The Minnesota State Fair kicks off on Thursday and that means food, fun — and flowers.

Preparations are underway for the floral display inside the Agriculture/Horticulture Building.

Kim Erickson and Corey Van Denburgh put together this year’s theme, Cultural Kaleidoscopes, which honors famous cities around the world.

“You just see that awe factor when people come in,” Van Denburgh said.

They use up to 15,000 flowers in the exhibit.

“Tremendously gratifying, but it also it is a point of pride,” Erickson said. “Absolutely a point of pride for me.”

They start setting up the display a few weeks before the fair begins.