Professional Documents
Culture Documents
2016 Great Minnesota Get-Together. The following is a list of State Fair experiences debuting this year.
Hen House
Two flocks of hens take up residence in this brand-new exhibit showing modern housing designed for
our egg-laying feathered friends. Discover more about how farmers use different egg production
systems to produce safe and wholesome food, and see a backyard chicken coop up-close. If youve never
seen a chicken lay an egg, this could be your chance!
Located in the CHS Miracle of Birth Center. Open 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily (3 p.m. on Labor Day).
Recipe Card Roundup
Create State Fair blue ribbon-winning cuisine in your own kitchen! This years Recipe Card Roundup
giveaway features six top recipes from 2015: Zesty Salsa, Strawberry Jam, Banana Bread, Gluten-Free
Pumpkin Bars, Apple Pie (filling and crust) and Chocolate Brownies. A limited quantity of these
collectible cards will be given away at 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. (while supplies last) each day in the Creative
Activities Building. (A schedule of which recipes will be given away on specific days will be available in
August and listed in our Fun Finder and daily schedules.)
Located in the Creative Activities Building. Limited quantity given away daily at 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.
(recipes vary by day).
National Park Service Centennial Day at Carousel Park
Minnesotas six national parks come together to host a fun-filled day celebrating the National Park
Service Centennial in 2016. Hands-on activity stations by the parks and their partners educate, entertain
and inspire fair guests to get to know and treasure our national parks. Enjoy stage entertainment by The
Lost Forty, Asian Media Access, Mark Twain and Trivia Mafia. Collect an exclusive State Fair-only stamp
as part of the National Park Service passport program.
Located at Carousel Park on Monday, Aug. 29, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Garden Kaleidoscopes & Floralpalooza: Color Your World
Peer into distinctive garden kaleidoscopes and see gorgeous flowers transform into mesmerizing images
of color and movement. These three unique metal sculptures and spinning flower bowls are created by
artist Robert C. Anderson of Sturgeon Bay, Wis. Floralpalooza: Color Your World, a collection of
botanical couture designs by the Minnesota State Florist Association, and a festive player piano also fill
the Rotunda of the iconic Agriculture Horticulture Building.
Located in the Agriculture Horticulture Building Rotunda. Open daily 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. (8 p.m. on
Labor Day).
A 15-foot Paul Bunyan re-fashions his outfit to call attention to a giant-sized waste problem:
Minnesotans throw away nearly 12 grocery carts of clothing and textiles every MINUTE.
A living greenwall more than 14-feet long created by the University of Wisconsin-River Falls
highlights study findings that show foliage can positively impact college students wellbeing and
academic performance.
The elegant, solar-powered Getaway Tiny House features a lofted sleeping and seating area.
Turn the pages and take a photo of a 7-foot pop-up book. Catch a story on reuse, recycle and
repair.
Eco Experience is a partnership of the State Fair, Minnesota Pollution Control Agency and more than 150
organizations and businesses across the state. It is the largest environmental event of its kind in the
country. www.ecoexperience.org
Located in the Progress Center, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.
New Kidway Ride
Charlie Chopper airlifts pint-size pilots skyward for a birds-eye view of Kidway.
Located at Kidway.
Selfie Spots
Taking the best selfies at the fair just got easier! Weve selected five iconic fairgrounds spots and
marked them with a Selfie Spot badge on the ground. Stand on the badges to snap fabulous State Fair
photo memories.
Located at five spots throughout the fairgrounds. Check out Selfie Spots in the Visitor Guide at
mnstatefair.org, or stop by an information booth for exact locations.
Bulls & Barrels Championship
The baddest bull riders and barrel racers in one competition! In the most heart-pounding eight seconds
in sports, bull riders from across the Midwest vie for thousands of dollars in prize money. Plus, the dust
flies when 12 of the regions premier horse and rider combos bolt through the cloverleaf barrel pattern in
a race against the clock. A free event of the Minnesota State Fair Horse Show.
Located in the Lee & Rose Warner Coliseum at 3 & 6 p.m. on Monday, Sept. 5.
Anniversaries of Fairchild and the Moo Booth
2016 marks significant anniversaries for these State Fair icons:
Our beloved face of the fair turns 50! Named in a statewide contest in 1966, Fairchild the Gopher
wears a green pinstriped jacket and is often seen with his sidekick and nephew, Fairborne, who
was introduced to the fair in 1983. Pose for photos with the birthday boy daily at 11 a.m. and
4 p.m. at Visitors Plaza.
Happy 25th anniversary to the acclaimed Moo Booth in the Cattle Barn! Watch cow milking, learn
fascinating facts about cattle care and behavior, join in fun cow-ntests and demonstrations, see
a showcase cattle breed, and more! Plus, join us for special 25th anniversary activities daily at
12:30 p.m. and an anniversary party at 3 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 26, following the Celebrity Milking
Contest.
Check out the daily schedules or online Fun Finder in August for photo opps and celebrations with
Fairchild, plus anniversary fun in the Moo Booth.
Located at Visitors Plaza and the Cattle Barn.
Arts AFair New Groups
These pop-up showcases celebrate performing arts in Minnesota. Making their Arts AFair debut this
year are Carly Wicks, Chicks on Sticks, Dreamland Arts, Interact Theater Company, and Mixed
Precipitation. Returning for encores are Black Storytellers Alliance, COLLIDE Theatrical Dance Company,
Duniya Drum & Dance, Green T Productions, Ifrah Mansour, In the Heart of the Beast Puppet & Mask
Theatre, Open Eye Figure Theatre, Stages Theatre Company, Theatre of Fools, Z Puppets Rosenschnoz,
and Zorongo Flamenco Dance Theatre & School.
Check out the daily schedules or online Fun Finder in August for performance dates and times.
Located at the Education Building Courtyard and West End Market.
Gate #18 Trolley Route
A free ADA-accessible trolley will run along Randall Avenue with stops at Buford Avenue and Gate #18 at
Dan Elmer Way. The trolley, which runs 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 3 to 9 p.m. daily, will serve guests who enter
at Buford Avenue or park at the Robin Lot.
Located on Randall Avenue with stops at Buford Avenue and at Gate #18, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 3 to 9 p.m.
CHS Miracle of Birth Center History Highlight
In the 15 years since it was established and 10 years since the move to its current location, the CHS
Miracle of Birth Center has become the most popular free exhibit at the State Fair and is the birthplace
of nearly 200 calves, lambs, goats and piglets each fair. The Minnesota Veterinary Medical Association
coordinates 150 volunteer veterinarians to staff the center, along with University of Minnesota interns
and FFA members who feed and care for the animals. The CHS Miracle of Birth Center is a new stop on
the self-guided History Walking and Cell Phone Tour. Pick up a tour brochure from the History &
Heritage Center or at any tour stop on the fairgrounds, or call (877) 411-4123 to listen anywhere.
Located at the CHS Miracle of Birth Center.
Special Exhibits
Fourteen traveling exhibits make a stop at the fair this year. New exhibit highlights include:
Check daily schedules or online Fun Finder in August for locations and a complete listing of all special
exhibits.
Located throughout the fairgrounds.
Unique Gifts and Home Dcor: 16 New Vendors
Visit mnstatefair.org for more information and photos of the 2016 New Attractions.