Minnesota State Fair returns after 1-year COVID-19 hiatus

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The Minnesota State Fair is back after a one-year hiatus due to COVID-19 but it won’t be back to normal when the gates open on Thursday for the fair’s 12-day run through Labor Day. Fair officials are strongly urging fairgoers to mask up inside and outside, though they’ve stopped short of imposing any mask or vaccination mandates. It remains to be seen whether health concerns will put a dent in attendance, which typically exceeds 2 million. But national acts will still be playing at the Grandstand. Animals will fill the barns. And the smells of deep fryers and other food aromas will hang heavy over the fairgrounds.