Minnesota State Fair prices mostly held steady in 2026
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Inflation has eased this year — at the Minnesota State Fair, at least.
By the numbers: The University of St. Thomas' "On-A-Stick" fair inflation index was up 3.1% this year, much milder than last year's 7.4% jump.
- This year's rise is also much more comparable to the overall inflation rate of 3.4%. Last year, overall inflation hovered around 2.7%.
How it works: St. Thomas economics professor Tyler Schipper and his team of students calculate the index by tracking prices for admission, transportation, parking and rides.
- They also track the cost of 18 food and beverage staples, like the all-you-can-drink milk bar and Mouth Trap Cheese Curds.
Between the lines: Unlike last year — which saw price hikes of $2 per ticket and $5 for parking — the cost of most other items held more or less steady this year.
- 🍗 The clear exception: The price of a Turkey-to-Go turkey leg jumped from $15 to $20 this year.
Zoom in: Prices for the fair-favorite Sweet Martha's Cookies ($20), roasted corn ($5), and Dairy Barn malts ($9) were all unchanged.
Go deeper: Explore the data from the University of St. Thomas