Minnesota Public Radio, which started reporting from the Minnesota State Fair as far back as 1972, began a yearly tradition of live broadcasting from its booth at the corner of Judson and Nelson in 1991 (taking over the old WLOL-FM spot). The location has since become an important community spot for sharing ideas, intercultural representation, and topics unique to the Fair itself. MPR was the first media organization to have an entire day dedicated to them in the form of MPR Day, held the Friday before Labor Day in Dan Patch Park (formerly known as Carousel Park). The MPR booth has featured Gubernatorial debates, appearances by senators and important public figures, and live performances by a wide range of local musicians and writers. MPR hosts Gary Eichten, Cathy Wurzer, Kerri Miller, Bob Potter, Beth Friend, and numerous others, have filled the air over the past three decades with live Fair broadcasts that both informed and entertained. There was also the longtime broadcast of the Morning Show hosted by Jim Ed Poole and Dale Connelly, bringing their distinctive humor to the street intersection.
The Minnesota State Fair’s permanent 320-acre home along Snelling Avenue in St. Paul contains historical buildings which host a slew of exhibitors, plants, animals, arts, and plenty of jam. Big outdoor attractions include a multitude of food, Midway carnival rides, livestock (with smells), and daily shows and grandstand performances. It’s a busy, busy 12 days that MPR Archive has attempted to capture in this audio collection as varied as food on a stick. A report on Little Irvy, the freeze-dried whale…check! Andean folk band…indeed! Differences of the Pronto pup and the Poncho Dog…got it! Former U.S. Senator Rudy Boschwitz pitching his milk…yep! Here is your audio ticket to those stories…and so much more.
August 26, 1999 - Minneapolis Star Tribune business writer Jill Barshay, a native New Yorker, decribes her attempt at winning a Minnesota State Fair blue ribbon by submitting a fried sauerkraut dessert.
August 30, 1999 - MPR’s Gary Eichten talks with Mike Mulcahy, MPR’s political editor; Sara Janacek, republican analyst; Bob Meek, DFL commentator; and Julie Shortridge, reform party activist, about politics at a live broadcast from the Minnesota State Fair. Topics include Governor Ventura, Minnesota senate race, and 2000 presidential race. Program begins with news from MPR’s Greta Cunningham.
August 30, 1999 - Midday presents a Minnesota Citizens Forum on the future of rural Minnesota, held at the Minnesota State Fair. Panelists Paul Wellstone, Minnesota U.S. senator; Bob Ness, Minnesota state representative and chair of the Agriculture and Rural Development Finance committee; and Colleen Landkamer, Blue Earth County commissioner, discuss issues and solutions of the rural farm community.
August 30, 1999 - MPR’s Laura McCallum reports on a Minnesota Citizens Forum on the farm crisis held at the State Fair. A panel of elected officials from the federal, state and local levels talked about ways to help rural Minnesota survive, ranging from a government buyout of surplus commodities to more money for technology.
August 30, 1999 - Among the thousands of Minnesota State Fair workers are senior citizens. MPR’s Mark Zdechlik reports on these older workers and interviews numerous retired individuals about their reasons for taking on roles on the fairgrounds…and it’s not for the money. They reflect a growing number of older Americans choosing so-called post retirement employment.
September 2, 1999 - On this special live Midday program from the Minnesota State Fair, a debate about the idea of a unicameral legislature. MPR’s Gary Eichten moderates a discussion with DFL State Senator Allan Spear, who supports unicameral, and former Republican Party Chair Chris Georgacas, who opposes unicameral.
August 24, 2000 - Republican U.S. Senator Rod Grams at the MPR booth at the State Fair answers listener questions about politics and the election this year.
August 24, 2000 - Mark Seeley, University of Minnesota Climatologist, joins Gary Eichten to answer listener weather questions live from the MPR booth at the State Fair.
August 24, 2000 - A swan song of summer gets underway as the 2000 edition of the Minnesota State Fair opens at the grounds in Falcon Heights. The popularity of the fair can make transportation and parking a challenge in the area for the next twelve days, but some visitors and exhibitors avoid traffic headaches by camping at the fair.
August 24, 2000 - Are you ready to climb aboard something called the Slingshot? How about the Power Surge, Extreme or the Storm? These rides debut as the Minnesota State Fair opens. Such rides are usually safe, but things have been known to go wrong. Last year, almost 10,000 people were injured on amusement park rides. Bob Johnson, executive director of Outdoor Amusement Business Association, says there are plenty protections in place to make sure the rides are safe.