I’m planning a trip to the MN State Fair soon. Haven’t been in about 10 yrs, we used to go every year and looked forward to the deals and Martha’s cookies.
Specifically looking for info on the best deals to be found. We will only have half a day there.
Wish list-
Hot tub
Stihl tree pruner
Fishing / hunting gear
Snowblower
Zero turn mower
Carole and I hit the fair yesterday. We got to the south parking lot at about 9:30 and it was full already but did find another fairly cheap lot right close. I’ve never, ever seen as many people on a fair opener as yesterday.
We snooped around the machinery and mowers/snow blowers just for kicks. Looking to by a new mower this fall and are bouncing between a Honda and a Toro. Found some great fair specials on Toros plus a $25.00 off coupon good thru 9/16.
Fun day, all 9 hours of it. Had our Scheels Blueberry beer for lunch and an Orange Push-up brew on the way out of the gate heading home. Lots of greasy fair food in between. Easy to leave a couple c-notes at that place and come home empty handed.
I do remember dropping some weight (from the wallet), offsetting the greasy food I ate. It all works out.
The park n ride at 394 and Hopkins Crossroad was full by noon, plus an over flow lot, and nearby residential streets. Wouldn’t surprise me if they set an attendance record for the first day of the fair yesterday.
Swing by the Toro booth and get 2 coupons, one for the blower and one for the mower. After you figure out which models, shoot me PM and I’ll get you the lowest price you’ll find. Saturday is the one day we don’t have a representative from our store, Lano Equipment. If you like what you see at the Kubota booth just up the street I can do that as well. They don’t have any specific extra fair deals but I’m getting down and dirty. They really separate themselves from the pack in the heavier commercial mowers.
I’m shopping for a hot tub and Jucuzzi had some Pretty good deals but based on what I know, most fair deals on tubs are the same as what you can usually get to if diligent. I’d have put a wet test contingent deposit down on one yesterday but they did not have the colors we are looking for on their list of “sale units”. I’ve found I despise shopping for hot tubs. Every salesman I’ve dealt with leaves me feeling like I need to take a shower when I’m done with them.
BHM…..
We were told by a fair sales person in the Toro booth that there were a couple models of Toro commercial hand mowers having Honda engines on them. What are the model numbers for those?
20379 22hp recycler, variable speed FWD (Sold out from Toro)
20337 22hp recycler, Personal Pace, RWD (sold Out From Toro)
20382 22hp Super Recycler, Personal Pace, RWD I have in Stock
There are a couple of HD commercial models that get into the $1,200-$1,300 range also but I presume that is not your target.
It’s been nearly 50 years since I last went to the fair. Don’t really like crowds and last time there didn’t really find anything that would make me want to come back. But there must be something there for the million + that attend each year.
Hello, We are also looking for a Toro personal pace mower. I’m a fire fighter so I also noticed there was deal on those. We were looking at this model Toro 21″ Personal Pace® Super Recycler® Mower (21381) and wondering if you carry this and what your price. What Lano are you located at? Thanks!
I’ve found I despise shopping for hot tubs. Every salesman I’ve dealt with leaves me feeling like I need to take a shower when I’m done with them.
This is how I feel too with ….car salesmen – lawyers – insurance agents – etc….
As somebody who has done sales in the past….. not every customer is the most pleasant person on earth either.
I’ve found I despise shopping for hot tubs. Every salesman I’ve dealt with leaves me feeling like I need to take a shower when I’m done with them.
This is how I feel too with ….car salesmen – lawyers – insurance agents – etc….
I would check out the jacuzzi dealer in burnsville, very nice to work with.
The park n ride at 394 and Hopkins Crossroad was full by noon
You sure people weren’t going to Shane Co instead? I hear it’s near there…
Does the Burnsville jacuzzi dealer have an exhibit at the state fair or just go to their store ?
don’t know about fair booth, my hot tub came from there store and they have been helpful over the phone.
Yes they have a display on the northeast end. That is where I went. It was a factory guy I talked to that was there helping out. As I understand Twin City Jacuzzi in Burnsville is one of three stores in the metro area with St. Louis Park being their flagship store. I like the product, looking at a 400 or 500 series.
https://www.twincityjacuzzi.com/?_ga=2.38629539.1872675478.1566958839-1764859636.1566958839
Just know that some of the less reputable hot tub brands/dealers fly in sales personnel just for the fair. They have 30 minutes to close the deal and they are very good at it.
There are over 50 “name brand” hot tubs out there and a whole bunch of small companies that piece together components….
Buyer beware…
I’ve had good luck with “The Hot Tub Dude”…. sells late model used spas that have been refurbished to look/work like new; comes with warranty. Our current spa has been out there for 10 years with only a couple of service calls.
Spam Curds. Drop Mic.
Finally did make it today but boy….. I’ll never do that on a Friday at noon again, EVER.
We found $20 parking fairly close.
I was extremely disappointed that the few things we found & were interested in, were so ungodly high priced that I could only laugh and grab another $8 or $9 beer. $194 for a sign with a cute saying? They’re HIGH! Lots of pie in the sky high prices.
Got a $15 bucket of cheese curds that were delicious and 5 of us had plenty to share. Well worth it.
Got a $17 bucket of Martha’s cookies – this is the best $17 I can spend at the fair.
I couldn’t get into the BBQ shack, couldn’t get a pork chop on a stick, the places were just nuts. Gridlock at every beer stand, restroom, food trailer. Lines, lines & more lines as the day went on. We ended up eating Culver’s in red wing on the way home.
Didn’t even see the Stihl, Toro or even a single hot tub dealer display. Did see a soft tub dealer but who wants that?
I’ll go again next year but it’ll be at the earliest opening time & on a mid-week morning, so I can get the fair food, check a few places & be leaving before it gets stupid.
I did notice an abundance of LEO’s. One can only hope that there is 10 plain clothes cops for every uniformed one seen at such an event. Everyone we encountered was friendly, respectful, etc but the potential for a sh*tstorm is definitely there.
Yeah, for you guys coming from out of town, either get up super early to make it in early or come into town the night before so you are ready to go bright and early. Especially on Thurs-Sun. And honestly with the nice weather this year, I think the crowds are even higher.
Friday’s attendance numbers were ridiculous at something like 206,000, about 40K more than last year which was a record.
Today I’m sure those numbers are even higher. Been working the fair for 15 years and today is the most people I’ve ever seen.
Wife told me today…..”I’m not going to the state fair again, too busy, too expensive and just not as fun as it used to be.”
I couldn’t argue.
One thing I will say is that we only spent $165 Friday at the fair. I brought $400 cash. I wonder if the overall sales are that much better than usual because so many of us couldn’t get to the things we wanted to buy due to the crowds?
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