Minnesota State Fair: What age should kids be allowed to go with friends alone?

FALCON HEIGHTS, Minn. (FOX 9) - As Minnesotans gather for the Great Minnesota Get-Together, one Reddit post asking parents' advice on what age their child could safely go alone has Minnesotans kicking off the fair with a debate over precautions instead of food.

What age can kids safely go to the State Fair alone? Internet weighs in

What we know:

The Aug. 23 Reddit post asks, "For those of you with teenagers.... When do you let them go to the MN State Fair with their friends alone? Do you also go to the fair and check-in with them once in a while? Or do you feel comfortable just dropping them off?"

What they're saying:

Unsurprisingly, the solicitation took off with commenters, offering 200+ opinions at last count.

Below are a few of the top comments. 

1. Let them roam, but stay on the grounds

"I’d say for anyone under 15-16 [years old], let them run around on their own while an adult is also at the fair that can check in on them here and there."

2. A complete drop-off is different from giving them space

"I’d be okay with them going off on their own for bits here and there, but physical check-ins every hour or two seems reasonable to me."

3. Judge the child and friend group, not the birthday

"When my daughter was 13 [years old], yes. She was always very responsible. My son is 13 now. I’d say no with him, only because he and his friends are still pretty immature, and I can see them doing stupid stuff to annoy other fair-goers. I’m not concerned about their safety though."

4. An adult can be available without hovering

"I like the idea of a chaperon on site doing their own thing who can go rescue the tweens if anything goes wrong. Make sure everyone’s phones are charged and it’ll work out great."

5. The daytime and nighttime fairs can feel different

"That being said, I don’t trust the ‘fair vibe’ in the evenings anymore, unfortunately, so I’d want them to be done by dinner time roughly."

6. Use fixed landmarks for physical check-ins

"My parents always did this and had periodic check-ins at designated spots throughout the day."

7. Consider what constant monitoring may cost children

"Watching their every move on Life360 and whatnot. It's scary, really makes me wonder how the lack of freedom will affect our children when they become adults and parents."

8. Prepare for a dead phone or lost signal

"Just make sure they have a paper map and understand it, have a portable way to charge their devices that they use to contact you, and have a designated meet-up spot of where to meet you if you are picking them up."

9. Separate parental discomfort from the actual risk

"Perceived risk is a funny thing. We have become less and less comfortable with this, but that doesn’t mean our discomfort is based on an actual threat."

2026 Minnesota State Fair info

Big picture view:

The 2026 Minnesota State Fair runs for 12 days from Thursday, Aug. 27 through Labor Day, Monday, Sept. 7.

The fairgrounds are open from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. daily except Labor Day, when the fairgrounds are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Most buildings close by 9 p.m. for the first 11 days of the fair, while on Labor Day, most close by 8 p.m. 

Read our full guide to the Minnesota State Fair, from how much it costs, how to get there, what to eat and more. 

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