Minnesota State Fair Grandstand Seating Chart
The concert grandstand at the Minnesota State Fairgrounds, home to the fair's headliner series each late summer. A covered grandstand faces a temporary stage set up on the infield, with a general-admission floor between the seats and the stage during the run of the fair.
Sections at Minnesota State Fair Grandstand
Minnesota State Fair Grandstand's seating bowl is organized into the following main sections. Section layout differs by event — a sports configuration and a concert configuration of the same arena are not the same chart.
- Floor — general-admission standing in front of the stage
- Lower grandstand — closest covered reserved rows
- Upper grandstand — back covered tiers
- Accessible platforms — designated grandstand areas
Best seats at Minnesota State Fair Grandstand
Lower grandstand rows toward the center give a covered, elevated view straight down the stage with the infield floor below. For the closest experience, the general-admission floor puts you right against the stage if you arrive early.
Tips before you go
Concert tickets are separate from fair admission, but you still enter through the fairgrounds, so budget time for the gates and crowds. The grandstand is covered, which matters for the frequent late-August thunderstorms; floor standers are exposed.
How to read the Minnesota State Fair Grandstand seating chart
Minnesota State Fair Grandstand holds 13,000 across a fan of seating that all faces one stage, so reading the chart comes down to a single axis: distance from the stage. Reserved pavilion or orchestra sections sit closest and are usually covered; numbered rows climb back under the roof, and beyond them the general-admission lawn rises on open grass. The lower the section number, the closer to the stage — and the side you sit on decides whether you face the performers straight on or at an angle.
Three things decide an Minnesota State Fair Grandstand seat: how far back you are, whether you are covered or out on the open lawn, and how centered you are on the stage. For an amphitheater this size, the value sweet spot is usually the last few covered rows at center or the front of the lawn — close enough to see the stage, cheap enough to justify, and shielded from sun or a passing shower. Lawn seating is first-come within its area, so arrive early, and cross-check the official Minnesota State Fair Grandstand map before you buy.
Building a seating chart for an event at Minnesota State Fair Grandstand
Hosting a suite night, a group outing, or a private event in the Saint Paul area? A seating chart keeps the group organized before you ever reach the gates. Map your party onto tables that mirror the suite or section layout, assign each guest a spot, and export a PDF so everyone knows where they sit. For a private event in a banquet space near Minnesota State Fair Grandstand, the same tool lays out rounds, banquet tables, and head tables, then prints a chart the venue's event-services team can work from. Capacity at Minnesota State Fair Grandstand runs to 13,000 for its main configuration, but most private events use a fraction of that in a club, suite, or adjacent hospitality space — exactly the scale the maker below is built for.
Hosting a private event at Minnesota State Fair Grandstand?
Build your own seating chart for the event — banquet rounds for the dinner portion, theater rows for the program, whatever the format calls for. The Seat Chart App maker handles layouts up to 500 seats and exports a print-ready PDF to share with the venue's event team.
Open the seating chart generatorFrequently asked questions
- How many seats does Minnesota State Fair Grandstand hold?
- Minnesota State Fair Grandstand has a capacity of 13,000 seats. Capacity varies by event configuration — a concert may use floor seating that a basketball game doesn't, and a private buyout uses a different count than a public event.
- What are the best seats at Minnesota State Fair Grandstand?
- Lower grandstand rows toward the center give a covered, elevated view straight down the stage with the infield floor below. For the closest experience, the general-admission floor puts you right against the stage if you arrive early.
- What sections does Minnesota State Fair Grandstand have?
- Main sections include: Floor — general-admission standing in front of the stage; Lower grandstand — closest covered reserved rows; Upper grandstand — back covered tiers. Full breakdown in the sections list above.
- Where is Minnesota State Fair Grandstand located?
- Minnesota State Fair Grandstand is in Saint Paul, Minnesota. Check the venue's official website for the exact address, parking options, and public transit access closest to your seat section.
- How do I plan a private event at Minnesota State Fair Grandstand?
- For private events, build a seating chart that maps to the venue's section layout using the Seat Chart App maker below. Drop tables to match your event's footprint within the venue's space, assign guests, and export a PDF to share with the venue's event-services team.