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It's no secret, most of us would like to stay in our own home as we age. Yet, sometimes our loved ones just need a little extra help to remain comfortable at home. That's where Always Best Care can help....we are dedicated to exceeding expectations....always.

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Home Care In St Paul, MN

Home Care St Paul, MN

They say that your golden years are the best years of your life. For most older Americans, that's how it should be - a time to relax, reflect, and live life in a familiar place. After all, senior citizens in the U.S. have worked tirelessly to build a better economy, serve their communities, and raise families.

However, as seniors grow older, completing daily tasks like showering and enjoying activities such as visiting the historic Landmark Center gets harder without someone by their side. Unfortunately, many older Americans aren't able to rely on their adult children for help. The reality in today's world is that family members do not have the skills or time to dedicate to caring for their parents. That's where Always Best Care Senior Services comes in.

Our in-home care services are for people who prefer to stay at home as they grow older but need ongoing care that family or friends cannot provide. More and more older adults prefer to live far away from long-term, institutionalized facilities and closer to the place where they feel most comfortable - their home. Home care in St Paul, MN is a safe, effective way to give your loved ones the care they need when they need it the most.

 In-Home Care St Paul, MN

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The Always Best Care Difference

Since 1996, Always Best Care has provided non-medical in-home care for seniors to help them maintain a healthy lifestyle as they get older. We are proud to have helped more than 25,000 seniors maintain higher levels of dignity and respect. We focus on providing seniors with the highest level of in-home care available so that they may live happily and independently.

Unlike some senior care companies, we genuinely want to be included in our clients' lives. We believe that personalized care is always the better option over a "one size fits all" approach. To make sure our senior clients receive the best care possible, we pair them with compassionate caregivers who understand their unique needs. That way, they may provide care accordingly without compromising their wellbeing.

The Always Best Care difference lies in life's little moments - where compassionate care and trustworthy experience come together to help seniors live a fruitful, healthy life. Whether you are an aging adult that can't quite keep up with life's daily tasks or the child of a senior who needs regular in-home services, Always Best Care is here to help.

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TESTIMONIALS

“Shane and his team were there for me and my family at a time of crisis. They made the intake process simple and had a caregiver onsite in less than 48 hours. Their skilled and professional team was a pleasure to work with during a stressful situation. Thanks, Shane, Jeremy, and the team for all you do!”

Dalena W.
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TESTIMONIALS

“Great place to work and the owner is awesome!”

Rachael B.
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TESTIMONIALS

“Awesome place to work at. Is there a e mail address I could possibly get from you, I need proof that I used to work there. Thank you.”

Amber P.
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TESTIMONIALS

“Words cannot express how grateful we are for your companies services. We know it can be difficult to schedule around changing situations. We appreciate your flexibility and the care and compassion shown for my mother. A special thanks to your team.”

Marci

What is Non-Medical Senior Care in St Paul, MN?

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Home is where the heart is. While that saying can sound a tad cliche, it is especially true for many seniors living in America. When given a choice, older adults most often prefer to grow older at home. An AARP study found that three out of four adults over the age of 50 want to stay in their homes and communities as they age.

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When you begin to think about why, it makes sense. Home offers a sense of security, comfort, and familiarity.

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The truth is, as we age, we begin to rely on others for help. When a family is too busy or lives too far away to fulfill this role, in-home senior care is often the best solution. Home care services allow seniors to enjoy personal independence while also receiving trustworthy assistance from a trained caregiver.

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At Always Best Care, we offer a comprehensive range of home care services to help seniors stay healthy while they get the help they need to remain independent. As your senior loved one gets older, giving them the gift of senior care is one of the best ways to show your love, even if you live far away.

 Senior Care St Paul, MN

Types of Elderly Care in St Paul, MN

To give our senior clients the best care possible, we offer a full spectrum of in-home care services:

Personal Care

Personal Care Services

If your senior loved one has specific care needs, our personal care services are a great choice to consider. Personal care includes the standard caregiving duties associated with companion care and includes help with tasks such as dressing and grooming. Personal care can also help individuals with chronic conditions like diabetes.

Common personal care services include assistance with:

  • Eating
  • Mobility Issues
  • Incontinence
  • Bathing
  • Dressing
  • Grooming

Respite Care St Paul, MN
Home Helper

Home Helper Services

Sometimes, seniors need helpful reminders to maintain a high quality of life at home. If you or your senior has trouble with everyday tasks like cooking, our home helper services will be very beneficial.

Common home helper care services include assistance with:

  • Medication Reminders
  • Meal Preparation
  • Pet Care
  • Prescription Refills
  • Morning Wake-Up
  • Walking
  • Reading
 Caregivers St Paul, MN
Companionship Services

Companionship Services

Using this kind of care is a fantastic way to make life easier for you or your senior loved one. At Always Best Care, our talented caregivers often fill the role of a companion for seniors. That way, older adults can enjoy their favorite local activities, such as visiting Harriet Island Regional Park with friends while also receiving the care they need daily or weekly.

Common companionship services include:

  • Grocery Shopping
  • Transportation to Appointments
  • Nutritional Assistance
  • Conversation
  • Planning Outings
  • Completing Errands
  • Transportation to Community
  • Events and Social Outings
Home Care St Paul, MN
Respite Care

Respite Care Services

According to AARP, more than 53 million adults living in the U.S. provide care to someone over 50 years old. Unfortunately, these caregivers experience stress, exhaustion, and even depression. Our respite care services help family caregivers address urgent obligations, spend time with their children, and enjoy nearby activities. Perhaps more importantly, respite care gives family members time to recharge and regroup. Taking personal time to de-stress reduces the risk of caregiver burnout. So, if you've always wanted to eat at the local Meritage or visit Burbank Livingston Griggs Mansion, don't feel bad. Doing so is great for both you and your loved one.

At the end of the day, our goal is to become a valuable part of your senior's daily routine. That way, we may help give them the highest quality of life possible. We know that staying at home is important for your loved one, and we are here to help make sure that is possible.

If you have been on the fence about non-medical home care, there has never been a better time than now to give your senior the care, assistance, and companionship they deserve.

 In-Home Care St Paul, MN

Benefits of Home Care in St Paul, MN

Always Best Care in-home services are for older adults who prefer to stay at home but need ongoing care that friends and family cannot provide. In-home care is a safe, effective way for seniors to age gracefully in a familiar place and live independent, non-institutionalized lives. The benefits of non-medical home care are numerous. Here are just a few reasons to consider senior care services from Always Best Care:

Always Best Care offers a full array of care options for patients at all levels of health. With our trusted elderly care services, your loved one will receive the level of care necessary for them to enjoy the highest possible quality of life.

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Aging in Place: The Preferred Choice for Most Seniors

While it's true that some seniors have complicated medical needs that prevent them from staying at home, aging in place is often the best arrangement for seniors and their families. With a trusted caregiver, seniors have the opportunity to live with a sense of dignity and do so as they see fit - something that is unavailable to many older people today.

In-home care makes it possible for millions of seniors to age in place every year. Rather than moving to a strange nursing home, seniors have the chance to stay at home where they feel the happiest and most comfortable.

Here are just a few of the reasons why older men and women prefer to age at home:

How much does a senior's home truly mean to them?

A study published by the American Society on Aging found that more than half of seniors say their home's emotional value means more than how much their home is worth in monetary value. It stands to reason, then, that a senior's home is where they want to grow old.

With the help of elderly care in St Paul, MN, seniors don't have to age in a sterilized care facility. Instead, they can age gracefully in the place they want to be most: their home. In contrast, seniors who move to a long-term care facility must adapt to new environments, new people, and new systems that the facility implements. At this stage in life, this kind of drastic change can be more harmful than helpful.

Institutional care facilities like nursing homes often put large groups of people together to live in one location. On any given day, dozens of staff members and caregivers run in and out of these facilities. Being around so many new people in a relatively small living environment can be dangerous for a seniors' health and wellbeing. When you consider that thousands of seniors passed away in nursing homes during the COVID-19 pandemic, opting for in-home care is often a safer, healthier choice for seniors.

Aging in place has been shown to improve seniors' quality of life, which helps boost physical health and also helps insulate them from viral and bacterial risks found in elderly living facilities.

For many seniors, the ability to live independently with assistance from a caregiver is a priceless option. With in-home care, seniors experience a higher level of independence and freedom - much more so than in other settings like a nursing home. When a senior has the chance to age in place, they get to live life on their own terms, inside the house that they helped make into a home. More independence means more control over their personal lives, too, which leads to increased levels of fulfillment, happiness, and personal gratification. Over time, these positive feelings can manifest into a healthier, longer life.

More independence, a healthier life, and increased comfort are only a few benefits of aging in place. You have to take into consideration the role of cost and convenience. Simply put, it's usually easier and more affordable to help seniors age in place than it is to move them into an institutional care facility. According to the US Department of Housing and Urban Development, seniors who age in the comfort of their homes can save thousands of dollars per month.

In-home care services from Always Best Care, for instance, are often less expensive than long-term solutions, which can cost upwards of six figures per year. To make matters worse, many residential care facilities are reluctant to accept long-term care insurance and other types of payment assistance.

With Always Best Care's home care services, seniors and their families have a greater level of control over their care plans. In-home care gives seniors the chance to form a bond with a trusted caregiver and also receive unmatched care that is catered to their needs. In long-term care facilities, seniors and their loved ones have much less control over their care plan and have less of a say in who provides their care.

 Elderly Care St Paul, MN

Affordable Care

In-home care is a valuable resource that empowers seniors to age in place on their own terms. However, a big concern for many families and their loved ones is how much in-home care costs. If you're worried that in-home care is too expensive, you may be pleasantly surprised to learn that it is one of the most affordable senior care arrangements available.

Typically, hiring an Always Best Care in-home caregiver for a few hours a week is more affordable than sending your loved one to a long-term care facility. This is true even for seniors with more complex care needs.

At Always Best Care, we will work closely with you and your family to develop a Care Plan that not only meets your care needs, but your budget requirements, too. Once we discover the level of care that you or your senior need, we develop an in-home care plan that you can afford.

In addition to our flexible care options, families should also consider the following resources to help offset potential home care costs:

If your loved one qualifies, Medicaid may help reduce in-home care costs. Review your MN's Medicaid program laws and benefits, and make sure your senior's financial and medical needs meet Medicaid eligibility requirements.
Attendance and aid benefits through military service can cover a portion of the costs associated with in-home care for veterans and their spouses.
Many senior care services like in-home care are included in long-term care insurance options. Research different long-term care solutions to find a plan that provides coverage for senior care.
Home care can be included as part of a senior's private insurance plan. Read over your loved one's insurance policy carefully or speak with their insurance provider to determine if in-home care is covered.
Depending on the life insurance plan, you may be able to apply your policy toward long-term care. You may be able to use long-term-care coverage to help pay for in-home elderly care.
 Senior Care St Paul, MN

Compassionate Care. Trusted Caregivers.

When you or your senior loved one needs assistance managing daily tasks at home, finding a qualified caregiver can be challenging. It takes a special kind of person to provide reliable care for your senior loved one. However, a caregiver's role involves more than meal preparation and medication reminders. Many seniors rely on their caregivers for companionship, too.

Our companion care services give seniors the chance to socialize in a safe environment and engage in activities at home. These important efforts boost morale and provide much-needed relief from repetitive daily routines. A one-on-one, engaging conversation can sharpen seniors' minds and give them something in which to be excited.

At Always Best Care, we only hire care providers that we would trust to care for our own loved ones. Our senior caregivers in St Paul, MN understand how important it is to listen and communicate with their seniors. A seemingly small interaction, like a short hug goodbye, can make a major difference in a senior's day. Instead of battling against feelings of isolation, seniors begin to look forward to seeing their caregiver each week.

Understanding the nuances of senior care is just one of the reasons why our care providers are so great at their job.

Unlike some senior care companies, our caregivers must undergo extensive training before they work for Always Best Care. In addition, our caregivers receive ongoing training throughout the year. This training ensures that their standard of care matches up to the high standards we've come to expect. During this training, they will brush up on their communication skills, safety awareness, and symptom spotting. That way, your loved one receives the highest level of non-medical home care from day one.

Assisted Living Referral Services

While it's true that many seniors prefer to age at home, sometimes in-home care isn't the best fit. For those seniors and their families, choosing an assisted living facility makes more sense. Unfortunately, finding the optimal care facility is easier said than done in today's day and age. That's when Always Best Care's assisted living referral services begin to make a lot of sense.

Assisted living is a form of housing intended for seniors who require varying degrees of medical and personal attention. Accommodations may include single rooms, apartments, or shared living arrangements. Assisted living communities are typically designed to resemble a home-like environment and are physically constructed to encourage the independence of residents.


Respite Care St Paul, MN

At assisted living communities, seniors receive help with daily activities such as bathing, dressing, and eating. They may also benefit from coordination of services with outside healthcare providers, and monitoring of resident activities to ensure their health, safety, and well-being. Caregivers who work at assisted living communities can also provide medication administration and personal care services for older adults.

Other services offered within assisted living communities can include some or all of the following:

  • Housekeeping
  • Laundry
  • Recreational Activities
  • Social Outings
  • Emergency Medical Response
  • Medication Monitoring
  • Family Visitation
  • Personal Care
 Caregivers St Paul, MN

At Always Best Care, our representatives can match your senior's emotional, physical, and financial needs with viable assisted living communities nearby. Results are based on comparative data, so you can select the best choice for you or your loved one.

Always Best Care works closely with local senior living communities to gain valuable knowledge that we then use to help seniors and their loved ones make informed decisions. This information can include basic care and rent, resident availability, and services provided. Because Always Best Care is compensated by these communities, we provide senior living referral services at no extra cost to you.

Some of the most popular assisted living communities to consider in our area include the following:

  • Seven Hills Senior Living
  • Iris Park Commons Assisted Living by Episcopal Homes
  • Summit Hill Senior Living
  • The Waters of Highland Park
  • New Perspective Senior Living
  • Highland Park
Home Care St Paul, MN

For many seniors, moving into a senior living community revolves around how and when they want to make a transition to more involved care. Some seniors are more proactive about transitioning to independent living. Others choose to remain home until their care needs or other requirements are satisfied. Remember - our staff is here to help. Contact our office today to learn more about assisted living communities and how we can find a facility that exceeds your expectations.

 In-Home Care St Paul, MN

Taking the First Step with Always Best Care

The first step in getting quality in-home care starts with a personal consultation with an experienced Always Best Care Care Coordinator. This initial consultation is crucial for our team to learn more about you or your elderly loved one to discover the level of care required. Topics of this consultation typically include:

A discussion of your needs and how our trained caregivers can offer assistance in the most effective way

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A draft of your care plan, which includes highly detailed notes and a framework for the care that you or your senior will receive

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Discuss payment options and help coordinate billing with your insurance provider

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Our caregivers are trained to spot changes that clients exhibit, like mental and physical decline. As your trusted senior care company, we will constantly assess and update your Care Plan to meet any new emotional, intellectual, physical, and emotional needs.

If you have never considered in-home care before, we understand that you and your family may have concerns about your Care Plan and its Care Coordinator. To help give you peace of mind, know that every team member and caregiver must undergo comprehensive training before being assigned to a Care Plan.

At the end of the day, we only hire the best of the best at Always Best Care. Whether you need home care in St Paul, MN 24-hours a day or only need a respite for a couple of hours, we are here to serve you.

When you're ready, we encourage you to contact your local Always Best Care representative to set up a Care Consultation. Our Care Coordinators would be happy to meet with you in person to get to know you better, discuss your needs, and help put together a personalized Care Plan specific to your needs.

 Elderly Care St Paul, MN

Latest News in St Paul, MN

Who is Tommy Brennan, SNL’s New Minnesotan Cast Member?

What do we know about Tommy Brennan, the 32-year-old St. Paul native who's one of five new cast members joining Saturday Night Live this year? From his social media accounts, we can determine that he has halfway decent politics, wears a lot of '80s track jackets, and sounds kinda like Aziz Ansari if you listen to his videos while you're doing work in another tab.For more, we turn to the ever-local-angling Neal Justin at the Star Tribune, who writes that while Brennan came up through the Chicago comedy scene, he "earned b...

What do we know about Tommy Brennan, the 32-year-old St. Paul native who's one of five new cast members joining Saturday Night Live this year? From his social media accounts, we can determine that he has halfway decent politics, wears a lot of '80s track jackets, and sounds kinda like Aziz Ansari if you listen to his videos while you're doing work in another tab.

For more, we turn to the ever-local-angling Neal Justin at the Star Tribune, who writes that while Brennan came up through the Chicago comedy scene, he "earned big laughs" at 2023's 10,000 Laughs Comedy Festival (how many of the 10,000, we'll never know) and performed at Comedy Corner Underground (RIP) during its New Years Eve show later that year. Justin scoured Brennan's LinkedIn and determined that he once worked at the Wehmann Talent Agency in Hopkins and tended bar at Companeros Mexican Restaurant in Park Rapids. He also has upcoming shows scheduled for October 3 and 4 at Sisyphus Brewing, which he seems unlikely to make given that SNL's new season also starts October 4. Brennan is perhaps the only Minnesotan other than Al Franken to ever make the cast.

And... this exhausts our current Tommy Brennan local angles. Stay tuned, we'll try to get the SNL-er on the horn—and perhaps on the pod. You can meet all the new season 51 cast members here.

Fair Attendance: Fair!

As our blood pressure returns to its normal levels and we scrape flattened Sweet Martha's cookies from the soles of our shoes, it's time to look back on the attendance totals from the 2025 Minnesota State Fair. This year's total attendance was 1,940,869, up from 1,925,904 the year prior, with just one record-setting day (Monday, August 25, with 145,022 people).

Is that cause for concern, given how gorgeous the weather was? Nick Halter at Axios Twin Cities posits that it could be sticker shock: "University of St. Thomas associate professor Tyler Schipper told Axios that overall prices on 30 State Fair items he indexed were up 7.7% this year," he writes, with admission prices increasing 11% and food and bev prices going up 8.7%. But Schipper says "general angst around the day-to-day economy" is likely to blame more than fair prices.

My vibes-based two cents? These numbers ain't bad! Especially considering that, unless you're as big a Lilith Fair fan as the guv or really into Nelly, there were no real Granstand draws this year. It's still the fifth-most-attended State Fair, behind the record-setting 2016-2019 fairs, and attendance has continued to climb every year since 2021, when the Great Minnesota Get-Together returned after taking a pandemic year off. I think most places would be thrilled to say they've seen that kind of post-2020 turnaround, but we'll see what happens next year...

Twins Attendance: Abysmal!

Now, as for an organization that really does need to worry about attendance numbers? That would be your Minnesota Twins. The shit-sucking, trade-deadline-selloff-decimated squad played for a paid crowd of 11,721 on Tuesday during a Bark at the Park promotion. (As Twins writer Aaron Gleeman notes, those "announced attendance" figures are always misleadingly ballooned compared to the number of fans that actually showed up to see our 62-76 squad.)

Just get a load of the outstanding Carlos Gonzalez photo that accompanies this Star Tribune story. And while we're at it, check out this line from Strib Twins reporter Bobby Nightengale: "There have been smaller crowds for Twins games at Target Field during April and May, when cold weather is more of a factor, but Tuesday’s game brought the second-smallest crowd of the season, even if it included the announced 300 dogs in the crowd."

Oh, and they lost Tuesday, in a 12-3 blowout, to the Chicago White Sox. Just arf-ul. Really ruff stuff.

Best of Luck to the Minnesota Mommies

A few weeks late here, but please enjoy the following video of this adorable almost-two-year-old guessing the names of NFC North teams:

And then, while you're at it, go ahead and check out some of her other predictions.

In fact, while we're all at it, have we highlighted Drew Magary's 2025 Vikings edition of his "Why Your Team Sucks" series? Here are his latest roasts of "football’s Best Supporting Actor winner for the 65th straight year," the "fucking frauds" who seem destined to stink this year. Or are they... (For way more Vikings prediction chatter, Friday's RacketCast episode features the most fun Vikes writer we could book.)

Say Goodbye: Tonight Is The Final Day Of ‘The X’ In St. Paul

The Wild's home is getting a new name, but many Minnesotans aren't ready to let go of "the X."SAINT PAUL, MN — The Xcel Energy Center name is officially skating into history. Tuesday, Sept. 2, marks the final day the downtown Saint Paul arena will carry the Xcel Energy banner, ending a 25-year run as one of Minnesota’s most recognizable sports and entertainment venues.Beginning Wednesday, Sept. 3, the building will be known as Grand Casino Arena, the result of a 14-year naming rights agreement between Mi...

The Wild's home is getting a new name, but many Minnesotans aren't ready to let go of "the X."

SAINT PAUL, MN — The Xcel Energy Center name is officially skating into history. Tuesday, Sept. 2, marks the final day the downtown Saint Paul arena will carry the Xcel Energy banner, ending a 25-year run as one of Minnesota’s most recognizable sports and entertainment venues.

Beginning Wednesday, Sept. 3, the building will be known as Grand Casino Arena, the result of a 14-year naming rights agreement between Minnesota Sports and Entertainment (MSE) and the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe, which owns Grand Casino Mille Lacs and Grand Casino Hinckley.

The announcement of the name change was made in June, with MSE majority owner Craig Leipold calling the partnership a “dynamic transformation” for downtown Saint Paul. Grand Casino leaders described the rebrand as a chance to showcase the strength of tribal enterprise and bring new energy to the Minnesota Wild’s home.

The Xcel Energy Center opened in 2000 and quickly became the heart of Minnesota hockey, hosting Wild games, NCAA Frozen Fours, state tournaments, concerts, and national political conventions. While the name will change, Xcel Energy will remain a major corporate partner of the team under a new multi-year agreement.

All interior and exterior signage, including the center ice logo, will be updated before the puck drops on the Wild’s 2025-26 NHL season.

For fans and concertgoers, tonight is technically the last chance to say, "See you at the X." Still, many say it may be a while before the new name sticks.

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The State Fair’s Ye Old Mill Turns 110

Every year at the Minnesota State Fair brings something new. There’s always new food, new drinks, and new performers. While some fairgoers travel from across the state for all that’s shiny and different, others come for the stuff that never changes. For 110 years, Ye Old Mill has been just that.The mill is by far the fair’s oldest ride. In fact, it’s older than most buildings at the fair. It arrived in Falcon Heights in 1915, courtesy of John Keenan, who owned and operated Vaudeville theaters around the country...

Every year at the Minnesota State Fair brings something new. There’s always new food, new drinks, and new performers. While some fairgoers travel from across the state for all that’s shiny and different, others come for the stuff that never changes. For 110 years, Ye Old Mill has been just that.

The mill is by far the fair’s oldest ride. In fact, it’s older than most buildings at the fair. It arrived in Falcon Heights in 1915, courtesy of John Keenan, who owned and operated Vaudeville theaters around the country. In the early 1900s, with the help of the Philadelphia Toboggan Company (designers of Disneyland’s Mad Tea Party ride), he built the Ye Old Mill.

Keenan would go on to own seven Ye Old Mills (or Tunnels of Love, as they were often called) around the country, but Minnesota’s is the only one of his that survives today. In 2018, after over a century of operation, the Keenan family sold the ride to the fair, who maintains it now.

After the $80,000 purchase, the fair set aside $500,000 for upgrades. They replaced the 11 wooden boats with 15 fiberglass ones, installed a new paddle wheel and operator controls, refinished the concrete inside and out, and updated the colorful murals in the tunnels.

Still, the alterations remain sparse for the ancient attraction. Just as they did over a century ago, riders enter a darkened tobacco barn to float through a 971-foot-long trough filled with 60,000 gallons of water. A 40-horsepower electric motor from 1911 still powers the pleasure cruise. The mechanism that takes boats in and out of the water took inspiration from an old farm machine: the manure spreader.

A three-minute drift through shallow waters may not offer as many thrills as the roller coasters that spin, drop, and otherwise discombobulate fairgoers. Nonetheless, State Fair spokesperson Maria Hayden says the Old Mill continues to attract visitors.

“Ye Old Mill can provide a calm contrast to the hustle and bustle of the fair,” Hayden wrote in an email to Mpls.St.Paul Magazine. “Fair guests often ride it as children and then return with their own families to create memories that span generations.”

Other iterations of the mill ride have been reinvented over the years, as Tunnels of Love or Tunnels of Terror. Others have tried to add excitement to the ride with innovations like the Mill Chute that speeds guests along the waterways. Still, others have tacked themes onto the brief voyage, like Disneyland’s It’s a Small World. Minnesota’s Ye Old Mill has never needed to—after all these years, it doesn’t require new routes or themes, just its loyal riders.

“Staff arrive eager to hear stories from guests about how long they have been riding it,” Hayden said. “It’s especially fun seeing couples who have come every year for 60 years to ride and have one more kiss in the tunnel. Hearing grandparents and parents telling grandchildren and children that their parents and grandparents used to bring them to the fair every year to ride Ye Old Mill.”

Soft-Serve Beer: The State Fair’s New Frozen Treat

Charlie Burrows has spent over two decades at the Minnesota State Fair trying to develop the next corn dog. He searches each year for that special food that will create the same shock and adoration that the Pronto Pup generated when it debuted at the fair in 1947. He started with mac and cheese on a stick. Last year, it was deep-fried ranch. This year, it’s soft-serve beer.Yes, soft-serve beer. When the Great Minnesota Get-Together opens on August 21, Burrows, along with fellow LuLu’s Public House proprietor Mike Brennan, ...

Charlie Burrows has spent over two decades at the Minnesota State Fair trying to develop the next corn dog. He searches each year for that special food that will create the same shock and adoration that the Pronto Pup generated when it debuted at the fair in 1947. He started with mac and cheese on a stick. Last year, it was deep-fried ranch. This year, it’s soft-serve beer.

Yes, soft-serve beer. When the Great Minnesota Get-Together opens on August 21, Burrows, along with fellow LuLu’s Public House proprietor Mike Brennan, will sell Soft Serve Royal Raspberry Beer at West End Brews for $11 per six-ounce cone.

Let’s start with the basics: It’s not ice cream. It looks like ice cream, has the texture of ice cream, even has a creamy taste like ice cream—but it isn’t. It’s beer.

“I think the fair is where you like to try new things,” Burrows said. “One of the things that I'm focused on is trying to make sure people understand what it is. I don't think anybody really knows what we're up to. I think if I say soft-serve beer, you're like, What the hell is that?

It’s somewhat mystical. Basically, it’s a combination of a proprietary mix (read: secret potion) and beer that creates a product that gets just cold enough to hold a soft-serve shape without getting too crystallized or frozen. It’s nothing short of magical.

The idea started a few years ago, when Joe Falkowski, a beer representative who works with LuLu’s, suggested the frozen creation. Burrows did his research before he decided he needed backup. He left a voicemail at the South St. Paul branch of Redco, the food-service equipment distributor that sells Stoelting, a Wisconsin-based brand with a renowned soft-serve machine.

Redco vice president Jarrod Deehr started listening to the voicemail but made it mere seconds into the recording. As soon as he heard Burrows’ name, he cut it off and returned the call. Of course he wanted to work with the state fair’s mad chef. His excitement doubled when he learned what Burrows had in mind.

Deehr, along with Redco president Todd Braun, whom Burrows refers to as “the professor,” developed the stabilizers and additives that would make the frozen libation possible. What followed was a process of trial and error—and of course, lots of taste tests.

“This is just a really unique and fun thing for us to work on,” Deehr said. “These guys keep saying, ‘Oh yeah, we’ve got to come in again, we're sorry.’ I'm like, ‘Do we do this every day? I'll start my day at 7:30 here [with] frozen beer.’”

They first tried Grain Belt Blu beer (the one Burrows and Brennan use to make their Blu Frozen Topper) but decided it was too sweet. After a couple others, they landed on Pryes Brewing Company’s Royal Raspberry Sour.

The final product bears a remarkable resemblance to the Pryes brew. It retains the same alcohol content and flavor profile. Though it’s a little less tart, it has the same combination of raspberry and passion fruit that make it the brewing company’s second-most popular beer. And yes, it tastes like beer.

“So, there's some proprietary controls on [the] equipment and some proprietary additives to the beer mix to obtain that product that I have never done in 20 years,” Braun said. “I have never been able to achieve that, but we were able to do some testing and get this accomplished.”

The machine itself is remarkable, too. Stoelting has manufactured soft-serve equipment for its Minnesota-based pal Dairy Queen since the dawn of the frigid treat more than 75 years ago. Today, their technology is uber adaptable. Burrows will be able to tune the tubes to the humidity at the fair to ensure a consistent product.

Adjustment is critical for Burrows and Brennan. As State Fair veterans, they know just how unpredictable those 12 days can be. They’re already calculating the time it will take to serve each cone, so they can break down how much product they’ll need. They anticipate high demand, so they’ll have three machines on-site, and they’ll offer an express lane just for the soft serve.

All that’s left now is to unleash their newest creation onto the State Fair faithful.

“Sometimes, when I have high expectations, I get low results,” Burrows said. “Sometimes, I'll have low expectations and have high results. It's so unpredictable. I do think once people try it, they'll go, ‘This is neat’…It's a hot summer day, and you want a beer, right? Have an ice cream cone.”

The Last Yiddish Speaker - St. Paul, MN EPA (08.13.25) Revised

Six Points Theater | Saint Paul, MNSaint Paul, MNDESCRIPTIONNotice: Audition Call Type: EPAREVISEDChange of Audition Venue.AUDITION DATE10:00 AM - 7:00 PM (C)Lunch 1:30 PM - 2:30 PMAPPOINTMENTSTo schedule an audition appointment, please call: 651-647-4315, Mondays-Fridays between 9:30 and 5:30. Do not leave a voicemail message.CONTRACTSPT$482 weekly minimum (SPT 4)SEEKI...

Six Points Theater | Saint Paul, MNSaint Paul, MN

DESCRIPTION

Notice: Audition Call Type: EPA

REVISED

Change of Audition Venue.

AUDITION DATE

10:00 AM - 7:00 PM (C)Lunch 1:30 PM - 2:30 PM

APPOINTMENTSTo schedule an audition appointment, please call: 651-647-4315, Mondays-Fridays between 9:30 and 5:30. Do not leave a voicemail message.

CONTRACTSPT$482 weekly minimum (SPT 4)

SEEKING

Equity actors for roles in THE LAST YIDDISH SPEAKER.

SARAH: 17. Called MARY in hiding. A high school senior. Brilliant, passionate anddesperate. Needs a future to believe in. Reveres her dangerously outspoken mother.

PAUL: Her father. A sweet, peaceful, gentle man, challenged by circumstances beyond his imagining. He’s lost his wife, his home, his work, and will do anything to keep his daughter safe.

JOHN: 17. Her boyfriend. A high school seniorwho has almost never left his tiny town and is expected to take over the family farm. Bright and curious and torn between his role as inspector and his love for Mary.

CHAVA: CAST. Speaks Yiddish. 1,000 years old. Exhausted by this role she didn’t ask for, but always with a sense of humor.

PREPARATIONPlease bring one contemporary monologue of up to 2-minutes in length. Once you sign upfor an audition appointment, you'll be given additional material to prepare (please do not memorize this).

LOCATIONSix Points Theater - Offices

2233 University Avenue

St Paul, MN 55114

Park in the lot, enter the building, and take the elevator to the 4th floor and go to Suite 425

PERSONNELWritten by Deborah Zoe LauferDirected by Amy RummenieExpected to attend:Barbara Brooks: Producing Artistic DirectorAmy Rummenie: Director

OTHER DATESFirst Rehearsal: September 29, 2025Opens: October 25, 2025Closes: November 9, 2025

OTHER

www.sixpointstheater.org

An Equity Monitor will not be provided. The producer will run all aspects of this audition.

Equity’s contracts prohibit discrimination.

Equity is committed to diversity and encourages all its employers to engage in a policy of equal employment opportunitydesigned to promote a positive model of inclusion. As such, Equity encourages performers of all ethnicities, gender identities, and ages, as well as performers with disabilities, to attend every audition.

Always bring your Equity Membership card to auditions.

SALARY

SPT $482 weekly minimum (SPT 4)

UNION

AEA

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