Oh, to be at the Minnesota State Fair in St. Paul! That would be the tops. It's filled with lots of events like Talent Contests, Horse Shows, the Midway and the Milk Run every year from late August until Labor Day.

For those of you who are curious the Milk Run is an annual 5k run that finishes on the fairgrounds. You thought it was something different didn't you? The run begins early in the morning, often a couple of days after the start of the fair. It winds its way around the University of Minnesota and the neighborhood of St. Anthony Park and on to the fair. It's really exciting to be at the finish line cheering on the first runners to finish the course.

The talent contests feature amateurs who've auditioned before the state fair judges earlier in the month. So there's no need to worry about watching bad acts. The contests are held for the first ten days of the fair. Semi finalists get to progress to the last of the competitions held in the Grandstand the day before the fair closes.

Horse Shows abound at this state fair. You'll find English Horse shows and Western Horse shows, plus the PRCA Championship Rodeo. It does cost extra to get into the Coliseum shows where these are held, but each horse show comes with the Imperial Knights games. You'll get to watch medieval jousting, sword fighting a horseback and ancient hand-to-hand combat.

The state fair has both a Midway and a Kidway. On the Midway you'll find the more adult rides like adult bumper boats and a Mardi Gras style glass house. Also try not to get sick on the tilt-a-whirl. On the Kidway they have a kid sized Ferris wheel, rides with cute names like the Lady Bug and the Samba Balloon and a kid's version tilt-a-whirl.

Visitors can stay overnight at the fairs campgrounds if there are any spaces left or they can find a hotel room in one of the many places to stay that St. Paul has to offer. Getting to the fair is as easy as hopping a ride on the park and ride shuttle.