Vows plus funnel cakes? Dakota County Fair to offer free weddings

For the first time, a few lucky couples will be able to get married at the Dakota County Fair for free this summer.

The fair, held at the Dakota County Fairgrounds in Farmington, lasts from Aug. 5 through Aug. 11.

“Love will be in the air, at the Dakota County fair” reads a flyer promoting the opportunity to be married by a judge at the bandstand pavilion the evenings of Aug. 5, 6, 7, 8 and 10. Couples must sign up ahead of time by contacting court administration at 1stdakotaadmin@courts.state.mn.us.

“We decided to offer free weddings as a way to give back to the community,” said Maria King, Dakota County’s court administrator, adding that after-hours courthouse weddings can cost between $150 and $350, depending on the location.

King said county officials got the idea from Hennepin County courts, which has performed free weddings on Valentine’s Day in past years. Ramsey County offered Valentine’s Day weddings last year for the first time.

Goodhue and McLeod counties also plan to offer the chance to wed to a limited number of couples this year, King said, with McLeod scheduling weddings on Aug. 16 and 17 and Goodhue offering them Aug. 7 and Aug. 8. Email mcleod.civilfamily@courts.state.mn.us or call 320-864-1285 for McLeod County. Email Vanessa Jeske at vanessa.jeske@courts.state.mn.us for Goodhue County.