Minnesota State Fair Unveils 2021 Commemorative Poster

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- The Minnesota State Fair unveiled its official 2021 commemorative art piece ahead of this year's get-together.

Kevin Cannon's watercolor rendition of the fairgrounds was first commissioned for last year's fair. But when it was canceled due to the pandemic, the cartoonist and illustrator went back to the drawing board to make a few tweaks. He says his idea to represent a timeless view of the fair in a watercolor map didn't change too much.

"What I love about maps is that, unlike a narrative piece where there's, you know, like a book where there's a beginning and an end, with a map you can really enter anywhere, and you can, you know, dip in and wander and take your time and really go at your own pace, and that's how I like to experience the fair," Cannon said.

He says his hope is that Minnesotans get lost in the image, and enjoy the feeling of exploring the grounds.

This is the 17th in a series of artworks created exclusively for the Minnesota State Fair. The commemorative poster, a limited number of signed prints and other merchandise will be available for purchase online.