The Minnesota State Fair recently announced dozens of new attractions for the 2017 Great Minnesota Get-Together.

Here is a sampling of the new state fair experiences debuting this year.

Great Big Wheel. The tallest traveling Ferris wheel in North America will carry riders 15 stories high into the sky for breathtaking views of the State Fairgrounds and beyond the Twin Cities. The 156-foot-tall Great Big Wheel boasts a spectacular lighting display of a half-million LED lights and 36 enclosed gondolas each carrying six people. $5 per rider.
Location: Southwest corner of Randall Avenue and Cooper Street

The Great Minnesota Knit Together. Minnesota’s largest "yarnbomb" — a form of street art featuring crocheted, knitted and other crafted yarn creations — will blanket topiaries on the Grandstand Ramp. Clever, whimsical and colorful, the photo-worthy vignettes are the handiwork of Knitteapolis, Midwest Machine Knitters Collaborative, Minnesota Knitters’ Guild, Crochet Twin Cities, and Boys & Girls Clubs of the Twin Cities, along with crafters from throughout Minnesota and across the country who sent in dozens of pieces to be added to the community yarnbomb.
Location: Grandstand Ramp
Aug. 24, 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.

An Evening With Equine. Grace, gentleness, power and precision are all on display in this special evening showcasing a breadth of equine artistry:
• Northern Lake Vaulters displays the art of equestrian vaulting, a combination of dance and gymnastics on the back of a moving horse.
• We Can Ride demonstrates how therapeutic riding, hippotherapy and equine-assisted learning can impact the lives of children and adults with disabilities or special needs.
• Windy Ridge Riders Drill Team performs a precision drill exercise requiring teamwork, timing, steady spacing, speed control and good horsemanship.
Location: Lee & Rose Warner Coliseum
Aug. 29, 6 p.m.

Dress A Sheep Contest. Creativity, hustle and a bit of moxie combine in this brand-new contest at the state fair. Teams of up to four people (in complementary costumes) have 10 minutes to outfit their willing and woolly comrade in a clever costume. Dressed to impress, the teams parade around the show ring, hoping to win over both the audience and the judges.
Location: Sheep Barn
Aug. 27, 11 a.m.

New agriculture horticulture activities. The iconic Agriculture Horticulture Building hosts eye-opening, knowledge-expanding activities and demonstrations.
• Ask the Cider Maker: Experts with the Minnesota Cider Guild answer questions about making cider. 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily (except Aug. 24) at the Cider Display in the Apple Booth.
• Hands-On Ag Literacy: Fast, fun make-and-take activities at the Minnesota Department of Agriculture exhibit, presented by Minnesota Agriculture in the Classroom. 1-3 p.m. Aug. 24 and 31, livestock animal ear tags; Aug. 26 and Sept. 2, living necklaces; Aug. 28, pollinator feeders
• Beekeeper’s Corner: 15-minute mini-classes on beekeeping topics such as honeybee behavior, hive management, beekeeping equipment and more. 3, 3:15, 3:30, 3:45 p.m. daily at the Bee & Honey exhibit.
Location: Agriculture Horticulture Building.

Eco Experience — new highlights. An array of new exhibits highlights the latest in easy, everyday reduce-reuse-recycle how-tos, healthy cooking, innovations in green technology and transportation, and other compelling topics of environmentally focused living. A sampling:
• Works Progress Water Bar offers taste-testing flights of water from Minnesota communities and conversations about how water connects us.
• Kick Gas Safety Town, with mini-buildings, sidewalks and vehicles, teaches children basic traffic rules and how to walk safely through their community and navigate potential safety hazards.
• New World of LED Lighting highlights how the latest design and energy efficiency advances have transformed how we light our world.
• We Are Water MN encourages visitors to explore Minnesotans’ unique geographic position as a headwaters and our responsibility to keep water clean.
Location: Progress Center.
Open 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily.

New construction on the State Fairgrounds. Highlights of this year’s fairgrounds improvement projects include:
• New elevator on the west end of the Grandstand. Until this year, concertgoers and guests accessing second-floor vendors were limited to using one elevator on the Grandstand's east side, or the Grandstand ramp.
• Swine Barn renovation. In the first phase of work, the Swine Barn Annex was removed, which allowed for wash racks to be moved outside and more pens to fit in the barn. windows and doors on the west end of the barn were opened to improve ventilation and air quality.

Swine Barn and Coliseum history highlights. The History Walking Tour, a 2-mile self-guided exploration of some of the state fair’s most historically significant spots, introduces two new additions to the tour: The Swine Barn, completed in 1936, was converted, along with the rest of the livestock complex, into a military aircraft propeller plant during World War II. The second new stop is the 5,200-seat Lee & Rose Warner Coliseum, which opened in 1951 and features two beautifully carved reliefs on the north side that depict the state motto, L’Étoile du Nord (The Star of the North). Pick up a tour brochure from the History & Heritage Center or at any tour stop on the fairgrounds, or call 877-411-4123 to listen anywhere.
Location: Swine Barn and the Lee & Rose Warner Coliseum.

Special exhibits. Nearly 20 touring exhibits will make a stop at the fair this year. Some new exhibit highlights include:
• AARP Rocks VR Photo Booth. Virtual reality photo experience. Aug. 24-Sept. 4.
• Beech-Nut. The company will be giving away samples of organic pouches and ready-to-eat baby food cereals as sponsor of the Great Big Sandbox. Aug. 25-26.
• HungerU. Raising awareness about fighting food insecurity. Aug. 26-27.
• "The Lego Ninjago Movie." Promotion of the upcoming new movie, with giveaways and appearances by costumed characters Master Wu, Nya and Lloyd. Sept. 2.
• Stok Cold Brew Coffee. Activities and fun with cold-brew coffee sampling. Aug. 24-27.
• Tractor Supply. Interactive exhibit promoting Tractor Supply products and activities. Aug. 31-Sept. 4.

The Minnesota State Fair is one of the largest and best-attended expositions in the world, attracting 1.9 million visitors annually. The 2017 Minnesota State Fair runs Aug. 24 to Labor Day, Sept. 4. Visit mnstatefair.org for more information.

Source: Minnesota State Fair