MUSIC AT THE FAIR | DAY 10 – NELLY – ST. PAUL, MN – AUGUST 30, 2025

The final Saturday at the Minnesota State Fair is known to be the busiest day of the entire run, which once again proved to be true for 2025. The weather was exceptional and had people out in numbers, soaking it all in and having a great time. That’s what the fair is all about and this was one of those days where you could really feel the magic unfolding.

The Grandstand was primed for one of its biggest nights featuring Rap superstar Nelly along with a strong supporting cast that included Ja Rule, Mya, and Ying Yang Twins. Collectively, this mix of artists covered a lot of ground in the genre broadening its appeal to a wider range of fans.

My day was spent hopping from stage to stage for a refreshing reminder of how much talent and diversity our very own Twin Cities music scene has to offer. At the Bandshell, Sarah Morris kicked the day off with heartfelt set of mostly original tunes. Morris is effective and has paved her way performing alone as a solo artist, but there was an added level of enjoyment hearing her backed by a full band. Next up, Tonic Sol-fa’s time on the Bandshell stage felt extra special as was their farewell performance as a group. It was fun and a bit emotional to see them working through their well polished acapella extravaganza, which brought a lot of joy and will be missed.

Across the fairgrounds at the West End Market Stage, indie rock songwriter Mary Bue delivered and uplifting set fueled by meaningful and heartfelt lyrics. A longtime student of yoga and psychology, Bue knows how to connect with an audience and generate good energy. Capping the day off, our most celebrated venue First Avenue took the stage over to showcase a sampling of what you can expect to find there on any given night throughout the year. This being the second of 2-nights featured Clare Doyle, Jack Klatt, Mary Cutrufelllo, Miloe, and P.O.S., all backed by Al Church and The Congregation and hosted by Jade.