The crowded streets. The pulsing lights. The smell of bubbling grease and smoked pork. The thumping music. The braying, clucking, grunting farm animals. The State Fair promises a sensory banquet. It’s the stimulating experience that many visitors look forward to immersing themselves in.
But for some, that overload is too much. People with autism spectrum disorder, sensory processing challenges and some other conditions may feel too overwhelmed by the State Fair’s atmosphere to enjoy the annual event and so they don’t attend.
This year, they may rethink their hesitancy.
“The State Fair is called the Great Minnesota Get-Together and we’ve made a few adjustments to try our best to embody that and be more inclusive, to help people navigate their day so they can have a great experience,” said Christine Noonan, marketing director for the State Fair.
For the first time, the State Fair is initiating a sensory-friendly morning. On Monday, August 28, guests who visit the Mighty Midway and Kidway will experience the area without its usual loud music and bright lights. From 9:00 to 11:00 a.m. on the Kidway and from 10:00 a.m. to noon on the Mighty Midway, lights and sounds will be turned off and non-safety-related announcements will be minimized.
“Our employees and the ride and game operators all on board, wholly supportive of this,” Noonan said. “When you think of rides and games, you naturally think of kids and families, but there are plenty of adults who also want to experience walking around the Fair in a calmer way.”
In addition, again this year people who find the fair overwhelming can visit the Fraser Sensory Building, on the west side of Cosgrove Street south of the Home Improvement building. Staffed by trained individuals and volunteers from Fraser, a nonprofit that treats autism and mental health, the space offers a quiet respite where they can take a break. Visitors can self-regulate with techniques and tools including weighted blankets, floor cushions and fidget toys.
People of all ages with PTSD, seizure disorders and other anxiety disorders are also welcome to visit the building, which is open from 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. throughout the run of the State Fair.
In collaboration with Fraser, the State Fair is also offering visitors an online pre-visit story. This narrative explains the experience of visiting the Fair to prepare children for what every element of the experience will be like and to therefore reduce the anxiety of the unfamiliar.
These accommodations by the State Fair are in keeping with a national trend to be more welcoming to neurodiversity. In recent years, professional sports teams, theater operators and other venues have offered rooms and spaces in their stadiums and cinemas for fans and their families who are on the spectrum or prefer a less stimulating environment.
“We’ve already heard from people who are excited about what we are doing and are planning to come on the morning of August 28,” Noonan said. “We hope people will take a chance and try it out and see if this will work for them and their families.”
You can learn more about the Fraser Sensory Building schedule here and get more information about the program here.