Fair officials: Ways to stay cool with hot temps during the last weekend of the Great Minnesota Get-Together
As fairgoers head into the last weekend of the Great Minnesota Get-Together, the weather forecast remains top of mind.
Temperatures are expected to climb into the 90s this weekend, uncomfortably hot for early September.
Minnesota State Fair officials remind visitors there are various ways to stay cool this weekend and say the best way is to bring a refillable water bottle.
There are also misting stations scattered about the fairgrounds to help people cool off as the temps climb throughout the day.
Two buildings on the fairgrounds — the Northend Event Center and the History and Heritage Center — are air-conditioned. So, if you are really hot and need a place to cool off, those are two places to go.
“If people start to feel unwell, we always encourage them to either visit first aid or call 911. We have a dedicated dispatch center just for the fair, so we encourage people to use that resource and get some help,” said Maria Hayden, spokesperson for the Minnesota State Fair.
The Minnesota State Fair has a partnership with Regions Hospital for two aid stations at the fair, and there are also EMS stations throughout the grounds.
Fairgoers aren’t the only ones trying to keep cool this weekend.
“You’ll see everyone’s got fans set up on their cattle to keep the air moving, that’s the main thing,” said Terry Morrison of Fason Creek Cattle Company.
Animals in the cattle barn get rinsed down twice a day, and owners are bringing livestock outside in the evenings — out of the hot barn.
“Monday’s going to be a really hot day. We’re hoping the fair is going to release animals early because it’s really dangerous for the animals to be tied up that long in the barn and it’s hot,” Morrison said.