Aug. 24 - Labor Day, Sept. 4, 2023 | Minnesota State Fair New CEO Announced! Sponsorships and Touring Promotional Exhibits. The State Fair issued an update just before 11 p.m. saying "The fairgrounds began closing early this evening at approximately 10:20 p.m. due to disturbances in the area of the Midway. Again deputies used chemical irritants to break up the fight. In the meantime, check out these other ways to stay in the know: Feb. 27, 2023: Renee Alexander, longtime Minnesota State Fair deputy general manager, will be the new CEO of the Minnesota State Fair. He joined the full-time staff in 1977 and served in a variety of positions in events, media, marketing, public relations and senior management before being appointed CEO in 1997. Sheep were unloaded at the State Fair on Aug. 29. https://twitter.com/Jeffdavis612/status/772180467059531776. In 2018, the fair set a new single-day attendance record with 270,426. He covers local and national music as well as some theater and other arts and entertainment topics. The State Fair has announced that 260,374 people passed through the fairground gates on the last Saturday of this year's fair, and in doing so set an all-time record. What a great gift it is when your lifes work is bringing people together to celebrate the very best of each other. No suspects have been identified in the incident. The Minnesota State Fair posted its busiest day yet of the 2021 get-together Sunday, but attendance figures remain below recent years' levels. Some parts of the state are reporting more than nine inches. (FOX 9). Hammer will stay on as CEO into the spring to help with the leadership transition. Through Sunday, the State Fair had already eclipsed its total attendance last year, when the continuing coronavirus pandemic kept many would-be visitors away from the Fairgrounds in Falcon Heights. Deputies were able to clear out that crowd using "chemical irritants," Fletcher explained. "When you have a quarter of a million people coming in here, it's not going to be a perfect scenario," concluded Fletcher. ST PAUL, Minn On a rainy Thursday, just under 62,000 people attended the Minnesota State Fair's opening day less than half than the same day two years ago. She recorded on her phone the panicked moments as she and her friends ran away. Nov. 21, 2022: Jerry Hammer, long-time CEO of the Minnesota State Fair, will retire from his position in the spring of 2023. If Minnesota follows their lead, the fair will see around 1.6 million visitors this year. The record for first . $37-$27. Minnesotas State Fair is all about milk and cookies. This year, it's headed for the 2 million mark again, with . Make a gift of any amount today to support this resource for everyone. In a ceremony held at 10 a.m. September 1st on the International Bazaar Stage, State FairGeneral Manager Jerry Hammer presented Best Awards to the following: Ball Park Cafe Sells a wide selection of craft beers, gourmet burgers, garlic fries and more. The Minnesota State Fair started to rebound from a stormy first couple of days on Saturday, but attendance was still much lower than in recent years. The Minnesota State Fair Police Department said that officers responded to a gunshot shortly after 10 p.m. Saturday near the intersection of Carnes Avenue and Liggett Street when the area was "heavily populated with fair guests and a large contingent of law enforcement.". She also leads the State Fairs educational programming, marketing and communications, media relations, web and publications, archives and ticketing departments. Anyone with information about Saturday's incident can reach out to the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension tip line at 651-793-7000 or email john.engle@msfpd.org. Minnesota State Fair Attendance Law enforcement will be doubled at the fair on Sunday and Monday, officials said during the press conference. More than a quarter-million fairgoers set a second-Saturday attendance record, beating the previous record for that day by about 8,000. Sweet Marthas tops this list by far, outselling the two cheese curd vendors on the Fairs top ten list combined. This year could end up setting the record for the highest ever attendance at the State Fair, the current record for which is 1,824,830, set in 2014. Also during his tenure, the 322-acre State Fairgrounds have undergone nearly $180 million in major improvements and upgrades including renovation of historic facilities, significant new construction and large expansion of fairgrounds landscape, amenities and infrastructure all with no public funding. 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The Great Minnesota Get-Together is one of the world's largest and best-attended events, with this year's fair attracting visitors from all 50 U.S. states plus 38 nations around the world. Beginning Feb. 1, the price will be $15. Tilt-A-Whirl This ride is located at Kidway. "A fog overtook the intersection, and you could hear echoes of people coughing and gagging, everyone was covering their nose and mouth with their shirts and sweatshirts," she told FOX 9. The fair said attendance on the fourth day was 149,247, a step up from numbers seen over a rainy first three days of this year's get-together: Saturday (129,984), Friday (77,406) and Thursday (61,983). Alexander has more than 20 years of experience with the Great Minnesota Get-Together, including 13 years as deputy general manager, playing a key role on the State Fairs senior management team. All information subject to change. Daily attendance records have . On the list maintained by the Minnesota State Fair, which tracks acts who have appeared since 1962, country-rockers Alabama tops all others with no less than 19 appearances. Until a storm front rolled through the metro in the evening, Saturday offered somewhat of a reprieve from the previous two days of rain and lightning. Sponsorships and Touring Promotional Exhibits. The coach was charged with fifth-degree assault in Blue Earth County. Daily Schedules | Minnesota State Fair Daily Schedules Use the following links to view PDF versions of the 2023 daily schedules. Alexander originally worked in entertainment and marketing at the Minnesota State Fair from 1989 through 1994 and returned to the Great Minnesota Get-Together in 2005. With 157 years of history to choose from, visit startribune.com/fair to see what makes the 12-day spectacle special to so many Minnesotans. Visit our commemorative art page to learn more about the artist. The State Fair closed early by police orders. Law enforcement will be doubled at the fair on Sunday and Monday, officials said during the press conference. It all happened so quick all I knew is that I just wanted to get away from there," she added. Feb. 6, 2023: Hiring for seasonal positions is now open! MN State Fair Attendance Grows Countdown to 2023 has Begun, The Minneapolis Institute of Art Expands Asian Collection. This year attendance to the just-completed Iowa and Wisconsin state fairs were up by 22 percent and 19 percent, respectively, to 1.1 million and 1.0 million over the course of the 11 day fairs. The previous record for a single day was set two years ago, when 252,092 people attended. You were there for the most rainy day of the fair, at least for the pat 12 years. (Located on the south side of Judson Avenue betweenNelson and Underwood streets), Puzzle Twist Sells a variety of special-edition puzzles, including Minnesota-themed puzzles, plus a StateFair puzzle, puzzle accessories and more. The attendance record for the Fair on opening day was 133,326, set in 2019. (ABC 6 News) - The 2022 Minnesota State Fair brought people out and together on a grand scale. Attendance at the state fair on Friday reached 157,422, up from Thursday's 117,077. Judy Garland Minnesota State Fair flowers, Hairball: A Bombastic Celebration of Arena Rock, So far it does not look like well rival any of those records this year, On the list maintained by the Minnesota State Fair, honored posthumously with a Prince night in 2016, Grandstand guru takes over as new Minnesota State Fair CEO, Duran Duran is first Grandstand show announced for 2023 Minnesota State Fair, Minnesota State Fair General Manager Jerry Hammer is retiring after 50 plus years. And, yes, he saw the same show you did. Minnesota State Fair wraps up as attendance, Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window), Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window), Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window), Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window), Submit to Stumbleupon (Opens in new window), Minnesota State Fair wraps up as attendance bounces back, Rochester-born rapper Yung Gravy will headline the Minnesota State Fair Grandstand, Minnesota State Fair announces longtime fair entertainment leader as new CEO, The Chicks set to return to the Minnesota State Fair Grandstand, which they sold out twice in 2016, Duran Duran is the first act announced for the 2023 Minnesota State Fair Grandstand, Crop artist selected to create 2023 commemorative artwork for Minnesota State Fair, MN Transportation Museum exhibit focuses on experiences of African American railway workers, Hate your signature? 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