MPR at the Minnesota State Fair
Stories. Music. Conversations. Community. All aboard at the heart of the Minnesota State Fair.
Connect with the people, programs and performances that are made of Minnesota, in the most Minnesota place imaginable, the Minnesota State Fair. Join MPR News, The Current and YourClassical MPR at MPR's State Fair Station Aug. 27 through Sept. 7.
MPR's State Fair Station is located near the corner of Judson and Nelson. Find your way to us to enjoy live broadcasts, performances, conversations, family activities and plenty of ways to connect with public media.
While you’re there, sign up for an e-newsletters and take a spin on the giant Wheel of Fun, where everyone's a winner! Gear up with special merchandise drops from YourClassical MPR, The Current and MPR News. Take home a limited-edition MPR tote bag or score our new Nalgene water bottle. Get yours today!
Celebrate MPR’s Made of Minnesota Day on Friday, Sept. 4, in Dan Patch Park with performances from Koo Koo, Cantus, Obi Original and Davina and the Vagabonds, plus activities, giveaways and community partners celebrating all things Minnesota. On MPR’s Made of Minnesota Day, members will receive a free mini tote (while supplies last). This onsite, in-person offer is not available by mail.
Plan your visit to MPR's State Fair Station with the schedule below, then explore our 2026 Minnesota State Fair New Foods guide to discover this year's can't-miss bites and beverages. All programming is subject to change.
Programming schedule:
Friday, Sept. 4: MPR’s Made of Minnesota Day (all programming live in Dan Patch Park)
10 – 11 a.m. – Annual State Fair Weather Quiz with Mark Seeley and the MPR Weather Team, hosted by Cathy Wurzer
Join us for a chance to test your weather knowledge for the annual state fair weather quiz from iconic Minnesota climatologist Mark Seeley. Hosted by Cathy Wurzer.11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. – The Current presents Koo Koo
Koo Koo is the high-energy duo of Bryan Atchison and Neil Olstad, who began the project in 2008 after meeting at Saint Mary’s University in Winona. Built on crowd participation, comedy, dance music and playful experimentation, Koo Koo turns every performance into an all-ages party. Their shows invite audiences to sing, move and laugh along, stretching the idea of what a band can be.1 p.m. – 2 p.m. – YourClassical presents Cantus
As one of the nation’s few full-time vocal ensembles, Cantus has come to prominence with its distinctive approach to creating music. Working without a conductor, the members of Cantus rehearse and perform as chamber musicians, each contributing to the entirety of the artistic process, creating programs that give voice to shared human experiences.2:30 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. – Carbon Sound presents Obi Original and The Black Atlantics
Obi Original and The Black Atlantics. Guitarist and producer extraordinaire, Obi Original mixes rock, highlife, and African fusion into a unique Minnesota sound.4 – 5 p.m. – The Current presents Davina and the Vagabonds
Davina Sowers and the Vagabonds have created a stir on the national music scene with their high-energy live shows, level A musicianship, sharp-dressed professionalism and Sowers’ commanding stage presence.
Saturday, Sept. 5, 2026
11 a.m. & 1 p.m. – The Current presents Bunny Blood
Bunny Blood — the Minneapolis trio of Hallie Gronquist, Jared Jones and Josh Fetzek — was the top vote-getter in The Current’s 2026 Minnesota Music Month Scouting Report poll. Their genre-bending sound blends shoegaze, nu metal, grunge and alternative pop into music that is heavy, hypnotic and constantly evolving.3p.m. & 5 p.m. – The Current presents Room3
Room3 is a jazz fusion wild card rooted in tradition yet driven by experimentation. Their sound is imaginative, playful and rhythmically sharp, mixing elements of bebop, contemporary jazz, prog rock, funk and more. The collective operates out of Minneapolis most commonly as a four-piece, with RAWTWHYLAH (aka Colin Mitchell) on drums, Beck Anderson on bass, Eli Awada on keyboards and Evan Espinoza Robles on percussion. Each member is a student of their craft with a unique approach to their instrument and a willingness to push boundaries.
Sunday, Sept. 6, 2026
11 a.m. & 1 p.m. – The Current presents jeremy messersmith
jeremy messersmith is an indie pop singer-songwriter and one of Minnesota’s most recognized and celebrated artists, praised by The New York Times, NPR, USA Today, Paste Magazine, The Wall Street Journal, Time Magazine, Spin, and Rolling Stone, among many others. A thoughtful, clever lyricist with a tender voice, the Minneapolis-based troubadour crafts songs that are catchy and relatable, and span the emotional gamut from poignancy to whimsy.3 p.m. & 5 p.m. – The Current presents Megasound
Megasound is the rock and roll progeny of three indie pop friends. Kerry Alexander has fronted Bad Bad Hats with Chris Hoge for more than a decade, and the duo have known Elana Carroll (aka Party Nails) even longer. While on tour together in 2018, Carroll joined Bad Bad Hats on stage for an encore performance. It was a cover of “Pretend to Be Nice”, hit single of comic book band Josie & the Pussycats, written by Fountains of Wayne’s Adam Schlesinger for the 2001 live action movie. This swirling musical cauldron produced a bubble of an idea: a new band. Elana on lead vocals, Kerry on guitar, Chris on drums. Songs inspired by early 2000s rock, the music of their collective youths.
Monday, Sept. 7, 2026
11 a.m. & 1 p.m. – The Current presents Mason Jennings
For Mason Jennings, songwriting has always been about creating a personal connection, both with his audience and with himself. Over the years, he’s become known for his unpretentious, emotive approach to folk music, combining introspective lyrics with acoustic melodies.3 p.m. & 5 p.m. – The Current presents Miloe
The story of Miloe begins in the pews of a church in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Where Bobby Kabeya's family would congregate every Sunday was a place where community and rhythm entwined. Every week as parents sang in the choir, Kabeya remained transfixed by the percussion section's ability to keep the entire congregation on its feet. When he and his three younger brothers would return home, they'd turn to the warm enveloping sounds of everything from rumba to reggae, genres championed by nineties Afropop stars such as Papa Wemba, Lokua Kanza, and Lucky Dube.
Official Minnesota State Fair Resources
Official web site for the Minnesota State Fair
State Fairground map for reference
Official fair finder to locate food, booths, shops
MPR’s Made of Minnesota Day Sponsors:
