How Much Does A Day at the Minnesota State Fair Cost?

The Minnesota State Fair is setting attendance records right and left this year as Minnesotans flock to the fairgrounds in Falcon Heights, but just how much does a day at the Fair actually cost?

The Great Minnesota Get-Together has a been a great place to go with your family for many years now, but like many things, costs keep going up, right? And while there's no 'average' day at the Fair-- because there are so many things to do-- KARE 11 did a story recently to try to find out what a 'typical' day at the Fair would cost.

In their story, they figured in the cost of tickets, parking, a lunch, two food snacks, a few rides on the midway and a souvenir. They didn't include any adult beverages like wine or beer in their total (hello, getting some Mini Donut Beer is pretty much the only reason I head to the Fair!) and they also didn't include any tickets to a show in the Grandstand.

Their typical day came out to cost you about $106 dollars per person. Now, I recently tried to tally up what my wife and I spent on our day at the Fair last Friday. Over the course of about 10 hours at the Fair, I had a Pronto Pup, an Up North Puff Pastry, some Walleye Mac and Cheese, and a S'Mores Nordic Waffle. I also enjoyed a Mini Donut Beer, 'The Kloser' IPA, Key Lime Pie Beer, and a Hamm's during the Sugarland show in the Grandstand.

To keep things even with KARE's story, I didn't include our Sugarland tickets. But even with $25 to park at the Shanghai Market off Como Avenue and our admission tickets, my total was in the same neighborhood, but a little less-- coming in at about $101.

Either way, that's still a pretty good bargain compared to some of the prices you pay at a sporting event or amusement park, right? Oh, and the people-watching? That's always free!

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