Opening day draws thousands to Minnesota State Fair
When the gates opened at 7 a.m. Thursday, it was off to the races for dozens who waited to be among the first to experience the Minnesota State Fair.
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When the gates opened at 7 a.m. Thursday, it was off to the races for dozens who waited to be among the first to experience the Minnesota State Fair.
Gov. Tim Walz was among the first people to pass through the gates of the Minnesota State Fair on its opening day Thursday, where he spoke to WCCO's Heather Brown and A.J. Hilton about when he'll make a decision on running for a third term in 2026.
Gov. Tim Walz was among the first people to pass through the gates of the Minnesota State Fair on its opening day Thursday, where he spoke to WCCO's Heather Brown and A.J. Hilton about when he'll make a decision on running for a third term in 2026.
Malorie Thorson became the 72nd Princess Kay of the Milky Way on Wednesday, the eve of the 2025 Minnesota State Fair.
It's been 50 years since WCCO has been at its current location at the "Great Minnesota Get-Together."
On the eve of the Minnesota State Fair, we are fortunate to be celebrating a milestone of our own. This year, WCCO-TV is being recognized for its 50-plus years at the Great Minnesota Get-Together. In this week’s Finding Minnesota, John Lauritsen takes a trip down memory lane to show us how it all began, what’s changed, and what traditions have stood the test of time.
For 71 years, the State Fair has chosen a Princess Kay of the Milky Way. That young woman serves as the official goodwill ambassador for the Minnesota dairy industry and her coronation serves as the kick-off to the State Fair.
The sun is shining bright over the fairgrounds for all the finishing touches ahead of the "Great Minnesota Get-Together." But Mother Nature isn't always this cooperative.
The forecast is looking great for the first half of the fair *this year, but we know that hasn't always been the case. NEXT Weather Meteorologist Adam Del Rosso has the fair history of storms, and what you should do if you're caught in one when you're out there.
Have questions about tickets, transportation or how to save a few bucks at the Great Minnesota Get-Together? Here's your complete guide to the 2025 Minnesota State Fair.
Jeff Wagner looks at the winding road it took for the Minnesota State Fair to find its permanent home 140 years ago.
Visitors to this year's Minnesota State Fair might get sticker shock when buying some of their favorite foods.
With the Minnesota State Fair just a week away, organizers are urging visitors to plan ahead for traffic, parking and travel options.
We're less than one week away from the opening of the Minnesota State Fair. That means people from all around the state and country will be making their way to the fairgrounds for 12 days of fun. But getting there can be tricky. Here's Ubah Ali and photojournalist Joe Van Ryn with some tips.
Rachel Visser from Hutchinson has spent the last year talking all things dairy as a goodwill ambassador for Minnesota’s dairy farms.
With less than two weeks to go until the Minnesota State Fair opens its gates, residents in Falcon Heights are bracing for crowds and, new this year, a pay-by-mobile parking program.
For the first time, paid parking will be in Falcon Heights during the Great Minnesota Get-Together. Ubah Ali explains why some neighbors are calling it a safety concern, while others are open to the city cashing in.
Anna Bailey and her husband own Bailey Builds and create wood mosaics in Duluth. She took to Facebook on Thursday to share that the building they use for the Minnesota State Fair had been sold.
A pair of wood-working artists who sell pieces at the Minnesota State Fair were on a frantic search after their building was accidentally sold. Ashley Grams speaks to one of the facility's owners.
It's crunch time at the Minnesota State Fairgrounds.
We are less than two weeks away from the Great Minnesota Get Together and preparations are underway. Photojournalist Joe Van Ryn takes us to the state fairgrounds to show us.
Turman is a popular artist with a booth at the Grandstand filled with colorful characters and settings.
It will be getting "Hot in Herre" at the Minnesota State Fair when Nelly takes the Grandstand stage to perform.
The Minnesota State Fair has unveiled its new foods for 2025, including chicken-fried bacon fries, dill pickle iced tea and more.
There are 33 new foods coming to the “Great Minnesota Get-Together” next month, as well as a slate of new vendors.
The man who sprayed vinegar at Democratic U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar during a Minneapolis town hall meeting as the city endured a surge of immigration agents and the deaths of two U.S. citizens is expected to be sentenced after reaching a deal with prosecutors.
A few showers linger Thursday morning in the Twin Cities ahead of a nice day with highs in the mid 70s, but widespread rain moves in Friday with heavier pockets developing through the day.
From making the paper for Crayola crayons to getting a visit from Mr. Rogers. John Lauritsen shares the history behind a Little Falls paper mill, and how its ruins have become its future, in this week's Finding Minnesota.
A Twin Cities physician who has spent the last two years learning to live with a life-changing injury is making a remarkable recovery.
Minnesotans can start submitting absentee ballots on Friday to vote in the midterm election.
The man who sprayed vinegar at Democratic U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar during a Minneapolis town hall meeting as the city endured a surge of immigration agents and the deaths of two U.S. citizens is expected to be sentenced after reaching a deal with prosecutors.
A Twin Cities physician who has spent the last two years learning to live with a life-changing injury is making a remarkable recovery.
Anthony LaRoque and Amias LaRoque have not been seen since Monday and were last believed to be in the area of the 600 block of Jackson Street Northeast or the 3000 block of 39th Avenue South.
More than two months after a shooting in an Oakdale, Minnesota, backyard left a 33-year-old St. Paul man with life-threatening injuries, family members are still waiting for answers.
The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension says it arrested Castro around 2:15 p.m. Wednesday in the area of Second Avenue South and Third Street in Minneapolis.
From making the paper for Crayola crayons to getting a visit from Mr. Rogers. John Lauritsen shares the history behind a Little Falls paper mill, and how its ruins have become its future, in this week's Finding Minnesota.
The shelter, located in St. Cloud, says a visitor had been looking at the kitten, a 2-month-old named Marin, for a while before taking him out of his kennel and stuffing him into their bag.
Fall color season is almost here, and the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources says several factors will determine when the leaves peak and how brilliant they'll be.
Students were sent home from a school in Renville County, Minnesota, on Tuesday morning due to kitchen troubles.
Police in Elk River, Minnesota, say a potential bomb threat prompted students to be sent home early Tuesday morning, but they found no threat while searching the school.
In downtown Hudson, Wisconsin, a small gallery is making room for a lot of creativity.
A $1.8 billion project to replace the Blatnik Bridge, which links Duluth, Minnesota, and Superior, Wisconsin, is now underway.
An 18-year-old man has pleaded guilty to killing 10-year-old Lily Peters in Wisconsin four years ago. He was then given a life sentence with the possibility of extended supervision after 25 years.
A Wisconsin prosecutor says he will not file election bribery charges against billionaire Elon Musk even though the state's bipartisan elections commission said he likely broke state law.
A Wisconsin high school football player has died from injuries sustained during a game on Thursday night.
In downtown Hudson, Wisconsin, a small gallery is making room for a lot of creativity.
The nonprofit opened its Twin Cities doors in 2010 and now runs a seven-woman operation out of a warehouse stocked entirely with what other Minnesotans gave away.
An Annandale, Minnesota, boy who survived overwhelming odds as a baby is once again facing a serious heart battle.
Zy'ire was diagnosed with bone cancer in his tibia, and throughout treatment, his love of the game helped keep his spirits up. Make-A-Wish Minnesota granted his wish by putting him on the sideline in Vikings gear.
Lt. Ryan Kelly, the first Minneapolis officer to arrive at Church of the Annunciation on Aug. 27, 2025, described walking in to find dozens of children hiding in the pews — and locating 2 who had already died.
The man who attacked a high-profile Minnesota politician is expected to learn his fate in federal court Thursday, plus more of the day’s top stories.
The man who sprayed vinegar at Democratic U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar during a Minneapolis town hall meeting as the city endured a surge of immigration agents and the deaths of two U.S. citizens is expected to be sentenced after reaching a deal with prosecutors.
Minnesotans can start submitting absentee ballots on Friday to vote in the midterm election.
Reps. Zach Nunn and Mariannette Miller-Meeks reversed course on a House resolution to require congressional approval for continued military action against Iran, citing open-ended war concerns ahead of competitive midterm races.
Minnesota Democratic Sen. Amy Klobuchar questioned FBI Director Kash Patel in a Senate hearing Tuesday over the federal investigations into the shooting deaths of Renee Good and Alex Pretti earlier this year in Minneapolis amid Operation Metro Surge.
The Minnesota Department of Human Services is working with a contractor to correct an autism treatment plan backlog that is frustrating both parents and providers.
You've probably seen THC drinks at Minnesota bars and liquor stores, but those made-in-Minnesota drinks could disappear this winter if new federal rules take effect.
The 2026 Minnesota State Fair is rolling out more than three dozen new food items this year, on top of all the returning favorites — which makes putting together a game plan for your visit no small task.
President Trump said Friday that the U.S. will waive higher tariffs on ground beef imports, which he says will reduce beef prices by 25%. Some cattle ranchers, including those in Minnesota and Wisconsin, worry the plan will hurt them financially.
An outbreak of E. coli and salmonella is linked to an alfalfa grower in Minnesota, health officials say. WCCO speaks with a food safety expert about the risks associated with alfalfa sprouts.
The man who sprayed vinegar at Democratic U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar during a Minneapolis town hall meeting as the city endured a surge of immigration agents and the deaths of two U.S. citizens is expected to be sentenced after reaching a deal with prosecutors.
More than two months after a shooting in an Oakdale, Minnesota, backyard left a 33-year-old St. Paul man with life-threatening injuries, family members are still waiting for answers.
The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension says it arrested Castro around 2:15 p.m. Wednesday in the area of Second Avenue South and Third Street in Minneapolis.
New body camera video shows the moments police officers came under fire at a Minneapolis apartment complex earlier this month.
A new WCCO documentary follows one Minnesota woman's decision to turn a painful secret into a fight for change..
The strike will include OBGYNs, psychiatrists and critical care physicians at Mercy Hospital's Coon Rapids campus and Allina Unity's campus in Fridley.
After 334 days in a neonatal intensive care unit in Maple Grove, Minnesota, North Memorial Health's "miracle baby" is finally home.
Affordable Care Act recipients in 30 states are set to receive the $500 checks starting in October. Here's why.
The money will fuel a 10-year push into precision medicine at a hospital system that treats children from before birth through young adulthood.
Hospice nurses who work for Allina Health are set to begin a seven-day strike on Friday.
Country music star Kenny Chesney is returning to Minneapolis next year.
WCCO is tracking everything you can go out and do 4 Your Weekend, including at the Minnesota State Fair.
While performing in St. Louis on Saturday night, Lionel Richie appeared at one point to lean on a piano for support, according to video from the show.
Louis Lee came to Minnesota decades ago from Hong Kong to become a student at the University of Minnesota. He says listening to comedy helped him learn English.
The vault is open. Recordings no one's ever heard, spanning 40 years of Prince's musical career, are now available on a new album called "Timeless."
Luke Keaschall went 3 for 5 and scored from second base on Victor Caratini's game-ending single in the 13th inning to send the Minnesota Twins past the New York Yankees 5-4.
The Minnesota Vikings announced on Wednesday that running back Jordan Mason has been placed on injured reserve due to an injury suffered in the team's victory over the Green Bay Packers Sunday.
Max Fried earned his first victory since April 27, backed by home runs from Cody Bellinger and Spencer Jones that helped the New York Yankees keep pace in the AL East race with an 8-1 win over the Minnesota Twins.
The team's new leader is just 20 years old and only graduated from Roseville in 2024.
Minnesota Wild coach John Hynes has signed a multi-year contract extension after leading the team to its first playoff series win in 11 seasons.
In August, a law changing the age for criminal prosecutions in Minnesota went into effect. The law bars children under 13, no matter how serious the crime, from being prosecuted. It's unclear what will happen to kids now accused of these crimes.
Maryland and New Hampshire have similar laws but carve out exceptions for serious violent crimes like murder and rape; Minnesota's version, effective August 1, 2026, has none.
Demuth has been running ads focusing on a million-dollar funding proposal that Klobuchar supported that was stripped out of a funding bill.
She has won four races for U.S. Senate by double digits, and now Sen. Amy Klobuchar is campaigning to become Minnesota's next governor.
The DFL primary in Minnesota's 2nd Congressional District was supposed to be close, but it wasn't. Former Lakeville Mayor and state Sen. Matt Little beat two well-known opponents by double digits.
From making the paper for Crayola crayons to getting a visit from Mr. Rogers. John Lauritsen shares the history behind a Little Falls paper mill, and how its ruins have become its future, in this week's Finding Minnesota.
Built in 1886, the Prospect House was once a resort hotel. The third floor is preserved to show what the hotel looked like back then, but for Jay Johnson, the real history is in the basement.
For nearly a half century, the Haunted Mansion at the Minnesota State Fair has been scaring people silly.
It is one of the most uniquely shaped buildings at the Minnesota State Fair, and it holds nearly 80 years of history.
For five generations, one family has run the Taylors Falls Scenic Boat Tours along the St. Croix River.
If you're buying ground beef at the grocery store, there's a good chance that part of it came from a country outside the United States.
It's the fifth time in six years that Minnesotans are approaching fall during a drought. The time of year is right when homeowners typically start repairing their yards. Is it worth fighting back now or simply waiting until spring?
The first days of school can be both exciting and nerve-wracking. New teachers, new classes, maybe even a new building. It can be a lot to manage without a plan.
A school night usually means earlier bedtimes and setting multiple alarms. WCCO spoke with a sleep medicine physician about how many alarms you should set to wake up.
Behind the fried foods and thrilling rides, farming remains at the heart of the Minnesota State Fair, where farm families work around the clock to get their animals ribbon-ready.
The Minnesota State Fair has unveiled its new foods for 2026.
A look back at the esteemed personalities who've left us this year, who'd touched us with their innovation, creativity and humanity.
Minnesotans got a great view of the northern lights Tuesday night.
A look at the newest addition to the polar bear population at St. Paul, Minnesota's Como Zoo.
From food shelves to school programs, our team is proud to serve where it matters most.
The Twin Cities will dry out from overnight storms Thursday, but heavier rain is on tap to end the work week, says meteorologist Joseph Dames.
In Minnesota, weather can be all over the place. Here at WCCO, we want to give you what you need to prepare for what's happening next.
A few showers linger Thursday morning in the Twin Cities ahead of a nice day with highs in the mid 70s, but widespread rain moves in Friday with heavier pockets developing through the day.
WCCO meteorologist Chris Shaffer has the latest forecast.
It was a pleasant Wednesday, with temperatures hovering around average, but the soaking rain is set to come Friday.
The Twin Cities has plenty of Oktoberfest festivities this weekend, as well as Girls in Aviation Day at Flying Cloud Airport and the Veg Fest at Harriet Island Park.
The man who attacked a high-profile Minnesota politician is expected to learn his fate in federal court Thursday, plus more of the day’s top stories.
The Twin Cities will dry out from overnight storms Thursday, but heavier rain is on tap to end the work week, says meteorologist Joseph Dames.
WCCO meteorologist Chris Shaffer says tomorrow looks lovely with a partly cloudy sky and highs in the mid-70s.
The Tri-County Humane Society in St. Cloud says the kitten hadn't even spent one night at the shelter before someone took it this afternoon.