Mpls. Students Missing State Fair Due To Early Start

FALCON HEIGHTS, Minn. (WCCO) – Many kids would've liked to spend Monday at the Minnesota State Fair, but some gave up their pronto pups and favorite foods on a stick for backpacks and text books.

Some school districts, including Minneapolis, started classes on Monday. State law requires public schools to start after Labor Day, but there's an exception for Minneapolis Public Schools. Some fair-goers said Monday they just don't think that's right.

This is the third year in a row kids in the Minneapolis Public School District are missing out on the weekday fair fun. According to the district, starting early benefits the students and sets them up to learn more.

When asked if it seems right for school to start before the end of the Minnesota State Fair, some parents said not at all because it's the "Great Minnesota Get-Together" and that schools should wait until it's over to start school. Another parent said summer isn't over until after Labor Day, which is the last day of the State Fair.

Schools starting before Labor Day has a definite effect on the Minnesota State Fair. Officials said it affects fair attendance and staffing.

State Fair General Manager Jerry Hammer said the final attendance number does balance out because more people go to the fair over the Labor Day weekend.

The last two years, the fair has actually set a couple of single-day attendance records on those days. So far, State Fair officials said attendance is down compared to previous years.