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 31, 2006 - Minneapolis poet Leslie Ball snuck into the poultry barn a bit early this morning, to hear what it sounds like when hundreds of roosters wake up together.
September 1, 2006 - MPR’s Tom Scheck presents a summary report of U.S. Senate debate at Minnesota State Fair. The three major party endorsed candidates running for Minnesota's open U.S. Senate seat held a heated debate on health care, the war in Iraq and tax policy.
September 1, 2006 - On this Minnesota Public Radio day at the State Fair, Minneapolis poet Leslie Ball has a traditional State Fair breakfast - a bag of mini-donuts.
September 4, 2006 - All Things Considered’s Tom Crann interview Pioneer Press reporter Alex Friedrich, who was assigned the task of visiting the State Fair for twelve days and only eating items that were on a stick. It was trickier than it seems.
September 4, 2006 - Minneapolis poet Leslie Ball reads a poem in honor of the closing day at the 2006 Minnesota State Fair.
September 4, 2006 - MPR’s Tom Crann talks with Minneapolis poet Leslie Ball about her experience watching and writing about the Minnesota State Fair.
August 13, 2007 - MPR’s Tom Crann interviews Art Blakey, chief of police at the Minnesota State Fair, about the damage assesment after a storm wreaked havoc on the fairgrounds, knocking down trees, damaging concession booths, and tearing off part of the Grandstand.
August 23, 2007 - Morning Edition’s Cathy Wurzer interviews local authors Kathryn Strand Koutsky and Linda Koutsky about their book “Minnesota State Fair: An Illustrated History.” The mother and daughter team take a look back at the fair's traditions, with pictures from all eras of The Great Minnesota Get-Together. Many things have changed; others have not.
August 23, 2007 - On this special Midday program at the Minnesota State Fair, former Minnesota governors Arne Carlson, a Republican, and Wendell Anderson, a DFLer, reflect on current events and politics past and future.
August 24, 2007 - The Twin Cities chapter of the Red Cross is giving fair goers a chance to put their thoughts about the 35W bridge collapse in writing. The agency has set up a memorial wall in the Health Fair 11 building for people to express their sentiments about the August 1st disaster.