MPR and the Great Minnesota Get Together
Aug 27, 2024
Will we see you at Camp MPR, our booth at the State Fair? I’d especially encourage you to come out this Friday, August 30 for MPR Day at the Great Minnesota Get Together.
I sure hope you will come by Dan Patch Park for our day of live events. Please say hello to me and our amazing team and guests. We’ve got a great lineup for you, and you won’t want to miss the fun. I’ll be there all day and would love to have you say hello and share your ideas and comments about our work and pick up some fun MPR themed merch, from tote bags and T-shirts to coffee mugs and keychains.
MPR has a tradition of making the most of the Minnesota State Fair. It’s such a great mashup of people, food and entertainment. It shows off ALL of Minnesota. It's not a Twin Cities thing. It's not a Greater Minnesota thing. It's a Minnesota thing. It's something that we as the whole state take pride in and look forward to each year. The uniqueness of the fair makes us want to participate and show up for it.
Like anyone who goes to the fair, I make a plan for the amazing food. I’ll be getting some sweet corn (did you know all the corn at the fair is provided by one farm and is handpicked?). I also count on getting a pork chop on a stick, a turkey leg, and a few local brews along the way. Oh, and you can’t go to the fair and not get cheese curds. And I always look for a new food that could become a new favorite.
Our MPR team puts a lot of effort into shaping a full two weeks of programming at the fair. We think of it as a way to help Minnesota see itself, value itself, connect with one another. It’s one of those rare spaces where we can hear, see and better understand one another. Our programming changes over the course of each day and attracts a full range of our listeners. It’s a kaleidoscope of people and talent coming together at the corner of Judson and Nelson.
Since this is an election year, we will offer special election coverage. I’m especially excited we are offering an opportunity for everyone to experience Talking Sense. Led by MPR News’s Catharine Richert, Talking Sense is engaging Minnesotans across a variety of political and social divides. On Tuesday August 27, our partner Braver Angels will offer a demonstration of ways to talk through political differences and find common ground. MPR is focused on ways to foster more connection among one another and this program is a great way to learn and connect.
Variety is a hallmark of the fair. All fair long, MPR will show off the range of talent that plays on our air. On Thursday August 29 you can Ask a Bookseller with Emily Bright or hear the Minnesota Opera thanks to YourClassical. And The Current will host the Shackeltons. Our lineup for MPR Day on Friday, August 30 will include something special from each of our stations. Radio Heartland will present Twins of Franklin. MPR News will feature a hot topic of the day. YourClassical will present The Minnesota Wind Orchestra. And The Current will present Nur-D, who will wrap things up with one of his electric and engaging performances.
(All activities are on Central Daylight Savings Time and take place at our booth near the corner of Judson and Nelson unless otherwise noted. This schedule is subject to change. Check here for up-to-date details.)
MPR and the fair share a mission. We seek to celebrate what is local and special about Minnesota, and we want to foster connections among one other. Do please come see us there and let us know what you like and what you want more of from us.
As ever, we can only do this work because of the generous support of members and donors. We count on you to keep us connected and growing. Thank you.
Duchesne Drew
President, Minnesota Public Radio
About Duchesne Drew
Duchesne Drew is Senior Vice President of American Public Media Group and President of Minnesota Public Radio. In this role, he leads the teams that produce MPR News, The Current, APM Reports and Marketplace. Additionally, he oversees YourClassical MPR as a part of Minnesota Public Radio.