Weddings at the North Dakota State Fair Center

The North Dakota State Fair recently attend the Fiancee Bridal Show in Minot, ND. We were surpised to find that many attendees didn't even realise they could rent out rooms at the State Fair Center! When in fact the Center is eqqipped to host almost any wedding of any size.
The North Dakota State Fair Center has four different rooms to choose from when planning your wedding and/or reception. The rooms include, the Upper Atrium, Flickertail Gardens, Theater, and the new Carousel.  With so many different options and versatility, we are sure to have to the perfect venue to fit the wedding of your dreams.
The NDSF Center is extremely affordable to rent, ranging from $325 to $600 per day. The Upper Atrium is even complete with seating for 250 guests. Otherwise, you can rent tables and chairs from our center for $1.50 per table and $.25 per chair.
An added benefit to booking your wedding in one of these venues, is the ability to use outside caterers. You may even have your family bring in food for the event. Our designated caterer for the State Fair Center is MSI. They offer a variety of meal options and will also provide a full cash bar at no extra charge.
For more information, please contact Dennis Voeller at (701) 857-7620.

State Fair Grandstand Hits the Half-way Mark

“You won’t need to bring your own chair to enjoy the concerts at the 2010 North Dakota State Fair!” was the comment provided by Jerry Iverson, Project Construction Manager, in regards to how the construction progress on the new Grandstand is moving along.

State Fair officials are excited to announce that the Grandstand is now more than 50% completed. Officials are optimistic that the Grandstand will be ready prior to July 23, the first day of the 2010 North Dakota State Fair. The new Grandstand will provide 7000 seats and over 170 toilets. It will provide handicap accessibility, more points of sale for concessions, a new pub and a larger more efficient ticket operation. The stadium is elevated to provide more than 50% greater visibility over the row in front. The improved lighting and larger-than-average seating spaces will be greatly appreciated by World of Outlaw fans, Nodak race fans and Fairgoers alike.

The great weather in November played a large role in keeping progress moving along. Also contributing to the speed of construction is that the Grandstand is being built as a "Construction Management Project." “Because the Grandstand must be complete by July 2010, we needed to take bids on the demolition and then the footings before it would be possible to have a complete set of plans ready for a general contractor bid. This gave us a two month advantage,” stated Iverson. The project now has 30 individual contracts directly with the State Fair. This has allowed the Fair to identify budget problems individually. Instead of having to rebid the entire project, Fair officials could identify the problem areas and make the necessary changes. This was especially evident when the revamped second electrical bid was $1.7M less.

The North Dakota State Fair wishes to again thank the hundreds of "Fair Friends" from all over North Dakota who made the new grandstand possible. The bright lights of the State Fair often over shadow the stories of kids, families, tourism and the promotion of agriculture. However the bright lights attract those who also learn about the true value of what our Fair does and what our citizens do. The North Dakota State Fair is a balance of bright lights, entertainment, education and the promotion of North Dakota.

The new Grandstand will indeed be a great show place for not only Minot but all of North Dakota. For more information and to view Grandstand construction photos visit http://www.ndstatefair.com/faqs/grandstand.asp The dates of the 2010 North Dakota State Fair are July 23-31, more information on the 2010 State Fair is available at http://www.ndstatefair.com/