Events

Displaying rocks and fossils from around the state as well as our geologic maps.

Providing information and resources about the School of Dentistry and dental clinics, including "ask a dentist."

GIVEAWAY: Goldy-Gopher floss, toothbrushes. 

Join College of Liberal Arts (CLA) to discover how a liberal arts education is shaping the future of the fields you care about most. Meet our campus experts and dive into the surprising intersections of culture, humanity, and technology. From how we tackle AI and the digital world, to the human side of health & medicine, to the fascinating science behind pop culture—CLA is everywhere. Stop by, ask questions, and see how we're connecting the dots! 

Daily Features

• Play Gopher It! | CFANS
  Test your smarts and curiosity with Gopher It, a new game from the University of Minnesota's College of Food, Agriculture, and Natural Resource Sciences (CFANS). Guess, grab, and discover the surprising science behind food, farming, and the natural world. Plus, get your pair of Goldy Gopher ears while supplies last.
• Growing Answers, One Question at a Time | Master Gardeners
  Got gardening questions? From backyard vegetables to lush landscaping, the University of Minnesota's Master Gardeners are here to help. Stop by to dig into expert advice, tips, and know-how. Learn more about Master Gardeners.
• Lawn Goals? We've Got You Covered | Turfgrass Science
  Whether you're going for lush and green, low-maintenance, or pollinator-friendly, University of Minnesota turfgrass experts can help you grow smarter. Stop by for tips on sustainable lawn care that work for you and the environment. Learn more about Turfgrass Science.
• The Future of Farming in Minnesota | Forever Green Initiative
  Discover the future of farming with the Forever Green Initiative. University of Minnesota researchers are developing and improving winter-hardy annual and perennial crops that protect soil and water while creating new economic opportunities for growers, industry and communities across Minnesota. Browse the displays of the innovative products being commercialized with these new ingredients, from food to feed to fuel and more. Learn more about the Forever Green Initiative.

Highlights below are just a sampling of the many 4-H Building activities. Keep up with 4-H at the State Fair, or use the free 4-H at the Minnesota State Fair app for event schedules, results and maps. 

• Ongoing: 4-H Chef for a Day cook-off, 4-H Building.
• Ongoing: State Arts-In performances. Dates and times in the calendar at the link.
• Aug. 29, 6:30 p.m.: Share the Fun performing arts showcase, 4-H Building second floor. See Share the Fun for several additional dates.
• Aug. 30-Sept. 7: Project Talks. Hear 4-H'ers share the behind-the-scenes work of their state fair projects. What did they learn? What would they do differently? 
• 2026 4-H Engineering Design Challenge: Marvelous Midway Edition. This exciting statewide event (see link for dates) invites youth to work in a team to design and build a Rube Goldberg™ type machine that completes a two-part fair-themed task.

Minnesota Master Naturalists, as well as Extension volunteers in forestry and wildlife, and Pollinator Ambassadors, will be outside the DNR building on the southwest side, near the fish pond. Fairgoers can play a trivia game to receive a collectible card for playing and a polished Lake Superior agate if they answer correctly. 

Daily, 9 a.m.-9 p.m 
 

Each day we will have a prize pack raffle! 
 

Watch the U of M Band Alumni Society play outside the Crossroad's building!

CFANS pop-up learning!

Dive into hands-on fun with science. Ask questions and discover how the University of Minnesota College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences is driving breakthroughs in food, agriculture, and the natural world. Learn more about CFANS Youth Outreach. 

Watch the U of M Band Alumni Society play outside the Crossroad's building!

CFANS pop-up learning!

Get hands-on with Minnesota ecology! Explore field research from Cedar Creek Ecosystem Science Reserve, featuring fun activities on mammals, birds, plants, and more to discover the science happening in your backyard. Learn more about Cedar Creek Ecosystem Science Reserve.

Booth will provide information on RecWell Programs and Services offered to the Community: Youth Programs Summer Camps, Gopher Swim School Swim Lessons and Water Safety, Group Fitness/Massage, and Gear Rentals from the Center for Outdoor Adventure

Imagine Earth's Garden, an activity on lessons from Minnesota native species on climate change. Roll the dice trivia and a take home zine on climate action in your neighborhood! 

Giveaway: Zine, colored pencil, glow in the dark & color changing pencils

Table highlighting all units of the OED office. 

CFANS pop-up learning!

Vote for your favorite apple variety and explore what the University of Minnesota Department of Horticultural Science — Home of the Honeycrisp — has to offer! Learn more about Horticultural Science. 

The Noor Project will present on their initiative. 

Minnesota Maroonettes will perform a variety of songs!

Extension is partnering with the Masonic Institute for the Developing Brain to improve access to mental, emotional, developmental and behavioral health (MEDB) care for rural and military-connected families. Based out of the North Central Research and Outreach Center in Grand Rapids, a Telehealth Outreach Center serves as the hub for this work across the northeast region. Stop by and visit with team members, who will connect families to resources and educational opportunities.  

CFANS pop-up learning!

Get hands-on with Minnesota ecology! Explore field research from Cedar Creek Ecosystem Science Reserve, featuring fun activities on mammals, birds, plants, and more to discover the science happening in your backyard. Learn more about Cedar Creek Ecosystem Science Reserve.

For the exhibit we're going to have information on what AI is, environmental and ethical considerations, and ask fair goers what their AI question is. 

This exhibit is an interactive experimentation station for attendees to explore magnetic forces. Attendees will be guided through a set of open-ended activities to create and use both electromagnets and permanent magnets to make paper clips jump, shoot a marble, and spin a motor. We will bring to the station simple supplies (wires, batteries, alligator clips, bolts, permanent magnets, marbles, etc.) and instructional signage that our graduate student staff will use with the attendees. This booth has been developed with NSF funding in partnership with UW-Extension and 4-H and used to engage K-12 youth at over 30 events in the last 5 years.

Live teledermatology demonstrations connecting to several dermatologists in the Twin Cities. 

Each day we will have a prize pack raffle! 

7Days A Cappella aims to showcase the musical talents of the art/entertainment community at the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities. Our showcase will include our biggest pop hits, such as our "Pop Girl Medley" and "Bye" by Ariana Grande. Our performance will creative a positive energy that is sure to get everyone up on their feet and dancing through the streets of the State Fair—and we encourage audience members to sing along!

CFANS pop-up learning!

Compete against an artificial intelligence (AI) image classifier to identify common management challenges in agriculture and forestry. Learn more about the AI-LEAF Institute.

7Days A Cappella aims to showcase the musical talents of the art/entertainment community at the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities. Our showcase will include our biggest pop hits, such as our "Pop Girl Medley" and "Bye" by Ariana Grande. Our performance will creative a positive energy that is sure to get everyone up on their feet and dancing through the streets of the State Fair—and we encourage audience members to sing along!

7Days A Cappella aims to showcase the musical talents of the art/entertainment community at the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities. Our showcase will include our biggest pop hits, such as our "Pop Girl Medley" and "Bye" by Ariana Grande. Our performance will creative a positive energy that is sure to get everyone up on their feet and dancing through the streets of the State Fair—and we encourage audience members to sing along!

Minnesota Maroonettes will perform a variety of songs!

CFANS pop-up learning!

See and touch creepy crawlies from the University of Minnesota Puparium Insect Zoo! Learn more about the UMN Insect Club and the Department of Entomology. 

An all-day exhibition of one of the most decorated Solar Vehicle project groups in the country!

"We have always aspired to keep innovation and learning at the forefront of what we do. The team has remained true to its original foundation as a student administered, designed, and built project that teaches members about engineering and management in a product development environment. In 2013, we were the first American team to compete in the Cruiser Class at the World Solar Challenge. The Cruiser Class is about more than just speed; competitors are also scored based off of how practical their car is. We were also the first team to race a multi-occupant vehicle at the American Solar Challenge." 

Each day we will have a prize pack raffle! 

CFANS pop-up learning!

Interactive pop-up learning session hosted by the Society for Ecological Restoration. Learn more about the UMN Society for Ecological Restoration.

VTrance is going to be performing an original choreography to the song “Đi Đu Đưa Đi” by Bích Phương.

CFANS pop-up learning!

Help the Bell Museum learn more about Minnesota’s wildlife and ecosystems through Salvage Wildlife, a project that turns tragedies into scientific data. Learn more about Salvage Wildlife. 

GWEP will give out information about dementia, caregiving and healthy aging. OLLI will give out information about this membership organization, and the many enrichment and educational offerings.
Giveaway: Exercise resistance bands and ADA approved toothbrushes 

Explore how scientists at the Center for Genome Engineering have harnessed the power of CRISPR to sculpt the very essence of life - DNA! Imagine the possibilities as they use this biological tool to craft modified cells that are more capable of fighting cancer cells. Learn more about how this amazing process works and the success already happening in clinical trials.

In collaboration with the Geriatrics Workforce Enhancement Program. 

CFANS pop-up learning!

Spin, solve, & save the forest! Spin the wheel for your ranger job, tackle a real-world scenario, and see if you have what it takes to protect Minnesota's great outdoors in our 60-second ranger challenge. Learn more about the UMN Department of Forest Resources. 

CFANS pop-up learning! 

Put your green knowledge to the test! Whether you are a nature enthusiast or a full-blown climate champion, this is your chance to show off what you know about our amazing planet and the people that inhabit it—and walk away with a prize. Learn more about the UMN Environmental Sciences, Policy and Management major.

Engage with the public around the question "what is public health." 

Lions Gift of Sight recovers, medically evaluates and distributes donor eye tissue to transform lives through corneal transplants and research. In partnership with the University of Minnesota's Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Neurosciences, we have restored sight for more than 65 years and are supported by the Minnesota Lions Vision Foundation. We will share information and resources about how to register as an organ, eye and tissue donor with giveaway items. 

Giveaway: Individually wrapped hot/cold eye packs, Lions Gift of Sight sunglasses, logo pens, individually wrapped fabric lens cloths (for cleaning glasses).

Imagine Earth's Garden, an activity on lessons from Minnesota native species on climate change. Roll the dice trivia and a take home zine on climate action in your neighborhood! 

Giveaway: Zine, colored pencil, glow in the dark & color changing pencils

Extension is partnering with the Masonic Institute for the Developing Brain to improve access to mental, emotional, developmental and behavioral health (MEDB) care for rural and military-connected families. Based out of the North Central Research and Outreach Center in Grand Rapids, a Telehealth Outreach Center serves as the hub for this work across the northeast region. Stop by and visit with team members, who will connect families to resources and educational opportunities.  

Vote for your favorite apple variety and explore what the UMN Department of Horticultural Science — Home of the Honeycrisp — has to offer! Learn more about the UMN Department of Horticultural Science.

The University of Minnesota Future Twirlers are a three person baton twirling team within the U of M Marching Band, chosen through a rigorous multi round audition. Featuring accomplished national and world level champions, including Sydney, Greta, and Elliott, the team performs at football games and competes at the highest levels representing the university.

Learn about scavengers at hunter-provided gut piles and explore Minnesota food webs. Learn more about the University of Minnesota Offal Wildlife Watching project.

Promoting tour opportunities in fall and winter to Glensheen. 

Join College of Liberal Arts (CLA) to discover how a liberal arts education is shaping the future of the fields you care about most. Meet our campus experts and dive into the surprising intersections of culture, humanity, and technology. From how we tackle AI and the digital world, to the human side of health & medicine, to the fascinating science behind pop culture—CLA is everywhere. Stop by, ask questions, and see how we're connecting the dots! 

Our exhibit offers a unique opportunity for fairgoers to delve into the future of cryopreservation and its potential to transform various aspects of society. For more information about ATP-Bio and its initiatives, please visit www.atp-bio.org

"Transportation Jeopardy" - a quiz activity modeled on Jeopardy where three contestants score points based on being the first to provide correct answers to transportation-based questions. The winner receives a prize.

Find your birth date on our chart to see what fungus matches your astrological sign! Learn more about the University of Minnesota Department of Plant Pathology.

"Transportation Jeopardy" - a quiz activity modeled on Jeopardy where three contestants score points based on being the first to provide correct answers to transportation-based questions. The winner receives a prize.

"Transportation Jeopardy" - a quiz activity modeled on Jeopardy where three contestants score points based on being the first to provide correct answers to transportation-based questions. The winner receives a prize.

Discover how creative problem-solving can build a better future with the University of Minnesota Department of Bioproducts and Biosystems Engineering (BBE). Put your hands and brain to work with fun, interactive activities that explore real-world challenges in sustainability, science, and engineering. Learn more about UMN BBE.

We provide a variety of activities demonstrating physiological topics including ECG measurements, descriptions of the heart in health and disease, and insight into biomedical research. 

The University of Minnesota Retirees Association (UMRA) will offer an opportunity for fair-goers to connect with UMRA members to share retirement stories and experiences. UMRA members are University retirees who believe in living life fully and leaning into their retirement journeys. Through the UMRA State Fair booth experience, we seek to engage retirees and older Minnesotans to share their own retirement stories. We will offer activities that encourage conversation with booth hosts, discussion centered on the retirement journey, opportunities that exist for older Minnesotans at the University of Minnesota and through UMRA and its connections. Activities will encourage connecting.

Promoting tour opportunities in fall and winter to Glensheen. 

Extension is partnering with the Masonic Institute for the Developing Brain to improve access to mental, emotional, developmental and behavioral health (MEDB) care for rural and military-connected families. Based out of the North Central Research and Outreach Center in Grand Rapids, a Telehealth Outreach Center serves as the hub for this work across the northeast region. Stop by and visit with team members, who will connect families to resources and educational opportunities.  

Fruits and Nuts: presented by Gary Wyatt

We plan to engage with the crowd to help spread awareness about the threats to our environment’s health. Our goal is mainly to provide perspective and information about the dangers of AI use and also offer some eco friendly ideas that people can do in their own homes to support and healthy planet.

Spin, solve, & save the forest! Spin the wheel for your ranger job, tackle a real-world scenario, and see if you have what it takes to protect Minnesota's great outdoors in our 60-second ranger challenge. Learn more about the UMN Department of Forest Resources. 

Get to know the University of Minnesota Community Plant Breeding Team, who works to adapt vegetables to the Minnesota climate, and create a space where everyone can have access to the fresh produce important to them. Learn more about UMN Community Plant Breeding Team.

Join College of Liberal Arts (CLA) to discover how a liberal arts education is shaping the future of the fields you care about most. Meet our campus experts and dive into the surprising intersections of culture, humanity, and technology. From how we tackle AI and the digital world, to the human side of health & medicine, to the fascinating science behind pop culture—CLA is everywhere. Stop by, ask questions, and see how we're connecting the dots! 

We would plan to feature different types of conditions that neuromodulation is used for. So we would have a group for Epilepsy, Parkinson's/Movement Disorders, Mental Health, stroke, Etc. This is in the early stages of planning and I won't have a solid plan until I know the date we will be scheduled before I reach out to folks.

Giveaway: MnDRIVE BC swag such as brain stress balls and book marks.

Department of Radiation Oncology will be exhibiting on their department and research. 

Dive into the Water Bar! Discover where your drinking water comes from. Sample water from municipal and rural sources, and ground and surface water. Can you taste the difference? Test your taste buds and your knowledge with fun water trivia. Learn more about the UMN Water Resources Science graduate program.

Look at and touch seed and plant displays, study the parts of a flower, play a "Guess the Crop Wild Relative" game, and ask researchers questions about plant and agricultural science. Learn more about the UMN Applied Plant Sciences graduate program.

The University of Minnesota’s Institute on Community Integration (ICI) works to build communities where people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) can fully participate in school, work, and community life. Through research, training, partnerships, and public education, ICI helps improve policies and practices that promote inclusion, self-determination, employment, education, and community living across the lifespan. Its work matters because it helps create more equitable communities where people with disabilities are valued, included, and able to contribute their talents and strengths.

Giveaway: Magazines (Impact), postcards, policy briefs. 

Math based activities in exchange for prizes! We will have Eulerian tracing graphs which patrons can complete in exchange for rubber ducks, pins, and temporary tattoos. Puzzles are intended for children in grades 4 through 6 but are appropriate for anyone to play. 

Discover the latest advancements in aquatic invasive species research at the Minnesota Aquatic Invasive Species Research Center (MAISRC). Learn how cutting-edge science and innovative approaches are protecting Minnesota’s lakes and rivers from invasive threats. Learn more about MAISRC.

Discover how creative problem-solving can build a better future with the University of Minnesota Department of Bioproducts and Biosystems Engineering (BBE). Put your hands and brain to work with fun, interactive activities that explore real-world challenges in sustainability, science, and engineering. Learn more about UMN BBE.

The exhibit will be a display of what our department is, how it is used in the real world, program displays, alumni and current students there to answer questions.

Guided by chemistry PhD students, fairgoers will perform chemical reactions to learn about acids/bases, polymers, and phase changes.

Vocal U is a gender-inclusive a cappella group based on the UMN campus. Therefore, we would hope to provide entertainment through performing a set of a cappella songs on the UMN stage. 

We will be making slime and demonstrating how it exhibits polymer properties. We will also discuss different kinds of polymers, such as those used in 3D printing or in Silly Putty, and how the polymer structure leads to different materials properties.

During our stage time, we will perform a set of a cappella songs from our group's repertoire. We sing primarily pop music featuring fun solos and a vocal percussionist (beatboxer).

Look at and touch seed and plant displays, study the parts of a flower, play a "Guess the Crop Wild Relative" game, and ask researchers questions about plant and agricultural science. Learn more about the UMN Applied Plant Sciences graduate program.

We will be making slime and demonstrating how it exhibits polymer properties. We will also discuss different kinds of polymers, such as those used in 3D printing or in Silly Putty, and how the polymer structure leads to different materials properties.

During our stage time, we will perform a set of a cappella songs from our group's repertoire. We sing primarily pop music featuring fun solos and a vocal percussionist (beatboxer).

Get to know farm animals from students in the University of Minnesota Department of Animal Science. Discover fun facts and learn how amazing animals are part of agriculture and our everyday lives.

Booth exhibiting astronomy demonstrations, which in previous years have been letting fair goers hold and examine meteorites, a spectroscopy demonstration with different elements that are seen in ionized gas tubes, and a gravitational lensing demonstration. 

Treatment plans and final results for children and adults during orthodontic treatment.

Explore how scientists at the Center for Genome Engineering have harnessed the power of CRISPR to sculpt the very essence of life - DNA! Imagine the possibilities as they use this biological tool to craft modified cells that are more capable of fighting cancer cells. Learn more about how this amazing process works and the success already happening in clinical trials.

Treatment plans and final results for children and adults during orthodontic treatment

Learn how your five senses let you experience food. Learn more about the UMN Department of Food Science and Nutrition.

Treatment plans and final results for children and adults during orthodontic treatment