Here’s How to Eat, Drink, and Ride for Less at the Minnesota State Fair

Approximately 2 million people will visit the 2025 Minnesota State Fair, which runs from August 21 through Labor Day. Some go for the food and rides, others go for animals and exhibits, but everyone ends up spending way more money than they had planned to.

A day at the Minnesota State Fair can get real expensive, real fast, but there’s a super easy way to save some serious money. You will need to spend a little up front before you start saving, but it's worth it in the long run.

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What You Need To Know About The 2025 Minnesota State Fair:

New Foods: There are more than 500 things to eat at the Minnesota State Fair, including 33 brand-new foods this year.

New eats include Birthday Cake Cookie Dough On-a-Stick, Chicken-Fried Bacon Fries, Grandma Doreen’s Dessert Dog, and Green Apple Sucker Ice Cream. Check out the full list of new food items below.

New Drinks: 69 new drinks will be available at the Minnesota State Fair.

I really want to try the Picklerita, a dill pickle and margarita-inspired hard seltzer. Other new drinks include the Blushing Dragon Slushie — a cider slushie; Pineapple WHIPlash — a frozen pineapple-vanilla hard seltzer; and Strawberry Blaze — a strawberry blonde ale with a jalapeño kick and Tajín-dusted lime.

New Rides:

New attractions at the Minnesota State Fair include the "Journey to Space" exhibit, a free and hands-on experience about the International Space Station from August 21-24. Thrill-seekers can try the Thunderbird, the tallest portable swing in North America at 180 feet, or the two new rides in Mighty Midway.

How To Save Money at The 2025 Minnesota State Fair:

Stop searching for discounted or free tickets, and don’t bother looking for coupons online. The only thing you need before you go to the Minnesota State Fair is a Blue Ribbon Bargain Book.

You can buy the Minnesota State Fair Blue Ribbon Bargain Book at participating Cub grocery stores for only $5. They’re also sold at the fair.

These books are full of coupons that will get you at least 30% off on food and merchandise. You’ll also find deals for rides and games.

Are they worth $5? Yes, if you use just a couple of the coupons, you’ll make that $5 back and then some.