Minnesota State Fair tickets are currently available for the final stretch of the 2026 Great Minnesota Get-Together, with regular admission set at $20 for adults and $18 for seniors and children ages 5 to 12.
The 2026 fair opened Thursday, Aug. 27, and continues through Monday, Sept. 7. Several discount days remain, giving seniors, military families and children opportunities to pay less on selected dates.
The fair has already experienced exceptionally strong attendance. Opening day drew 155,185 people, setting a new record. Friday followed with another record at 204,065 visitors. Saturday attracted 198,842 people, keeping attendance near record levels during the opening weekend.
For anyone planning a visit during the remaining days, knowing the current admission prices, discount dates and ticket rules can make planning much easier.
Current 2026 Admission Prices
Regular admission prices are straightforward.
Adults ages 13 through 64 pay $20. Seniors ages 65 and older pay $18. Children ages 5 through 12 also pay $18.
Children age 4 and younger can enter free.
The current regular prices are:
| Age group | 2026 admission |
|---|---|
| Adults 13-64 | $20 |
| Seniors 65+ | $18 |
| Children 5-12 | $18 |
| Children 4 and under | Free |
These prices apply during regular fair-time admission.
The fair also offered several advance promotions earlier in the season. Those offers have already passed, so visitors attending during the final week should use the current prices and remaining discount opportunities when budgeting for admission.
Remaining Discount Days in 2026
The fair still has several special admission dates on the calendar.
Monday, Aug. 31, is Seniors Day. Eligible seniors can enter for $15 at the gates.
Tuesday, Sept. 1, is Military Appreciation Day. Eligible military visitors can purchase admission for $15.
Wednesday, Sept. 2, is Kids Day. Children ages 5 through 12 can enter for $15.
Thursday, Sept. 3, is another Seniors Day, with admission for seniors reduced to $15.
Monday, Sept. 7, the final day of the fair, is also Kids Day. Children ages 5 through 12 can enter for $15.
The remaining special admission schedule is:
- Aug. 31: Seniors Day — seniors $15
- Sept. 1: Military Appreciation Day — eligible military visitors $15
- Sept. 2: Kids Day — children ages 5-12 $15
- Sept. 3: Seniors Day — seniors $15
- Sept. 7: Kids Day — children ages 5-12 $15
Children 4 and younger remain free every day.
Monday, Aug. 31, Is Seniors Day
For visitors checking prices today, Monday, Aug. 31, offers a specific discount for seniors.
Seniors ages 65 and older can purchase admission for $15 at the entrance gates. Adults ages 13 to 64 pay the standard $20 price, while children ages 5 to 12 pay $18.
The fair is also offering special deals on food and merchandise today. Mighty Midway and Kidway rides and games have all-day promotions as part of the day’s discounts.
Monday also includes Mental Health Awareness activities at Dan Patch Park.
For seniors who have not yet visited this year, Aug. 31 provides one of the remaining opportunities to receive reduced admission.
Military Discount Arrives Sept. 1
Tuesday, Sept. 1, brings Military Appreciation Day.
Eligible military visitors can purchase admission for $15. The offer covers qualifying members of the military community, including active-duty personnel, veterans and other eligible family members.
Visitors using the military discount should have the required documentation available when purchasing admission.
The special pricing makes Sept. 1 an important date for military households considering a fair visit.
Kids Day Returns Sept. 2
Families with children can save on Wednesday, Sept. 2.
The fair has designated Sept. 2 as Kids Day. Children ages 5 through 12 can enter for $15 instead of the regular $18 price.
Kids Day also includes special activities and promotions around the fairgrounds.
Another Kids Day takes place on the final day, Sept. 7.
Families choosing between those dates can therefore consider both the admission discount and the rest of their plans before deciding when to visit.
A Second Seniors Day Comes Sept. 3
Thursday, Sept. 3, is the final Seniors Day of the 2026 fair.
Seniors can again purchase admission for $15.
That provides another opportunity for older visitors who cannot attend Aug. 31 or prefer to visit later in the fair.
Regular adult admission remains $20 on the day, while children ages 5 through 12 pay the standard $18 price.
The Final Day Offers a Kids Discount
The 2026 fair closes Monday, Sept. 7, on Labor Day.
The final day is also Kids Day. Children ages 5 through 12 can enter for $15.
The fair has shorter operating hours on Labor Day. The grounds close at 8 p.m., so visitors should plan their arrival and activities around the earlier closing time.
The final day can also be particularly busy because many families use the holiday to make one last visit.
Strong Attendance Has Already Changed the Picture
The 2026 fair has opened with unusually high attendance.
Thursday’s opening-day crowd reached 155,185. That surpassed the previous opening-day record of 138,875.
Friday was even busier. A total of 204,065 people attended, establishing another daily attendance record.
Saturday brought 198,842 visitors. That was slightly below the comparable Saturday in 2025, which recorded 198,863 visitors.
The first three days therefore brought more than 558,000 visitors to the fairgrounds.
These figures matter for anyone purchasing admission because the busiest days can create longer lines and heavier traffic around the fairgrounds.
The strong start also means visitors should not assume that a weekday will automatically feel quiet.
Do Tickets Sell Out?
Regular admission is available during the fair, including through the official ticketing system and at the entrance gates.
The fair’s high attendance does not mean general admission tickets should be treated like limited concert seats.
However, buying admission before arriving can help visitors organize their plans and avoid spending additional time handling tickets at the entrance.
Visitors attending a specific discount day should also make sure they understand whether the reduced price is available online, at the gates, or under specific eligibility rules.
Admission Tickets Cover Entry to the Fair
A general admission ticket provides entry to the fairgrounds.
It does not automatically cover every activity inside the fair.
Visitors should budget separately for rides, games, certain entertainment and other paid experiences.
This distinction is especially important for families. The admission price may be only one part of the day’s spending.
Food, rides, games, parking and shopping can all increase the final cost.
Planning those expenses before arriving can help visitors avoid surprises.
Ride Tickets Are Separate
Rides and games at Mighty Midway and Kidway require separate tickets.
The fair now loads ride and game credits onto a Fun Card rather than using traditional paper ride tickets.
Current pricing includes:
- $1 for one ticket
- $40 for 44 tickets
- $70 for 80 tickets
There is no wristband program for the rides and attractions.
Each attraction requires the appropriate number of tickets loaded onto the Fun Card.
The fair also has special ride and game discount days. In the remaining schedule, promotions apply Aug. 31, Sept. 1, Sept. 2 and Sept. 7.
That makes several of the remaining admission discount dates useful for visitors who also want to spend time on rides.
Grandstand Events Require Separate Tickets
Fair admission should also be separated from Grandstand concert tickets.
Visitors need regular fair admission to enter the grounds. A separate ticket is required for ticketed Grandstand performances.
The final week includes several major performances.
Tommy James & The Shondells with Herman’s Hermits starring Peter Noone are scheduled for Aug. 31.
AJR performs Sept. 2 with Quinn XCII. Brad Paisley performs Sept. 3 with Avery Anna. Hardy performs Sept. 4 with McCoy Moore, while TLC and Salt-N-Pepa are scheduled for Sept. 5.
CeCe Winans is scheduled for the Labor Day performance on Sept. 7.
Visitors planning to attend a Grandstand show should therefore account for both types of admission.
A fair admission ticket alone does not serve as a ticket to a reserved-seat Grandstand performance.
The $5 Bargain Book Can Help With Spending
Visitors looking for additional savings can also consider the Blue Ribbon Bargain Book.
The book costs $5 and includes coupons for selected food, merchandise and attractions.
It is designed for visitors who expect to make several purchases during their time at the fair.
The savings can be useful because admission is only one part of the overall cost of attending.
For families, combining a discounted admission day with available food, merchandise and ride promotions can reduce the total amount spent.
Parking Is an Additional Cost
Visitors who drive to the fairgrounds should also include parking in their budget.
On-site parking costs $25 for the 2026 fair.
The fairgrounds provide other transportation choices for people who prefer not to drive directly to the event.
With hundreds of thousands of visitors arriving during the opening days, transportation planning can be just as important as choosing the right admission ticket.
A visitor who has already purchased admission may still need to allow considerable time for travel and parking.
Fair Hours Matter When Buying Tickets
The fairgrounds generally operate from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. during the first 11 days.
Labor Day has shorter hours, with the grounds closing at 8 p.m.
General admission access also has its own cutoff times.
Visitors planning a late arrival should check the admission schedule before traveling.
This becomes particularly important on Sept. 7 because the final day ends earlier than the other fair days.
Buying a ticket does not change the fair’s operating hours.
There Is No Multi-Day Admission Pass
One important detail for repeat visitors is that the fair does not offer a standard multi-day admission pass.
Anyone attending on several different days should plan for admission costs on each visit.
For example, an adult visiting twice would pay $40 in regular admission.
A child between ages 5 and 12 visiting twice would normally pay $36.
Discount days can reduce those totals for qualifying visitors.
This makes the remaining special admission dates especially relevant for families and groups planning multiple visits.
Children Four and Younger Enter Free
Families with young children receive an automatic admission benefit.
Children ages 4 and younger do not pay admission.
That policy applies throughout the fair, including special discount days.
Families with children in different age groups should therefore calculate admission based on each child’s age rather than applying one family-wide ticket price.
For example, a family with a toddler and an older child may have one child who enters free while the older child requires a paid ticket.
What Makes the Remaining Dates Different
The final week offers several distinct opportunities.
Aug. 31 is aimed at senior visitors. Sept. 1 focuses on military appreciation. Sept. 2 and Sept. 7 offer savings for children. Sept. 3 provides another senior discount.
Visitors who do not qualify for a special discount will generally pay the standard admission price.
The fair’s strong early attendance also means choosing a date based solely on the expectation of smaller crowds may not work as well as it once did.
Weather can influence attendance, but there is no guarantee that any particular remaining day will be quiet.
2026 Ticket Prices Remain Easy to Understand
The current structure is relatively simple.
Adults pay $20. Seniors and children ages 5 to 12 pay $18. Children 4 and younger enter free.
Special dates reduce admission for specific groups to $15.
That gives visitors a clear way to compare the standard price with the available discounts.
The most important thing is to choose the correct ticket category and visit date.
Anyone planning to attend a ticketed Grandstand performance or ride attractions should also remember those expenses are separate.
Minnesota State Fair Tickets: What Visitors Should Know Now
The 2026 fair is already well into its 12-day run, and the remaining admission opportunities are clearly defined.
Regular admission remains $20 for adults and $18 for seniors and children ages 5 to 12. Children 4 and younger continue to enter free.
The remaining discount dates provide additional savings for seniors, eligible military visitors and children.
At the same time, the fair’s opening attendance figures show that demand remains exceptionally strong. More than 155,000 people attended opening day, followed by more than 204,000 on Friday.
Anyone planning a visit should consider the ticket price, discount eligibility, transportation, parking and any additional attractions they want to experience.
With only a limited number of fair days remaining, choosing the right date can make a meaningful difference to the overall cost and experience.
Planning to visit the fair before it closes on Sept. 7? Share your ticket plans and favorite money-saving tips in the comments, and stay updated on the latest fair developments.