The gates to the Minnesota State Fairgrounds open this morning to the first wave of the roughly 2 million people who will eat, drink, and be amused over the next 12 days. Going to the fair this year?

The official mascot of the Minnesota State Fair, Fairborne — a giant gopher who wears a straw hat and striped jacket — poses during the Minnesota State Fair on Aug. 27, 2024, in Falcon Heights.