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No relief may be more welcome. The Minnesota State Fair is replacing one of its oldest, and most needed, amenities: the restroom at the south end of the Kidway rides at Dan Patch Avenue and Cooper Street.


The new facility is under construction right now on the fairgrounds, getting ready for the gates to open in August. 


It's part of nearly $7 million in improvements to fair facilities and infrastructure approved in January. The other big-ticket item is a new stage for the Family Fair area in Baldwin Park. The stage traditionally hosts the free entertainment for crowds under the signature yellow awning on the north end of the fair.


Other improvements this year will include upgrades for the Horse Barn stalls and a new pedestrian path through the Adventure Park area.

 for a major makeover of the north end of the fair, to include a new agricultural exposition area, an entrance plaza for Gate 2 on Hoyt Avenue, as well as a new amphitheater for performing arts. That project is scheduled for 2017 or 2018, depending on development and funding for the project.


In the meantime, the unofficial kickoff to fair season starts Thursday, with the unveiling of the 13th annual Minnesota State Fair commemorative art. Minneapolis mosaic artist 

 has been commissioned to create this year's edition, and his work will be the basis of the fair's annual poster.


This year's new food list will be released later this month, and new attractions will be unveiled in July.


The Minnesota State Fair is 76 days away, as of Thursday. It opens Aug. 25 and runs for 12 days through Labor Day, Sept. 5. Nearly 1.8 million people went to the fair in 2015.

Lifestyle

Tim Nelson

Author

Other improvements include a new stage for the Family Fair area in Baldwin Park, upgrades for the Horse Barn stalls and a new pedestrian path through the Adventure Park area.

Construction crews build new Kidway restrooms.

Tim Nelson | MPR News

Workers install footings for a Family Fair stage.

Big-kid bathrooms coming to the State Fair's Kidway

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