With roughly 28% of Creighton University’s undergraduate student body coming from the Upper Midwest, Minnesota holds a strong connection to the Creighton community. That connection is reflected in Creighton’s incoming classes, with Minnesota representing the largest out-of-state population in last year’s freshman class, bringing 188 new Bluejays to Omaha, according to Creighton News. 

For Minnesota students attending school in Omaha, the Minnesota State Fair offers more than an annual end-of-summer tradition. Only a few hours away from campus, it can be a chance to reunite with family, share a piece of home with friends and experience one of the state’s largest cultural events.  

Held annually since 1859 and located midway between the state capital of Saint Paul and Minneapolis, the Minnesota State Fair stretches across roughly 322 acres and celebrates Minnesota art, agriculture and industry. Beyond that, the fairgrounds welcome around two million visitors over the course of 12 days, with attendees gathering from all over to experience everything from live livestock births and butter sculptures to concerts, rides and, of course, a wide array of fair food — even deep-fried ranch. 

As a Minnesota native, I got to experience this yearly tradition, more commonly known as “The Great Minnesota Get-Together,” this past weekend. I have been going to the state fair for as long as I can remember. With the gates opening at 7 a.m. and most food vendors following soon after at 9 a.m., I knew to arrive early, beating the initial rush of people that would soon turn into waves of fair-goers.  

My first stop was a “must-eat,” a Pronto Pup on-a-stick. This skewered hot dog, made fresh in Wisconsin, keeps true to its Midwestern roots. The sausage is dipped in a unique batter of corn flour, wheat flour and rice flour, then deep-fried to golden brown with just the right amount of crispiness. While I may be biased, this fair essential is better than a traditional corn dog — but you’ll have to go try for yourself.  

Getting recommendations from TikTok and Instagram, I knew what my next stop would be: Rick’s Pizza. As a pickle lover myself, I had to try the viral hand-tossed pizza slathered with dill ranch sauce, mozzarella cheese and crunchy sliced dill pickles. Who says you can’t eat a pickle pizza for breakfast? 

This year, some of the biggest hits — drawing some of the longest lines at the fairgrounds — were a new food vendor called Minnesota’s Original Apple Fries; and Peachey’s Baking Company, which serves its famous oversized Amish glazed doughnuts. One customer said the doughnuts “are worth the hype,” despite the 15- to 45-minute wait.  

A fair visit is not complete without the food — and the feeling of being so stuffed you can’t move. Thankfully, visitors walk roughly five miles around the grounds, according to the Minnesota State Fair.  

The Minnesota State Fair is known for its dairy with its iconic All-You-Can-Drink Milk Stand offering bottomless 12-ounce cups of 2% white milk and chocolate milk for only $3.  

And what’s milk without cookies to dip in it? 

You can’t say you visited the Minnesota State Fair without stopping by the legendary yellow-clad Sweet Martha’s Cookie Jar. This fair favorite is known for its gravity-defying buckets of freshly baked chocolate chip cookies. Even on the hottest days, these ooey-gooey cookies are just what you need.  

Apart from the food, the fair has a little something for everyone, from exhilarating rides and boardwalk games where you can win oversized stuffed animals — which you’ll have to carry for the rest of the time there — to numerous livestock barns where you can even see farm animals being born. One of my personal favorites is the Education Building, which hosts the annual K-12 competition, showcasing ribbon-winning student art, creative writing and school projects. 

If you are a Minnesotan attending Creighton, the fair is the perfect destination to bring your friends. Introduce them to your favorite foods and the attractions you grew up visiting — a taste of what makes Minnesota feel like home. 

And even if you don’t know someone from Minnesota, the fair is a must-do on your bucket list. You are bound to meet someone there — they don’t call us “Minnesota nice” for nothing. Though I do recommend bringing a comfortable pair of walking shoes.  

With Labor Day earlier this week, another remarkable year of the Minnesota State Fair has come to a close. But the tradition is far from over. For Minnesota natives, the countdown to next year’s Great Minnesota Get-Together has just begun — and yes, I am counting down the days.