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Virtual Reality Makes its Way to St. Paul, Minn.

Wander the Minnesota State Fair or join a Philando Castile protest. In each video, users can gape in all directions.

(TNS) -- You’ve never seen St. Paul, Minn.'s east metro like this.

The Pioneer Press has recorded a series of “virtual-reality” videos that allow you to experience the St. Paul area in 360 degrees.

Wander the Minnesota State Fair. Join a Philando Castile protest. Watch a home run at CHS Field. Become part of the Winter Carnival Torchlight Parade. Chuckle as you see blogger-conference participants get silly.

In each video, you are able to gape in all directions — left and right, up and down. Here is how to do that:

On a desktop or laptop computer, go to this VR-video YouTube playlist. As you watch each video, pan around using your mouse or trackpad to gawp in every direction. For best results, use the Chrome or Firefox browser.

On your phone or tablet, install the YouTube app (iOS or Android) if it is not already on the device. In the app, search for “pipress360” or “Pioneer Press 360 videos.” As you watch each video, pan around with your finger.

Do you have virtual-reality goggles, such as Google Cardboard or Samsung Gear VR variants? Fire up one of the VR videos in the YouTube app on your phone. Look along the edge of the video for a little icon that looks like a set of goggles, and tap that. Then, insert your phone into your VR goggles, and prepare to be amazed.

Technical note: Most of the videos were shot with 360fly-model virtual-reality cameras.

©2016 the Pioneer Press (St. Paul, Minn.) Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.