Featuring More Food, Cool Bands, a Puzzle Hunt, Weekday Ticket Deal, Spin to Win and More.

The Fifth Annual Kickoff to Summer at the Fair is May. This slice-of-the-fair event features more food than ever, including the ultra-popular hit from the 2024 Minnesota State Fair - Deep-Fried Ranch Dressing - and new-to-Kickoff vendors LuLu’s Public House, Minneapple Pie, El Burrito Mercado and Jersey Jo’s.

Music and Entertainment

Dirty Shorts Brass Band (DNR): 11 a.m., 12:15, 1:30 p.m.
Innocent (DNR): 3, 4:15, 5:30 p.m.
Twin Cities Trapeze (VP): 11:30 a.m., 12:30, 1:30 p.m.
Mexica Yolotl (VP): 3:30, 4:30, 5:30 p.m.
Daybreak Collective (CF): 11:45 a.m., 1:45 p.m.
The Art of Dance Studio (CF): 3, 5 p.m.

Independent Stages
Unicorn (DG): 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
FlashMob (DG): 3:15-7 p.m.
Chris Lawrence (CC): 11:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.
Mike Poot (RC): noon-3 p.m.
Corey Rae White (AG): 3:30-6:30 p.m.