The Minnesota State Fair is one of the largest state fairs in the United States. It is held at the state fairgrounds, adjoining the Saint Paul campus of the University of Minnesota, where the conference is taking place, and begins on August 24th, the day after the conference ends.
http://www.mnstatefair.org/
Wildlife
The state slogan of Minnesota is the Land of Lakes.
Common fish: walleye, northern pike, mukellunge (muskie), trout, bass, and sunfish. Find more information on the Department of Natural Resources web site.
Important birds: home to more than 550 pairs of the United States' national bird, the bald eagle; home to 12,000 common loons. Visit the Raptor Center at the Unviersity of Minnesota.
Important mammals: home to approximately 1,600 timberwolves, more than any state outside Alaska and the provinces of Canada; moose; black bear; and white-tailed deer. Visit the International Wolf Center in Ely Minnesota.
Wikipedia Listing on Minnesota
Yahoo Travel Listing of Things to do in the Twin Cities
Explore Minnesota - A web portal to camping, activities, events, sporting and everything under the sun in Minnesota.
Worker Cooperatives in Minnesota