How Many Employees Does It Take To Run The Minnesota State Fair?

The Great Minnesota Get Together got underway yesterday. Daily visitor numbers to the Fair can range from 100,000 people all the way up to 250,000.

In 2023 the Fair averaged 152,986 people per day. The highest attendance happened on the Fair's first Saturday, when 212,850 people went through the turnstiles. The all time record for single-day attendance was 2019's Labor Day Weekend Saturday in which 270,426 people attended.

In order to accommodate that many people, the Minnesota State Fair is in a constant state of hiring from January through (ideally) June, or whenever they get all the spots filled.

According to Tina Nguyen at Twin Cities Business, the Minnesota State Fair boasts 89 full time employees and a staggering 3,000 seasonal employees to help the Fair run smoothly.

Job categories for the Minnesota State Fair include ticketing, custodial, public safety/support, agriculture, transportation, exhibits, entertainment and customer service.

According to the TCB story, the average pay for a Minnesota State Fair employee ranges from $11 per hour to $16 per hour, based on where you work and what experience you bring to the table.

The Fair had a solid 68% employee retention rate in 2023, with those hired a combination of different types of workers including high school students, retirees and everything in between.

The 2024 Minnesota State Fair runs through September 2nd in Falcon Heights, Minnesota near St. Paul.

Tickets for the Fair this year are $18 at the door.