Free Items at the Minnesota State Fair

Love going to the Minnesota State Fair but trying to make your budget stretch throughout the day? Check out our big round up of Free Items at the Minnesota State Fair!

I absolutely LOVE going to the Minnesota State Fair! I think one of the only thing I don’t like about it is how expensive everything has gotten! Prices keep going up every year, so this year I challenged myself to many cool freebies as possible. I figured the more time I spent finding freebies, the less time I had to spend money!

The Minnesota State Fair is a great place to visit if you are looking for free stuff! Of course there’s tons of entertainment that’s free– from live music, to animal shows and family entertainment. But this post is going to strictly focus on free items.

I should mention a lot of freebies I found required some kind of interaction. A few were games, some were social media posts, many included waiting in lines… so while these items are technically “free,” they may require some time from you!

Up first is the BEST freebie at the fair– the Hydration Station at Culligan Water. Their booth is located right by the main entrance on Snelling Ave. You don’t have to do anything, just fill up your water bottles for free! This will really save money at the Fair, I filled up my reusable water bottle 3 times yesterday!

While you’re in this area, swing into the Education Building. There’s tons of freebies in here from colleges and different organizations. I saw a free vision screening for kiddos, free custom photo calendars, a robot dispensing State Fair buttons, Babe the Ox hats and so much more! The best freebie is at Minnesota Forest Industries, answer a few trivia questions and you can get a FREE Red Pine Seedling to plant in your own backyard.

The University of Minnesota has tons of freebies along with an awesome website with that gives you day-by-day giveaway info. That way you can plan exactly when and where you’ll get your freebies! This thrifty planner absolutely loves that! On the day I was at the State Fair, I stopped by the Research Building and filled out a survey in a cool building with chairs! It only took a few minutes and I got a super cute U of M bag.

I wanted to grab some more U of M giveaways yesterday but the lines were really long! There’s Tote Bags and ‘Honey Crisp’ Flavored Lip Balm at the Crossroads Building everyday along and FREE ice cream samples and coupons at the Agriculture Horticulture Building. You can search all the U of M giveaways by day on their amazing website!

The Mall of America booth is located at Underwood and Wright. I read online before the fair that their booth this year would have free face painting, bag charms and more! It was a pretty fun booth– where else can you get FREE face painting at the Fair?

In the same area will find Sargento Cheese– they have free samples of grilled cheese that are actually super good! Sign up to win a FREE year of cheese and you’ll get a bandana and a coupon. Post a picture of yourself with their giant Grilled Cheese, tag Sargento and post to social media and you’ll get a free grilled cheese bucket hat. They are so cute! But just keep in mind that the internet is very spotty, so you might have to walk away or ask someone outside of the fair to post for you.

Next door to Sargento is E.L.F. Cosmetics. Take note– they are only at the fair through August 30th! But stand in line and you’ll get a free lip gloss or SPF stick. Every afternoon from 2-4pm you can play a game to win pickle lip gloss! Have you ever heard of anything more Minnesota State Fair than pickle lip gloss?!

Caribou Coffee is hosting their Cozy Cabin at the fair through August 30th as well in the same area. Find free samples and spin the wheel giveaways. I got to try their Caramel Apple Cooler and it was delicious and the perfect treat on a hot day! I didn’t stay in the giveaway line but I did get a $1 off coupon for a future beverage.

From there I headed to the FORD booth on Underwood Street just south of Randall Ave. You can sign up to win a free year of gas on their iPads, and you’ll be able to choose a free hat or clear stadium bag. Don’t miss your chance at the MyTalk 107.1 free Sporks. They weren’t handing them out when I was there, but I did go up to their booth and ask, and they did give me one for free!

Of course you’ve got to grab your Star Tribune Lip Balm. This year’s flavor is Minnesota Nice, its floral scent is inspired by the state flower, the lady’s slipper. Did you know there are people that collect these every year? What a fun and random collection to have! One available per person starting at 9am on Carnes Avenue, at the end of the grandstand ramp.

Don’t miss the Chase Bank Pop-Up near the Grandstand. This booth was fun! Fill out a survey online, take a picture and get a customized bag! You get to pick your own pins from a wide variety of choices– Minnesota, food, sports, kids and more. I decided to make my Chase Bag food themed! This pop-up is at the fair through August 30th.

And that’s where my freebies ended for me! I had a great time finding free stuff and I really did save money, although I still had to get my favorite food items. If you’re looking for more deals, don’t forget to grab your copy of Deals, Drawings and Giveaways at any Minnesota State Fair Information Booth. This is a great way to find out what deals are available on the day you’re visiting!

And make sure to pick up your own Blue Ribbon Bargain Book as well! For only $5 you get tons of coupons to use all throughout the fair on food, drinks, rides, state fair merch and more! You can learn more in our post here.

Did we miss your favorite freebie at the Minnesota State Fair? Let us know in the comments, we’d love to add them to our post!

Also be sure to check out our post on 25 Ways to Save Money at the Minnesota State Fair!