MNHS Celebrates the Great Minnesota Get-Together with Musical Performances, Walking Tours, Photo Ops and More

Minnesota Historical Society staff are excitedly preparing for the start of the Minnesota State Fair next week.

Performances of History-on-a-Schtick!, a wacky musical romp through Minnesota history, return to the Schell's Stage in the West End Market every day at 9:30 and 10:30 am. This year's not-to-miss moment is the debut of a brand-new song about Paul Bunyan's overlooked girlfriend, Lucette Diana Kensack.

Visitors can also pick up a self-guided History Walking Tour brochure to discover some of the Great Minnesota Get-Together's most historic spots. The 2018 tour includes three new stops to explore: the International Bazaar, Kidway and Progress Center. Visit eight or more stops to collect a prize from the MNHS booth in the Education Building, the History & Heritage Center or J.V. Bailey House.

Every day stop by the MNHS booth in the Education Building to talk with staff about all things history. Plus, snap a picture of yourself on a historic adventure to sites from Split Rock Lighthouse to the Minnesota State Capitol with our new green screen photo op; a different MNHS site will be featured each day of the fair.

On Aug. 31, MNHS collections staff will join Sean Sherman and The Sioux Chef's Indigenous Food Lab to talk about Indigenous food and Native American collections at the Cambria Kitchen in the Creative Activities Annex. Exact appearance time is TBD.

For those who want a taste of the fair without the crowds, visitors can enjoy Farm to Fair Weekend at Oliver Kelley Farm the weekend of August 25 & 26. Learn how farmers raise livestock for competition, try your hand serving as a fair judge and sample snacks-on-a-stick in the Learning Kitchen.