The Great Get-Together

Step right up! Blue ribbons, daring rides, strutting animals, foods-on-a-stick - all this and more await at the annual reunion, the greatest of get-togethers, the state fair.

As summer winds down and kids prepare for the new school year, something unusual happens. People disappear from backyards and parks, funneling instead to a marvelous place. They arrive by bus and by bike, alone and in groups. There they mingle,

Tickets in hand,
tickets bought at a stand,
excitement growing and growing.
The gates open up;
crowds pass through.
What's on the other side?

The answer? The state fair, of course! This seasonal celebration draws people of all kinds, young and old, rural and urban, competitors and spectators. And at a fair this big, this sprawling, this inviting, there truly is something for everyone.

About the author. Karlyn Coleman is an award-winning writer, teacher, and creative collaborator based in Minneapolis, MN. About the illustrator. Cori Doerrfeld is a true Minnesota State Fair fan & St. Olaf College graduate.