Fall News From the State Fair!

Issue: 66 | October 21, 2024

Surrounded by 90-pound blocks of butter on Day 1 of the 2024 Minnesota State Fair, butter sculptor Gerry Kulzer began carving the likeness of Rachel Visser of Hutchinson, Minn., representing McLeod County. She was crowned the 71st Princess Kay of the Milky Way and will serve as the official goodwill ambassador for nearly 2,500 Minnesota dairy farm families this year.

Throughout the fair, all nine Princess Kay finalists had their likenesses sculpted in butter in the rotating cooler in the Dairy Building, which is sponsored by Paddle North, and made appearances at the Moo Booth at the Cattle Barn and at other fair programs. Princess Kay candidates are judged on their knowledge of the dairy industry, communication skills and enthusiasm for dairy. The program is sponsored by Midwest Dairy.

Minnesota State Fair Named Fair/Expo of the Year!

The Minnesota State Fair was recently named Fair/Expo of the Year at the International Entertainment Buyers Association (IEBA) annual conference held in Nashville, Tenn.! Members of IEBA, a nonprofit trade organization for live entertainment industry professionals, voted to select award winners, and we are honored to have been recognized amongst great venues across the country and here in our state! View the full list of winners.

Outstanding Year for Bus Ridership to the Fair!

Did you know that more than 40% of this year’s guests traveled to and from the fair on the bus? The free State Fair Park & Ride service, with free parking and free rides from lots closer to the fairgrounds, provided more than 1 million one-way rides to and from the fair. That's 12 percent more than 2023!

Our three Express Bus partners, which provide free parking and rides to the fair for a small fee from farther-out suburbs, saw big increases too. Metro Transit provided 299,500 one-way rides, a 24 percent jump. Minnesota Valley Transit Authority had a record-setting year with a 15 percent increase in ridership for a total of 127,220 one-way rides. SouthWest Transit provided 100,600 one-way rides, which was a 30 percent increase over 2023. Metro Mobility provided 1,800 rides, a 2 percent increase. These one-way rides mean an estimated 780,000 guests rode a fair bus! Plus, thousands arrived via Metro Transit's regular route service each day.

Thank you to our transit partners for providing exceptional service to and from the fair each day.

Congratulations to the 2024 Best Award Winners!

On Aug. 29, the Minnesota State Fair presented awards to 12 of the very best of the State Fair’s nearly 1,000 commercial exhibitors, concessions, attractions and food and beverage vendors at the 2024 Great Minnesota Get-Together.

Best Awards recipients were selected because they exemplify these characteristics: Provide exceptional, efficient customer service and an outstanding experience for fair guests; knowledgeable staff with positive attitudes who are courteous, thoughtful and professional; an amazing visual presentation and positive image; present a premium quality product/service; and offer great value.

Anderson Bros Outdoors – This local family-owned and operated business designs and builds outdoor living spaces featuring swimming pools, patios, patio covers, decks and porches.
Blue Barn – Blue Barn is known for serving approachable comfort food with a twist, and their iconic building has been one of the anchor businesses of the West End.
Caricatures by Cindy – Cindy started drawing caricatures at the State Fair in 1977.
Crazy Mouse owned by Wood Entertainment – This spinning roller coaster ride has been a mainstay at the Minnesota State Fair since 2000.
Demetri’s Fine Greek Food – Serves a wide variety of menu items, including chicken in-a-pita, shish kabobs, gyros, Greek salads, baklava, gyro fries and a new item this year - Greek fries.
Homespun Gifts and Décor – Working exclusively with Minnesota-based small businesses, they sell a long list of merchandise including apparel for all ages, Minnesota-themed gifts, jewelry, coffee mugs, kitchenware and more.
Milk Can Game owned by Coy Heatherly Concessions – This game was designed and constructed especially for the Mighty Midway by the owner who has been part of the fair for 56 years.
Minnesota Department of Public Safety – This state agency shares information about driver and vehicle services, traffic safety, hiring and the additional services and resources.
Orange Treet – Orange Treet serves whipped Julius-style drinks, smoothies and fresh-squeezed lemonade.
Pria Handmade Accessories – Found in the Coliseum, Pria Handmade Accessories sells jewelry, hats and bags hand-woven and hand-beaded by Colombian artisans who are mostly single moms.
Puppy Express owned by Prime Pacific – This ride has provided joy and fun at the Minnesota State Fair for 14 years.
Tot Boss – Tot Boss serves loaded tater tots in chili, nachos and poutine varieties as well as their multitude of dipping sauces.

Shout-Out to 32,000 Minnesotans Who Entered Fair Competitions This Year!

More than 32,000 entries were judged this year in one of the best State Fair traditions – competing for blue ribbons, bragging rights and nearly $2 million in prize money. Here is more information on the thousands who put their best to the blue ribbon test:

Creative Activities

4,422 entries in handcrafts, needlecrafts, collections, garment making and senior citizens categories
4,228 baked goods entries
1,789 preserved foods (canned, pickled, dried, etc.)

K-12 Competition

The work of talented Minnesota students in kindergarten through grade 12 was showcased in the Education Building. The ribbon winners were selected from:

3,286 entries in drawing, painting, sewing, jewelry, reports, creative writing and more, completed at home or at school; and
770 technology education entries, including architectural drawings, photography, welding, woodworking, CO2 cars, solar boats and more, completed at school

Fine Arts

In the largest juried arts exhibition in Minnesota, 2,824 artists registered to submit one piece of work; 352 pieces were then selected to showcase during the 2024 State Fair. Of these, 103 were sold with 20 percent of sales proceeds going to support Minnesota State Fair Foundation projects and programs focused on art at the fair.

People’s Choice winners (pictured) are “Mallards Facing Winter” (Adults’ Choice), a photo by Omar Ghrayeb of Minneapolis, Minn., and “Sprout” (Kids’ Choice), a needle felt sculpture by Kristin Williams of Minneapolis, Minn.

View this year’s Fine Arts Exhibition catalog.

Ag-Hort-Bee

Showcased in the Agriculture Horticulture Building, sponsored by Bremer Bank.

158 Christmas tree entries
1,550 entries in bee and honey divisions
175 farm crop entries
777 crop art and scarecrow entries
1,414 flower entries
467 fruit and amateur wine entries
2,580 vegetable entries

Livestock & Horse

Congratulations to this year’s Open Class Livestock Supreme Champions!

Dairy Female: Lisa Demmer, Discovery Genetics, Ellsworth, Wis.
Dairy Junior Female: Pit-Crew Genetics, Cambridge, Minn.
Beef Female: Nolan Hackett, Brookwood Farms, Sauk Rapids, Minn.
Beef Bull: Patrick Wall, PAW Livestock, Pleasantville, Iowa
Beef Cow/Calf: Jaxon Hilbrands, Hilbrands Simmentals, Holloway, Minn.
Boar: Mike Patterson, Country Girls Show Pigs, Kenyon, Minn.
Gilt: Braden Bailey, Bailey Livestock, Towner, N.D.
Ram, Wool Breeds: Dylan Nohner, Pines End Natural Coloreds, Erwin, S.D.
Ewe, Wool Breeds: Isaiah Bauck, Dew Drop Farms, New York Mills, Minn.
Ram, Meat Breeds: Adriana Wendland, Northern Starr Livestock Services, Shakopee, Minn.
Ewe, Meat Breeds: Devin Wolkow, Wolkow Dorsets, De Smet, S.D.
Dairy Goat Herd: Tatiana Deters, Russian Ridge, Spring Grove, Minn.
Boer Goat: Kayla Schmidt, Schmidt Boer Goats

FFA Supreme Champion honors were also awarded:

Breeding Beef: Leighton Hackett, Foley FFA
Dairy: Alex Schroeder, New Ulm FFA
Breeding Sheep: Adriana Wendland, Kenyon-Wanamingo FFA
Breeding Swine: Kaytlin Faber, Fairmont FFA

And finally, a big congrats goes to the champions of the Minnesota State Fair Horse Show!

Supreme Champion Stallion Draft Horse: Summit Farms, Alden, Iowa
Supreme Champion Mare Draft Horse: Mystery Hills Stable, Kiel, Wis.
Supreme Champion Gelding Draft Horse: Stalheim Farms/Stade Farm, Amery, Wis.
Draft Horse Supreme Six-Horse Hitch: Ames Percherons, Jordan, Minn.
Draft Horse Supreme Cart Classic Series: Ames Percherons, Jordan, Minn.
Youth Cart Classic Series: McKenna Shaw driving for Ames Percherons, Jordan, Minn.
Signature Tandem Bareback Champion Team: Vivian Mayers, Corcoran, Minn., and Brenna Segner, Waconia, Minn.
Signature Mounted Costume: Annie Mickelson, Loretto, Minn.
Four-In-Line Barrels Champion Team: Jus’ Kiddin’ Around Saddle Club (Rachel Duenow, Avarie Duenow, Jacie Duenow, Brynlie Duenow)

More Competition Results and Information

MSF Scholarships Awarded to 24 Outstanding Young Adults

The Minnesota State Fair established the Minnesota State Fair Scholarship program in 1994, annually awarding up to 22 scholarships of $1,000 each to recognize young adults from greater Minnesota or those enrolled in an agriculture program. Since its inception, more than $584,000 has been awarded. Two $2,000 scholarships were also given to students who are continuing training in a skilled trade career.

This year’s scholarships were funded by the Minnesota State Fair Foundation and presented by members of the Minnesota State Agricultural Society board during a program in the Lee & Rose Warner Coliseum during the fair and during the FFA Awards Ceremony.

Congratulations to these outstanding recipients!

Welcome Wall Tiles Now Available!

The newest recognition opportunity from the Minnesota State Fair Foundation has arrived on the fairgrounds! The Welcome Wall, a colorful art installation welcoming guests to the fairgrounds, made its debut near the entrance at Gate 9, off Como Avenue. If you didn't have the chance to see the wall in person, no worries. You can catch it while you're at the fairgrounds for one of the many events that take place throughout the year or at next year's fair when it will feature even more engraved tiles from fair fans. Want to engrave a tile to commemorate a special occasion, memory, person or your love for the fair? Visit the Minnesota State Fair Foundation’s website to learn more.

Annual Amateur Talent Contest Showcases Minnesota’s Best

In an evening of top talent and piano, vocal, dance, instrumental and juggling performances, winners of the 51^stAnnual Amateur Talent Contest were crowned on the Grandstand stage Sept. 1.

Dante Carlson of Woodbury, Minn., won the open division with a cello performance of “Julie-O” taking home the $10,000 top prize. (Photo: Patrick Dunn)

Aaliyah Dixon of St. Michael, Minn., won the teen division with her dance solo, “Burden Down.” Performing a vocal solo with guitar titled “Movies,” Brandt Montag of Alexandria, Minn., won the preteen division.

Held the last Sunday of the fair, the Amateur Talent Contest Finals is a free event in the Grandstand. Auditions for the 52^nd MSF Amateur Talent Contest will be held next July.

Complete list of 2024 Amateur Talent Contest winners

We Salute Our Employees, Volunteers and Fundraising Groups!

Thank you to our dedicated team of State Fair employees - barn attendants; greenhouse assistants; IATSE employees; parking and park & ride attendants; police; ticket sellers and takers; workers in educational programs, entertainment, guest and information services, operations, public safety, sales, sanitation and transportation; and interns in competition, employment services, finance, the ticket office, and more.

In a long-standing tradition, summer and fair-time employees nominated as State Fair MVPs by full-time staff and department superintendents for their exceptional work and commitment were recognized at the Grandstand on Sept. 1. Congratulations to this awesome group (pictured) representing these State Fair departments: Ag-Hort, CHS Miracle of Birth Center, Employment, Flowers, Greenhouse, Guest Relations, Livestock Parking, Lost & Found, Marketing and Operations.

Our many education experiences would not be possible without the help of thousands of volunteers. Many thanks to everyone who helped fair guests experience the activities or were presenters at Alphabet Forest, Christensen Farms Stage, CHS Miracle of Birth Center, The Common Table, The DIRT stage, EquiMania!^TM, Kemps Little Farm Hands, Math On-A-Stick and more.

And, of course, thank you to the fundraising groups who pitched in year-round and during the State Fair! Sports teams, community organizations, clubs, schools, churches and other groups provided much-needed help with barn clean-up, sanitation, parking lots and other tasks.

Thank you for making the 2024 Great Minnesota Get-Together the best!

Cultural Destinations “I Belong Here” Mural Completed During the 2024 Fair!

Over the 12 days of the Minnesota State Fair, hundreds of people stopped by the Cultural Destinations Boutique located in the Education Building to place their special mark on a canvas mural called “The Circles of Belonging.” Guests were able to add their artwork alongside lead artist Reta Richards' work to create the final product. Learn more about this piece and the Cultural Destination Boutique.

Recognizing 50 Years of State Fair Participation

In a ceremony held Aug. 30 at the Leinie Lodge Bandshell, the Minnesota State Fair recognized individuals who have actively participated in the fair for at least 50 years. Recipients’ names will be added to a permanent plaque located in the Administration Building. Congratulations to the 2024 recipients of the 50 Year Award for their commitment and continued involvement at the fair.

Douglas Beise of Loretto, Minn.
Crossroads Chapel of St. Paul, Minn.
Jim Ertl of Rosemount, Minn.
Larry Hofmann of Janesville, Minn.
John Illg of Woodbury, Minn.
Dean Jirousek & Family of Ellendale, Minn.
John Magnuson of St. Paul, Minn.
Minnesota 4-H State Ambassadors of St. Paul, Minn.
Minnesota 4-H State Arts-In of St. Paul, Minn.
Minnesota Blue Flame Gas Assn. of Eagan, Minn.
Minnesota Farm Bureau Federation of St. Paul, Minn.
Minnesota Turkey Growers of Buffalo, Minn.
Bret Oelke of Barrett, Minn.
Fay Peterson Kotilinek of White Bear Lake, Minn.
Plunkett’s Pest Control of Fridley, Minn.
Edward Terry of Northfield, Minn.
David Thompson of Starbuck, Minn.
Molly Voita, of Minneapolis, Minn.
Weavers Guild of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minn.
Chuck Will of Underwood, Minn.
Jim Zieba of St. Anthony, Minn.

Thank You, Sponsors!

Your support makes the Great Minnesota Get-Together truly GREAT!

Allina Health | Aetna, sponsor of the Cosgrove Stage
August Schell Brewing Co., sponsor of the Schell’s Stage at West End Market
Bremer Bank, sponsor of the Agriculture Horticulture Building and FFA Awards Ceremony
Cal Spas, sponsor of Ramberg Center
Cargill, sponsor of the Little Farm Hands Tractor Shed
Crystal Farms, day sponsor of Aug. 29
Cub, official grocer and sponsor of the Little Farm Hands Grocery Store
DragNFly Wireless, sponsor of the Wi-Fi Hotspots west of the Grandstand and in the Veranda
Good Health Saunas, sponsor of The North Woods and North Woods Stage
Green Mill Restaurant, sponsor of the Family Fair Stage at Baldwin Park
Human Touch, sponsor of the Deals, Drawings & Giveaways guide
KaiBi Mobile Family Care Center
Kemps, title sponsor of Kemps Little Farm Hands and sponsor of the Kemps Little Farm Hands Dairy Barn
Kwik Trip, sponsor of Kidway
LeafFilter, sponsor of the Home Improvement Building
Leinenkugel Brewing Co., title sponsor of the Leinie Lodge Bandshell
Mall of America, day sponsor of Aug. 22-23
Mattress Firm, sponsor of the Official New Foods Announcement
Mazda, sponsor of the Nightly Fireworks Spectacular
Minnesota Corn Growers Association, sponsor of the Little Farm Hands Grain Bin
Minnesota Lottery, sponsor of the Blue Ribbon Bargain Book
Minnesota Rusco, sponsor of Online Gate Ticket Admission Sales
Minnesota Senior Linkage Line, day sponsor of Senior Day, Aug. 26
Mintahoe Catering & Events, sponsor of the Sponsor VIP Tent
Momentum Refresh, sponsor of the Accessibility Guide
Paddle North, sponsor of the Dairy Building
PaintCare, day sponsor of Aug. 27
Samsung, sponsor of the Great Big Wheel
Sleep Number, sponsor of the Grandstand Exhibit Building & Concert Series and VIP Nights
Star Tribune, sponsor of the official State Fair Maps
State Farm, sponsor of the Selfie Spots
Summit Brewing Co., sponsor of the International Bazaar Stage
Sun Country Airlines, sponsor of the SkyGlider
T-Mobile, sponsor of the Christensen Farms Stage
Treasure Island Resort & Casino, sponsor of The Garden, The Garden Stage and Clear Beverage Cups
UnitedHealthcare, sponsor of the Trolleys
United Rentals, sponsor of the Sponsor VIP Tent
Xcel Energy, sponsor of Eco Experience
Xfinity, sponsor of FAN Central

More info about sponsorships

State Fairgrounds hosts 2024 Minnesota Beef Expo

The Minnesota Beef Expo has been bringing together beef producers, youth and industry leaders since 2000. The expo, supported and hosted by the Minnesota State Fair annually, was on the grounds, Oct. 17-20.

Nearly 5,000 participants and visitors are welcomed each year at this premier beef industry event in the Midwest. Check out the video above for a taste of the action!

Coming to the Fairgrounds

Visit Ice Castles, an award-winning frozen attraction built using hundreds of thousands of icicles hand-placed by professional ice artists, at the fairgrounds this winter! The castles include breathtaking LED-lit sculptures, frozen thrones, ice-carved tunnels, slides, fountains and more.

November

10: Girls on the Run Minnesota Fall 5K at the Fairgrounds

December

6-7: Horse Crazy Holiday Market at Warner Coliseum

13-15: State Gymnastics Meet

14-15, 21-22: Minnesota Merry Market at the North End Event Center

21-22: Minnesota Blizzard FC Indoor Soccer at Warner Coliseum

January

26: St. Paul Winter Carnival Fire & Ice Run/Walk

11-Feb. 12 (tentatively): Ice Castles at North Fox Lot

For more information, see our State Fairgrounds Events Calendar.