What it’s like to live in the State Fair’s shadow for the 12 days of the Great Minnesota Get-Together

Ricé Davis appreciates living close to the Minnesota State Fair — something she said she didn’t even think about when she fell in love with a house in Falcon Heights in 1973.

She walks the mile from her house to the main entrance, enjoys the sights, sounds and tastes, then walks home.

When she’s not at the fair, Davis likes to sit on her front stoop and watch people.

“I enjoy it. I like the people walking by, you chat with them,” she said. “It’s just a little bit of a hassle, safety-wise.”

About 2 million Minnesotans descend on Davis’ neighborhood each year to attend the Great Minnesota Get-Together, on fairgrounds tucked next to tiny Falcon Heights and St. Paul’s Como neighborhood. The daily infusion of between 106,000 and 250,000 people turns the largely residential area into one of the most festive and crowded spots in the state.

The crush of fairgoers brings traffic that chokes roads and more than enough vehicles to pack the neighborhood street parking. The fair also brings some degree of unsavory behavior by attendees, like littering and urinating on private property, something local officials have been working to alleviate.

Despite those pain points, many neighbors say they look forward to the fair excitement each year.

Mona McGarthwaite and her husband, John, 23-year residents of Falcon Heights, left home just as the sun was rising Thursday for a short trek to the main gate of the fair on opening day. They listed minor inconveniences, such as slightly longer commutes, and being a little more worried about traffic when their teenager — who works at the fair — is on the road. Still, they love it.

“To see it so empty, and then to watch it wake up, it’s exhilarating,” she said.

Some enterprising Como residents cash in on their location.

Annie Weeks stood outside a rental house she owns on Snelling Avenue near the fair’s main entrance Sunday, holding a sign advertising parking. Down the block, many neighbors were doing the same. The cost to park fluctuates between about $30 and $60, Weeks said, depending on the day and time.

“One of my favorite things is that I’ve gotten to know all the neighbors in this neighborhood,” she said.

Weeks, who also lives in Como, said selling parking is a lot of work. She said her regular job is flexible and when tenants are up for helping, they share in the profits.

“We get to kind of capitalize on it. They’re driving through our neighborhood, let’s get something out of it,” she said.

Nearby Falcon Heights doesn’t allow residents to turn their yards into paid parking during the fair. But many fairgoers park on city streets.

“The fair doesn’t realize that we’re their largest parking lot,” said Mona McGarthwaite, who is on the city’s State Fair Task Force along with nine of her neighbors.

While on the phone with a reporter Friday, Davis watched a car park illegally in front of her house.

“I’m just going to call the nonemergency line, and they’ll get a ticket,” she said.

She watched another driver run the stop sign on her street. Earlier, she yelled at one, but didn’t think he heard — or cared.

The fair activity is not everyone’s cup of tea, she acknowledged.

“I have neighbors who leave town,” she said. “They’re not going to put up with it, not going to deal with it. Don’t want to have anything to do with it.”

The Falcon Heights State Fair Task Force, also including Davis, formed in 2023 with the aim of improving residents’ quality of life during the fair. It has successfully pushed the city to increase fees for parking illegally during the fair, improve parking signage and license pedicabs so the city can address issues if they arise.

Falcon Heights has also placed portable toilets in neighborhoods with heavy foot traffic and worked with the State Fair to add trash receptacles, as well as lawn signs that remind fairgoers they’re in a residential area.

“The vast majority of people are very respectful,” City Administrator Jack Linehan said. “The idea behind it is to help remind people that there’s people that live there and if you’re coming home Tuesday night at 11 o’clock from a concert, just think about that as you’re walking to your car.”

Under state law, the fair is not part of St. Paul or Falcon Heights. Owners of private property on the fairgrounds pay taxes to Ramsey County, but not to any city. The fair has its own police force.

Linehan said Falcon Heights has a good relationship with the fair. The city, for example, stores its lawn equipment at the fairgrounds in the winter.

“[We] try to help out each other as much as possible,” he said.

In a statement, the State Fair said it values its partnership with its neighbors, regularly meets with them to discuss important issues and keeps city staff in the loop.

“We understand that the Minnesota State Fair has a significant impact on our neighbors, including nearby residences, small businesses and the University of Minnesota St. Paul Campus,” the statement said.

But some think the fair could do more to acknowledge its neighbors.

“People will say, ‘Why are you complaining, the fair’s always been there?’ but if you look at those attendance records that are being set, most of them have been since 2019,” said Paula Mielke, a Falcon Heights City Council Member. She estimates Falcon Heights provides between 800 and 1,000 parking spots for fairgoers and said demand has ballooned with attendance.

“It’s just becoming more and more parking,” she said. Most residential streets don’t have sidewalks, causing safety concerns for pedestrians.

Mielke said she’d like to see the fair offer some form of compensation to the city or its residents, such as a surcharge on tickets that could go to the city. Other residents have floated the idea of season passes or free admission.

“When people want to say we have an economic benefit, no, we don’t. We don’t have a hotel here,” she said. “Our largest restaurant, Stout’s, shuts down and sells parking.”