You can eat new Minnesota State Fair foods before it even starts

You can eat Minnesota State Fair foods before the Great Minnesota Get Together even starts at this hidden gem event.

Give Me The Mike July 24, 2026 1 min read

It’s not the most publicized event but it’s truly a fun night.

Every year on the Thursday before the Minnesota State Fair starts, traditional and new Fair food vendors gather in the International Bazaar for an event called Taste of the Fair. And you can attend.

In addition to the food, event-goers can play Midway games and listen to music by performers playing during the Great Minnesota Get Together. Best of all, there aren’t mile-long lines to try even the most sought after food! I have gone four times and had a lot of fun each time.

07934A7E-49D4-46B6-9CCC-1AAFF90787B5 — Minnesota State Fair’s mascots, Fairchild and Fairborne, stop by the Taste of the Fair for photo opps.

Tickets to Taste of the Fair are $150 and benefit the Minnesota State Fair Foundation, the group responsible for maintaining and upgrading the buildings and fairgrounds. Your ticket price is all-inclusive, meaning you will get food and drink provided once you enter the event.