The Great Minnesota Get Together

The Minnesota State Fair, marketed for generations as "The Great Minnesota Get-Together," is one of the largest state fairs in the United States. In 2006 attendance was 1,680,579, up nearly 48,000 from 2005. The Fair has been held in its current location since September 7, 1885 on the grounds of the former Ramsey County Poor Farm. It now occupies 320 acres in Falcon Heights, a northern Twin Cities suburb, about halfway between Minneapolis and Saint Paul. One of the most significant dates in the fair's history was September 2, 1901 when then-Vice President Theodore Roosevelt first uttered, "Speak softly and carry a big stick" during a speech at the State Fair Grandstand. For more information about the fair visit http://www.mnstatefair.org/ Newer images are at the beginning of the gallery.