 minutes from 8 a.m. to midnight to pick up fair-goers. In 2010, the park and ride program gave 920,000 rides.

Bike
Free bike racks are offered at the Como-Snelling and Hoyt-Snelling gates and at Commonwealth-West Dan Patch from 6 a.m. to midnight daily.

Bus
Regular bus routes
Three buses service the fair and accept cash or transit passes. Route 960 goes from Nicollet Mall in downtown Minneapolis to the fairgrounds in about 15 minutes. Route 84 travels along Snelling Avenue. Route 3 connects downtown Minneapolis to downtown St. Paul along Como Avenue.

Express bus service
State Fair Express buses operate from 17 Twin Cities locations on 15- and 30-minute loops. Check the fair’s express bus Website for more information.

Navigating the fair

The state fair’s Website has downloadable maps of the grounds and daily activity schedules. You can also keep checking Patch for a daily rundown of the top five things to see and do at the fair.

Smart phones

The state fair is also smart phone accessible, with a mobile Website and stand-alone apps for iPhones and Android phones that include a manipulable map and the ability to search listings of events, merchandise and food.