Minnesota State Fair 2023: 20 Ideas for Free Family Fun!

Girl driving a mini tractor at the Lil Farmhands attraction at the Minnesota State Fair

The time is drawing near for families to finalize their Minnesota State Fair family fun plans!

What’s that? You haven’t yet decided if you’ll be attending this year? I do tend to forget that not everyone is quite as obsessed with this Minnesota ritual as I am. I can empathize: I find it uncomfortably hot, crowded and expensive much of the time, too. But after years of dragging my brood of four kids to the Fair for days on end I’ve honed my plans for making the most of it. I can’t do much to control the crowds or the weather; however I’d love to share 20 of our favorite free things to do at the Minnesota State Fair with kids that help keep the costs down.

More Fair: FFTC’s Guide to the 2023 Minnesota State Fair

Family Fun Twin Cities Guide to the Minnesota State Fair; Background is carnival blurred

20 Best Things To Do at the Minnesota State Fair with Kids!

Little Farm Hands

This sweet little mock-up farm is one of the Fair’s most popular free attractions for kids. Plan to go first thing in the morning to avoid lines and the worst of the day’s heat. Kids walk through various farm chores (collecting eggs, feeding stock, milking a cow, etc) “harvest” their crops, and then spend their earnings at market for great edible snacks. Photo ops galore for you and your little ones (mine on the junior tractor above)! 8am – 7 pm (map).

Miracle of Birth Center

Ever hoped to watch a live cow give birth? Traditionally, this is where you’d head and, with a little luck, just might happen upon one of the nearly 200 animal births that occur at this exhibit each year at the Fair. The attached FFA Chapter House & Leadership Center offers age-appropriate kids activity packets and the chance to earn a blue “Ag Explorer” ribbon. Entertainment, magic shows, and trivia are hosted throughout the Fair on the outdoor Christensen Farms Stage. Check the daily schedule for more information. 9am – 9pm, Judson Ave. next to the Warner Coliseum (map).

Moo, Baa, Oink & Goat Booths

While we’re on the subject of farm animals, the State Fair is B’n’B to hundreds of them during the 12-day run. Four of the barns – Cattle, Sheep, Swine and Goat – host educational booths where you can do things like get hands-on with the animals, play trivia games and score those free pig ears you see all the cool Fairgoers sporting. 9am-9pm or open with the barns.

Alphabet Forest

There are all kinds of alphabet activities to enjoy here at the Family Fair in Baldwin Park. Win blue ribbons for completing a Fabulous Fair alphabet game card, meet local authors, curl up in the book corner, make alphabet craft projects and more. 9am – 8pm, Baldwin Park – Cosgrove St. across from the 4-H Building.

Minnesota State Fair 2019: 20 Ideas for Free Family Fun!

 

Minnesota Farm Bureau

Take a scavenger hunt throughout the exhibit, talk to farmers, snap a pic in the family photo booth, and enter your kid’s name in a drawing to win an ag-related children’s book! 9am-9pm.

Eco Experience Nature Adventure Play Yard

My kids could spend hours here, digging in the sand, damming the stream, skipping stumps, and searching for the fairy house. You might not want to budget that kind of time at the Fair, but it’s worth a stop in to get some ideas on how to make your own backyard more friendly to free play. Located outside the Eco Experience building on Randall Ave. 9am – 9pm.

Become a Fine Arts Detective

This scavenger hunt has my kids engaged and exploring the Fair’s annual Fine Arts Show. (Bonus: I get a chance to appreciate the the art myself!) Kids who complete the hunt can earn a ribbon. 9am – 9pm, Fine Arts Center, Cosgrove St. & Randall Ave. (map).

Themed Days: STEM, Fire Prevention & more

Kids get hands-on while exploring science and technology, fire safety, local libraries, and Minnesota history. Family tip: Get the free State Fair app or check the daily schedule online ahead of time to access day-specific event schedules so you won’t miss the one-day-only events.

Baldwin Park activities

The Family Fair Stage hosts kid-friendly acts throughout each day. Longtime favorites of ours include Monster Shop Bump’n (pictured) and other high-energy, interactive performers (shout out to comedic juggler Sean Emery who has retired after performing every fair since 1991!). Find the 2023 Family Fair Stage lineup here. Also fun for little ones near the stage is a chance to play with words in the Alphabet Forest and dig in the Great Big Sandbox.

tm breakshop

4-H Llama Costume Contest

This is one of the true hidden gems at the Minnesota State Fair. It’s tricky to catch (one evening only) but lots of fun. In 2022, this 4-H contest is located in the Warner Coliseum and will be at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, August 31. This means more seating for fans and AIR CONDITIONING!

EquiMania!

This interactive exhibit in the Horse Barn teaches the Fairgoer about equine health, anatomy, careers and more. You don’t have to be a horse lover to enjoy the hands-on activities. Located in the Horse Barn on Judson Ave. at Ligget St. 9am – 9pm.

Hand milk a cow

I love watching my ‘lil city-slickers coax milk out of a cow. Each is awarded a ribbon and their own carton of milk for the effort. Bonus: visit the nearby Moo Sample Station for samples of cheese or ice cream sandwiches! Check your daily schedule for exact times. Land O’ Lakes stage, outside NW corner of Cattle Barn (map).

Boy learning to milk a cow at the Minnesota State Fair

4-H Building activities

Even before we joined 4-H we made a yearly stop in this historic building to play with the aquatic robots and flight simulators. (Hey, 4-H isn’t all about cattle and crops.) Also fun to watch is the free State Fair Arts-In program which showcases extremely talented youth performing original musical revues. 9am – 9pm, Cosgrove St. & Wright Ave. Shows performed multiple times daily.

Boy Scouts Adventure Activities

The wait was always worth it for the free obstacle course crisscrossed with swinging steps, rope climbs and a pole slide finish! More recently, the Boy Scouts have offered a small archery range for all ages to try out the sport. 9am-9pm, in the North Woods (map).

Free live entertainment

Plenty of fan favorites will be around including the Giant Sing-Along, All-Star Stunt Dogs Splash, the Timberworks Lumberjack Show and the raptor shows on the DNR Garden Stage. To help you sort through your options, we’ve rounded up what we feel are the 10 Best Bets for Live Family Entertainment at the 2023 Minnesota State Fair.

Math-on-a-Stick

I was super excited about this brand new attraction when it opened in 2015, and that’s saying a lot since math and I have never gotten along well. Aimed at kids to get them exploring early math concepts, they can go on a number scavenger hunt, play with geometric tiles, visit with mathematicians and more. Located in Baldwin Park, daily 9am-8pm.

girl playing at the Math on a Stick attraction at the Minnesota State Fair

Minnesota DNR Building & Park

There’s so much to explore at the historic DNR Building: spot local species in the Wildlife Wing, fantasy fish at the outdoor pond, and partake in free naturalist activities inside and out. Try climbing the 65-foot fire tower for a unique birds-eye view of the Fairgrounds and work up an appetite for more of that Fair food (open 9am-5pm weather permitting). Located in the DNR Park. 9am – 9pm.

FAN Central

A mecca of local pro sports teams and their assorted promotional games and merchandise. If you’ve got a little sports fan in the family, pop in to shoot free throws and try your hand at lacrosse. Located on Underwood St. across from the Food Building. 9am – 9pm.

The Common Table

The educational exhibit aims to teach Fairgoers about sustainable food and get conversations started about the consequences of our food choices. Kids can draw or write in their own favorite seasonal food on a chalkboard display, tend a “garden” and other activities. Located in the Agriculture-Horticulture Building. 9am-9pm.

Minnesota Twins Experience

My son could spend hours here rotating through ongoing games of backyard baseball for kids. Rest your barking dogs on the bleachers and spectate. East side of Cooper Ave just east of the International Bazaar (map).

tm twins experience

Giant Sing-Along

No need to be shy when you’re singing along to karaoke favorites with a field of other Fairgoers! Kids can snag their own mics and belt out the tunes with help from lyrics projected onto a monster screen. Located on Underwood St, 9am – 8pm.

giant singalong -Minnesota State Fair 2019: 20 Ideas for Free Family Fun!

 


Trust me, this is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to getting your money’s worth for those admission tickets. I hope you’ll consider coming out and joining the masses in this infamous Minnesota tradition. As always, feel free to chime in with your own family’s tips for free fun at the Fair.

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6 thoughts on “Minnesota State Fair 2023: 20 Ideas for Free Family Fun!”

  1. Thanks for every other excellent article. Where else may anybody get that type of info in such a perfect manner of writing? I’ve a presentation next week, and I am at the look for such information.

    1. Thanks for the kind words, Donnie. I also look forward to Anne’s well-written and enthusiastic state fair articles each year. I hope your presentation goes well. Is it at the fair? If it is, let us know, maybe some of our readers would like to check it out.

  2. Thank you for your feedback, Nick. It helps a lot to get suggestions from readers on how we can better serve families. How can we make the article more useful?

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