The Minnesota State Fair has a long, rich tradition for families and friends, and did you know that TKDA also has a history with the fair? In fact, we helped design the foundations for the space tower back in 1964. For over six decades, our team has provided planning, design, and engineering services ranging from building conditions surveys and adaptive reuse of existing and sometimes historic structures to developing new facilities to meet the ever-changing demands of this annual event, which celebrates Minnesota’s past, present, and future.

TKDA’s Brett Morse is our Government Market Manager and regularly works with the Minnesota State Fair. When asked what the most memorable project he has worked on is, Brett said, “Working on rebuilding the Cattle Barn after it collapsed because it brought all aspects of engineering to the table.” When the barn collapsed, the State Fair called TKDA, and we worked with Saint Paul Police and Fire to ensure the building was safe enough to enter and allow their emergency crews to conduct their observations. We then worked with the State Fair and their media department on a press release. When that was complete, we started the design process working with both our client and their contractors as we only had six months before the fair opened that year. “Going into this project, I had two goals. The first goal was to analyze and strengthen the structure so this event doesn’t happen again. The second was making sure the building looked the same aesthetically, which was a challenge because they don’t construct these iconic buildings with these types of materials 100 years later,” said Brett. 

Elevating the Attendee Experience

Today, we continue partnering with the fair to elevate the attendee experience. Purchasing a ticket is the first step in attending the Great Minnesota Get-Together, and the remodeled ticketing office provides an enhanced space for employees and attendees. The State Fair purchased the former CW Television Studio building across the street from the fairgrounds, and we transformed the top level of the building into a ticket office.

TKDA also helps maintain the structural integrity and longevity of the fair’s infrastructure through structural assessments and improvements to buildings and structures on the fairgrounds, ensuring guests access improved facilities during their time at the fair. A major goal for the fair is safety and security – it is their number one priority and a value TKDA has in common. We designed the new Emergency Operations Center, a larger, more technically advanced facility to aid the fair in providing a safe and secure environment for all fair attendees.

Our Future at the Fair

TKDA’s future at the Minnesota State Fair starts with where it began. Our continued support of the Minnesota State Fair Foundation helps rebuild and preserve the infrastructure on the historic fairgrounds so it remains safe and enjoyable for everyone. “We are starting to work with the new Minnesota State Fair CEO, Renee Alexander, and helping put into play what her vision is,” said Brett about TKDA’s future of working with the fair. “We have projects lined up for the next five years that I am looking forward to working with our staff and fair staff on.” The future of enhancing the fair experience focuses on the 4H Building, the Coliseum, Machinery Hill, and the Horticulture Building. Our integrated team approach, coupled with a deep bench of State Fair experience and know-how, enables us to be the resource the fair needs for these projects.

With over 60 years of experience working with the fair, our staff is excited to continue providing a fun, safe, and innovative space for all fair attendees to enjoy.