Community Corner
Patch MN State Fair Guide: New Food, Fun and How To Get There From Golden Valley
We've highlighted your transportation options, ticket information, new attractions and some new food at the 2013 MN State Fair.
This is the week. The 2013 Minnesota State Fair starts Thursday, Aug. 22, and runs through Monday, Sept. 2. The state fairgrounds are located at 1265 North Snelling Ave. N. in St. Paul.
So what's new this year, how do you get there and how much will it cost? Here's a sampling of new activities and food and information on how to get there and how much it could be.
Tickets and Transportation
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Pre-fair discount admission tickets for any age cost $9 and are available this summer at the State Fairgrounds Box Office. You can also get discount tickets at your local Cub Foods locations and find out more about advanced ticket and discounts here.
To get to the fair from Golden Valley you have a several options. You can drive and park. Parking at State Fair lots cost $12 or you can pay with one additional pre-fair discount admission ticket of $9. Discount tickets are available through Wednesday, Aug. 21, at your local Cub Foods Stores or at the State Fair Box Office. Coming from the west you would take I-94 east to Snelling Avenue, turn left and head north.
Many people drive to a park and ride and take the bus to the fair. The closest park and ride is Brookdale Square in Brooklyn Center at 5900 Shingle Creek Parkway on the northeast corner of Shingle Creek Pkwy and Bass Lake Road or
possibly Parade Stadium at 600 Kenwood Parkway in Minneapolis across from Dunwoody. Both of these locations are available every day and leave about every 15 minutes from their respective locations.
You can find out more about Metro Transit availability here.
Some New Fun Things To Do
• Miss winter or not quite yet? You can now ice skate at the fair. Open 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily, Backyard Rinks offers you a chance to skate on synthetic ice and you don't even have to bring your own skates or socks. Cost is $3 for 10 minutes of skate time. Located on Randall Avenue south of the Progress Center.
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• Learn more about horses at "Equimania!" where you can see full-size skeletons and anatomy models, dental tools, tail-braiding and leg-wrapping activities along with an 80-foot-long digestive tract of the horse! Anything everything Equine to see for free 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily at the Horse Barn.
• Wonder what it'd be like to be IN art? Wonder no more. You gotta check out the Luminarium Exxopolis, a walk-through sculpture of winding paths, coves and domes with light and color all around you. Stained glass windows are three stories high and the structure is inspired by natural geometer, Islamic architecture and Gothic cathedrals. There's 32,000 square feet of plastic shape to go through here. The Luminarium is open 9 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. daily. Admission costs $4, but children under 5 are free. (Children under 16 must be accompanied by an adult.) The Luminarium is wheelchair accessible and located at the intersection of Cooper Street and Murphy Avenue, east of the Pet Center.
• Got someone who loves Legos? Stop at the free creation station to play anytime between 9 a.m. and 8 p.m. daily. There are DUPLO pieces, a race ramp, games and a Family Challenge Zone. Take photos and pose with life-size Lego models too! The lego area is located on Wright Avenue south of Baldwin Park.
• Find the Krazy Maze at Adventure Park and get lost for a while. The maze is filled with lights and music and a chance for families to explore or you can watch while others explore from a viewing deck. Cost is $5 per person and it is open 10 a.m. to midnight daily and 11 p.m. on Labor Day.
(Check out the fairgrounds map with this post to get acquainted with the sites. You can also find an interactive map and other directions here.)
What's To New To Eat
Deep-fried olives, taco sliders and peanut butter and jelly malts and shakes will be among 47 new foods at this summer's Minnesota State Fair.
The list of new items at the State Fair also includes:
- candied bacon cannoli
- chocolate chili ice cream
- English toffee fudge puppy
- grilled glazed donut
- pork belly sliders
- bourbon wurst
(Information provided by the MN State Fair website.)
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