The Minnesota State Fair
The Minnesota State Fair is billed as "Twelve Days of Fun Ending Labor Day". The last day of the Fair has $5 tickets for children aged 5-12, and special deals on food and attractions.
The animal barns will all close early, at 3 p.m., on the last day of the fair, so bring the kids early.
The Minnesota Renaissance Festival
The Minnesota Renaissance Festival, held on weekends in September, is open all Labor Day weekend. It's a great escape from the Twin Cities, and expect it to be even busier than usual this Labor Day weekend with out-of-town visitors here for the RNC, and locals escaping the RNC.
The Minnesota Renaissance Festival
ValleyFair's Labor Day Weekend
There's free corn-on-the-cob for ValleyFair amusement park guests on August 30, August 31 and September 1.
ValleyFair Green Giant Labor Day Weekend Corn Feast
The Republican National Convention
For many of us, the Republican National Convention means disruption if we live, work, want to visit, or have business in or near downtown St. Paul. Streets around the Xcel Energy Center will be closed or have limited access to vehicular and bicycle traffic, nearby parking ramps will be closed, and buses are being diverted for the duration of the convention.
The Republican National Convention
City of St. Paul: Latest News on Street Closures in Downtown St. Paul
Bus Route changes for the RNC and Map View of Bus Detours
Republican National Convention Protests
A large protest march against the war in Iraq is planned for Labor Day. Protesters plan to assemble at the Minnesota State Capitol at 11 a.m. or September 1 and march to the Xcel Energy Center.Stop the War Protest March on the RNC
Civic Fest
Held at the Minneapolis Convention Center, Civic Fest celebrates Minnesota and American history, democracy, and the U.S. Presidency. On display will be replicas of Air Force One, and the Oval Office, and memorabilia and artifacts dating back to the 1780s.
Civicfest runs from August 29 - September 4.
Take Back Labor Day Festival
Harriet Island hosts an all-day music and art festival with major performing artists, family activities and art projects to promote a pro-worker agenda.
The Unconvention
Running from August 30 to September 2, The UnConvention is four days of performance and politics-related activities in Peavey Plaza, downtown Minneapolis, organized by Intermedia Arts.
Staying Home
With all the potential for disruption and turbulence this Labor Day, perhaps the best thing to do is to stay at home, gather with friends and family, and enjoy some good food.As summer draws to a close, make the most of Minnesota-grown seasonal produce from our farmer's markets, like raspberries, green beans, sweet corn and tomatoes.
Here's Labor Day recipes from About.com cooking guides.
