Iconic State Fair Booth ‘The Big Pepper’ Suddenly Gone After 46 Years

Booths at the Minnesota State Fair usually stick around for many, many year. Quite a few are family owned businesses, including The Big Pepper.

The Big Pepper was a booth that looked like a giant green bell pepper set up outside of the Horse Barn. The same family has run that booth since 1979 but this year, suddenly, their time at the fair came to an end.

The current owner had planned to pass it down to the her kids to own and run but then the State Fair decided it was time to part ways.

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The History of The Big Pepper at the Minnesota State Fair

In 1979, Margaret Barrett and her husband Joe started The Big Pepper booth at the Minnesota State Fair. Margaret had always spent a lot of time at the fair since she was a kids because her dad worked a bunch of jobs there, according to MPR.

The Big Pepper soon became a must-stop for many fair goers. Once their kids were old enough they, too, would work at The Big Pepper come fair time.

The Big Pepper via Facebook

Joe passed away in 2018, but Margaret continued as the owner and ran the booth with her kids and grandkids. This year, she intended to pass the booth down to her kids to run (she's 78 after all!). But the State Fair decided to part ways.

Why is The Big Pepper Not at the Minnesota State Fair?

Margaret and her kids had done all of the right things to pass The Big Pepper down. Margaret had let the State Fair know at the end of the 2025 fair that she would not be coming back as the principal licensee. Then her and her kids started the process of getting the business passed down.

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Well, according to a statement from the State Fair, once someone has said they will not be returning, that "triggers for the fair to review factors including the mix of vendors in the geographic area, 'the quality and variety of a vendor’s offerings,' the appearance and maintenance of the concession stand, the financial potential, and more."

Something that the fair reviewed when it came to The Big Pepper clearly didn't sit well with them and they decided to not invite them back for the 2026 fair.

So one April morning, Margaret and her family gathered at the fairgrounds to take some final pictures and say good bye to The Big Pepper as it was torn down.