Discover an unexpected destination for mind, body and spirit wellness.

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Kick off a healthy school year at the State Fair

You might not think of the Great Minnesota Get-Together as a hub of healthy living inspiration. But each year, the State Fair adds new items to its nutritious food lineup, invents more ways to play, and offers more chances for kids to stretch their legs and their imaginations.

Here are just a few reasons a trip to the Minnesota State Fair is a fantastic opportunity to get the whole family moving, shaking and reconnecting.

Body builder activities

Bike to the Fair; walk everywhere

Strolling the fairgrounds from one activity to the next is a great start to burning calories from all those once-a-year fair food indulgences. But you can turn your entire visit into a workout (and avoid festival parking hassles!) by pedaling your way to the Great Minnesota Get-Together.

Once you’re on foot, this Fairgrounds Interactive Map will help you gauge which attractions you’ll need to visit in order to earn that helping of delicious cheese curds.

Quick rough-estimate rundown of on-foot time between hotspots:

  • Grandstand to Space Tower: 8 minutes
  • Midway to Eco Experience Progress Center: 14 minutes
  • Great Sing Along to Giant Slide: 13 minutes
  • Family Fair Baldwin Park to Adventure Park: 10 minutes

Get your daily dose of dairy

Every year, All the Milk You Can Drink (near the Sheep & Poultry barn) serves 26,000 gallons of milk to thirsty fairgoers. Instead of slurping down soda or hanging out in the beer garden, head over to calcium central for a cold glass of moo juice.

Feeling extra adventurous? Try hand-milking a cow or cheer on Agrilympics athletes in the Moo Booth.

Mind mover activities

Math On-a-Stick: Where counting meets creativity

Kids and grown-ups alike will love this unique hands-on learning center. Together you can explore fun math concepts, experiment with pattern recognition and play with numbers to your hearts’ content! Math On-a-Stick also features creative activities led by guest speakers who use math every day in their work and their art.

Alphabet Forest: Lose yourself in a land of letters

Letters come to life in the Alphabet Forest. Visit this enchanted land to take pictures with Fair Letters, create alphabet Ferris wheels, add your family’s favorite “fair words” to the Fair Dictionary, and meet different authors every day.

Spirit shaper activities

Great Sing Along: Open up and say la-la-la 

Imagine a field of microphones facing giant screens displaying the lyrics to 50 crowd-chosen songs. Now picture stepping up to one of those microphones and singing your heart out with hundreds of other vocalists. The Great Sing Along invites everyone to celebrate the magic of singing together, one note at a time.

Arts A’Fair: Get your culture on a stick

From drumming and dancing to theatre improv, puppets and music, Arts A’Fair celebrates the arts in Minnesota with a lineup of local performers who represent many cultural traditions and inspiring new ideas.