“Kickoff to Summer at the Fair” Returns to the Fairgrounds This May

St. Paul, Minn. – After a successful debut in 2021, Kickoff to Summer at the Fair sponsored by Paddle North returns May 26-30, 2022. This five-day event includes food, brews, live music, shopping and family fun at the iconic Minnesota State Fairgrounds.

“Last year’s Kickoff to Summer was even more popular than we had hoped it would be,” said State Fair General Manager Jerry Hammer. “People really enjoyed getting together for a little slice of the fair, and we’re happy to bring the event back this year.”

Kickoff to Summer at the Fair will feature more than 30 popular State Fair food and beverage vendors, an eclectic lineup of music and entertainment, Trivia Mafia games, the Giant Slide* and other attractions, the Minnesota State Fair Community Gives Together collection of items for local nonprofits, board games, kids activities, State Fair mascot appearances, photo ops, specialty Minnesota merchandise shopping*, a Memorial Day commemoration, free parking and much more. (*Additional cost)

Attendance will be limited to 15,000 people for each of the seven timeslots listed below. Admission is $12.50 per person (fees and tax included); children 4 and under are free and do not require a ticket. Each ticket is valid for a specific date and timeslot. A lottery process will be used to randomly select people for an opportunity to purchase tickets (limit of 6 tickets per customer). Lottery registration is open now through 11:59 p.m. Friday, Feb. 18. There is no fee required to register. To register and for more information about the event visit

Kickoff to Summer at the Fair timeslots:

Thursday, May 26, 4:30-9:30 p.m.

Friday, May 27, 4:30-9:30 p.m.

Saturday, May 28, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Saturday, May 28, 4:30-9:30 p.m.

Sunday, May 29, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Sunday, May 29, 4:30-9:30 p.m.

Monday, May 30 (Memorial Day), 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Please note: Guests will be required to follow all Minnesota State Fair policies and protocols (including health, safety and security) in place at the time of the event.

Participating food vendors confirmed so far include: Al’s Subs & Malt Shop, Andy’s Grille, Baba’s, Ball Park Cafe, Bayou Bob’s, Big Fat Bacon, Blue Moon Dine-In Theater, Café Caribe, Coasters, Dino’s Gyros, Duke’s Poutine, El Sol Mexican Foods, French Meadow Bakery & Cafe, Fresh French Fries, Hansen’s Foot Long Hot Dogs & Corn Dogs, Hildebrand Concessions, Mancini’s al Fresco, Minnesnowii Shave Ice, Mouth Trap Cheese Curds, The Perfect Pickle, Produce Exchange, Pronto Pups, Que Viet Concessions, RC’s BBQ, Summer Lakes Beverages, Sweet Martha’s Cookie Jar, Sweets & Treats, Tiny Tim Donuts, Tot Boss, and West Indies Soul Food. More will be added in the coming weeks.

Kickoff to Summer at the Fair is sponsored by Paddle North. Additional sponsor support is provided by Adagio DJay Entertainment (DJ entertainment), Minnesota Rusco (door prize), Cal Spas (Family Fun Stage), Humana (event program) and DragNFly Wireless (Wi-Fi hot spot).

Kickoff to Summer at the Fair sponsor Paddle North designs, makes and sells paddle boards, kayaks, utility docks, lake floats, gear and apparel that is fun to use on water. Using timeless designs that keep the focus on blending in, with and being a part of nature, Paddle North has built a brand and a sustainable company, that outlives all by taking care of customers at an unprecedented level and by building products that work better than advertised. Learn more about the products, team and the lake lifestyle at paddlenorth.com.

The Minnesota State Fair is one of the largest and best-attended expositions in the world. Showcasing Minnesota’s finest agriculture, art and industry, the Great Minnesota Get-Together is 12 Days of Fun Ending Labor Day. The fair is self-supporting and has not received state government funding since 1949. The 2022 Minnesota State Fair will run Aug. 25 through Labor Day, Sept. 5. Visit mnstatefair.org for more information.