As everyone starts to gather their school supplies and first day of school clothes, the end of summer is inching closer and closer to us. Even though this often means the end of summer fun, there is one more thing that needs to take place before the first class bell rings— the Minnesota State Fair.

Also known as “The Great Minnesota Get Together,” the state fair has been a hosted in Minnesota since 1859. The first fair was took place in Minneapolis only a year after Minnesota gained its statehood. It was organized by the Minnesota Agricultural Society as a way to promote Minnesota’s agriculture.

The fair has been held nearly every single year since 1859, except during the years that featured times of conflict, like the Civil War and Dakota Indian conflict in the 1860s, World War Two in 1945 and during a polio epidemic in 1946.

During the fair’s first outings, the event was hosted in St. Paul, Minneapolis, Winona, Rochester, Owatonna and Red Wing. After over 25 years of traveling, the Minnesota State Fair was given a permanent location in 1885 after Ramsey County donated 210 acres of land to the Minnesota Agricultural Society.

With its new home in St. Paul, the fairgrounds eventually grew into 320 acres, hosting historical buildings like the Grandstand, Fine Arts Center, Progress Center, Agriculture Horticulture Building and the Warner Coliseum.

Like a handful of other state fairs, the Minnesota State Fair has a mascot. Fairchild the gopher became the face of the Minnesota State Fair in 1966, and in 1983, he was joined by his nephew Fairborne. Fairchild was given his name after a state-wide naming contest, and his name also honors Henry S. Fairchild, who suggested the Ramsey County location for the fairgrounds.

The state fair itself is not the only thing on the fairgrounds that is full of history. The several buildings and structures are also the sites of historical events and performances.

The Grandstand serves as the heart of the Minnesota State Fairgrounds. The original version of the Grandstand was built in 1885. In 1909, the Grandstand was reconstructed into the much larger structure fair goers can see today. In order to keep the Grandstand functional, renovations have taken place during the late 1930s and in 2002.

This year, headliners at the Grandstand include Demi Lovato and Nick Jonas, the Dixie Chicks and Eagles lead singer, Don Henley.

Over the years, the Grandstand has hosted Johnny Cash, Dolly Parton, Christina Aguilera and the Backstreet Boys. The Grandstand was also the setting for historical moments, like Teddy Roosevelt’s “Speak Softly and Carry a Big Stick” speech during the 1912 presidential election.

The familiar octagon-shaped Agriculture Horticulture Building was first opened in 1947. This building is the location of competitions, demonstrations, concessions and exhibits focused on agriculture, horticulture and bee culture.

The shape and structure of this building was inspired by a previous building that was once considered the largest permanent building devoted to the showcasing of agriculture in the world. This building was destroyed in a 1944 fire, and the current Agriculture Horticulture Building sits in this location.

The Warner Coliseum has been the home to many events, like the Minnesota State High School Hockey Tournament. During the fair, the Coliseum is used for horse shows and livestock judging. The Coliseum, originally known as the Hippodrome, was built in 1906. For during the time of construction, the ice rink was considered to be the largest in the world.

During World War Two, the Coliseum became an impromptu propeller plant, and the horse shows did not continue until 1951.

In 1975, the Hippodrome’s name was changed to Coliseum, and in 2006, the state fair presented the building with its current name, the Lee and Rose Warner Coliseum. Lee Warner was a member of the Agricultural Society Board of Managers, and the vice president of the Agricultural Society from 1919 to 1941. The ice rink in the Coliseum has been out of order since 2014 due to lack of use and deteriorating ice-making equipment.

One of the most memorable, and maybe even the most important thing about the Minnesota State Fair, is the food. This year, some of the new treats added to the fair will be SPAM^® Sushi, Macaroni and Cheese Curds and the Deep Fried Nachos Supreme.

The Food Building, which brings together several food venders into one magical building, was fully constructed in 1949. Originally named the Food Show Building, it was the location of the Beer Garden, the Food Show and dining halls and refreshment concessions.

The Food Building received a major renovation in 2002, which incorporated several new food vendors.

Every year, the Minnesota State Fair draws in people from around the world. Last summer, the total number of attendees was 1,779, 738. In 2009, the attendance record was broken, with 1,790,497 people going to the fair.

The Minnesota State Fair has grown into a phenomenon that generations of Minnesotans and travelers have experienced and enjoyed. For over 150 years, the Great Minnesota Get Together has been the perfect summer sendoff, and will continue to be a part of American culture for many years to come, or at least until the cheese curds run out.