Live music. Booze. Mechanical bull riding. Booze. Corn dogs. Booze. People watching. Booze. Fresh…read moreAir. Booze. Walleye on a stick. Booze. Stupid drunk girls. Booze. What's not to love? Recommend walking rather than attempting to park... and also wear comfortable closed toe shoes so stupid drunk people don't step on your feet. It gets crowded.

It was our first time this year, and I was surprised at how long we lasted! We got wristbands in…read moreadvance (probably didn't need them you can hear the bands just fine from the other side of the gate, unless you need beer) caught the end of the parade, checked out the local artists (at noon there wasn't much in this area), got some food (our faves were the bison brat and the corn on the cob w/ the mexican crema, cheese and cayanne), got some beer and listened to 4 on the Floor (?). It was pretty hot, but we found some shady spots to take a rest, and it wasn't nearly as crowded as I was expecting. Also, the free shuttle bus running on Summit was great. I think we'll be checking this out next year!

Aggressively adolescent, $1 all you can drink chocolate milk, literal 4 year olds driving atv's…read morecompetitively, an absolute fever dream of a midwestern small town fair. Will go again.

This fair has so much potential but it seems woefully undermanaged. We visited on Saturday and…read morefound the venue very dirty, overcrowded, and unfriendly. I took my son to the bathroom and it appeared to have not been cleaned the entire time since the fair had opened several days earlier. We have been to the fair nearly every year for at least the past 10 years and it seems that every year it gets dirtier and the prices just keep edging up. This weekend we saw kids pushing and shoving each other into elderly patrons, seats that had dried-on ketchup that obviously had been there for several days, trash and discarded food all over the grounds -- overall a very unsavory experience. With the price of admission approaching the cost to attend the Minnesota State Fair, I would have expected better. In addition to the police officers that I would see on a rare occasion, it would be nice to see fair workers in some sort of official shirt (or even nametags) that could serve as ambassadors and clean-up staff so it looked at least like someone cared. It is as if they just opened the gates on day one and management went home. Even the first impression is negative. I gave my admission money to someone I THINK works for the fair, but without any sort of identification (shirt, nametag, something!!!) how would I even know that they are official? The fair board has put money into the buildings (with several new buildings popping up over the past few years and apparently the infrastructure (new sound system), but I think that perhaps some attention should be paid to the "fan experience." Not sure if we will be back next year as our entertainment dollar may be better spent elsewhere...

After many years of the state fair, I reluctantly went to state fair over Labor Day, and actually…read moreloved it. The new food vendors we tried were great! All time favorites year after year include: Que Viet egg roll, Turkey to Go sandwich (super tender and tasty), and blueberry ice beer. Mouse trap is alway good. The new nitro ice cream is crazy creamy. I'll reluctantly be back next summer ;)

So tbh I'm not a big fan of the MN state fair Too many…read morepeople, smells and fried foods On the other hand it is a huge part of summer here in MN Definitely try to go during the weekday and early to avoid the crowds Don't park or drive there just do the park and ride bus system- so easy and then you don't deal with the traffic The grandstand has some great concerts, the food is getting more expensive as is the entrance fee but there are some good stuff out there lie the Amish donuts

Infinitely better organized than many of the other Pride festivals across the country I've attend…read moreover the years. The flow of the parade marchers was expertly maintained. Folks kept moving in an orderly way. The Mayor got booed at the corner where I was watching. These people don't play around!

Disappointed there was a $5 fee to get into the beer 'garden' I wasn't drinking but would have…read morehad to pay to enter the area...seems greedy.

I've been coming to the Dakota County Fair for a few years now, and it always feels like the…read moreperfect prep for the Great Minnesota Get-Together! One thing I really appreciate is that general admission is free... a nice change compared to other county fairs. There's also free street parking available, or you can pay to park in the lot. The fair has all the staples: lots of food vendors, barns with animals, non-food vendor booths, live music on multiple stages, and a ride/game area. Classic fair fun! The night I went was a bit warm, so we didn't try as many foods as usual. We started with cheese curds (served hot and super tasty), then a slice of spicy pickle pizza-- not bad, but not the best either. We ended the evening with a chocolatey whoopie pie, and that was seriously yummmOOO! One area that could use some improvement, though, is the bathrooms. They definitely need a bit more attention-- updating, cleanliness and upkeep could make a big difference in the overall experience. Suggestion: Please highly consider adding a water fountain/refill station for water bottles. Still, it's always a fun time, and I'm sure I'll be back next year!

Family always goes to fair to check out the new hot items. Love the food items and animals. Very…read morerelaxing atmosphere and cool set up with the old city buildings to explore. Never see the same thing twice when we go. Highly recommend.