Preparations, Judging Underway At Minnesota State Fairgrounds
FALCON HEIGHTS, Minn. (WCCO)-- The fun, the flair, the food. The State Fair is so close, you can almost taste the corn dogs. The Great Minnesota Get Together is less than two weeks away, but there's a lot of hard work to be done before everything is ready.
Patty Skarda has owned and operated Luigi Fries since 1989. The annual scrubbing, washing and organizing of their booth has become a tradition for her family every August.
"It takes about two weeks to get it ready. You have to clean the booth, make sure all the equipment is okay and then order your supplies," said Skarda.
Over on the north end of the fairgrounds, workers are putting the finishing touches on the Minnesota Corn Fairstalk. The 24-foot-tall installation celebrates the state's rich agricultural history and will light up with facts about farming and the fair.
At the Creative Activities building, folks were dropping off handcrafts to be judged, including Julie Luker.
"Last year, I did it too and I lost in every category, which was really funny. I'm here again to lose, so it's going to be a great year," said Luker.
The artists will find out if they get an elusive blue ribbon in about a week, right before the fair kicks off. The Minnesota State Fair kicks off on August 22nd and runs through September 2.
Pre-fair discount admission tickets are just $12 and are valid for any age guest. You can find those for sale here on the State Fair's website.
