Window Fair

You be the Judge! This year had a competition amongst the Downtown businesses in Minot to create the best Fair themed window display. We provided the poster and the rest was up to them! Go to our Facebook page and tell us which one you think is best for the People's Choice Award!!

Ag Forum

Join us Monday, July 27 at 10:30am on Stage 2 for the NDSF Ag. Forum sponsored by Bayer Crop Science. Agriculture associations and government agency representatives will be ready to answer your agriculture questions. For more information please contact the State Fair office at 857-7620.

Heartland Poker Tournament

Getting in on the free Texas Hold’em tournaments held daily at the Fair just might land you a trip to Las Vegas! The annual Hold'em Tournament will serve as a stop on the Heartland Poker Tour. There is no buy in and up to 100 people play daily to get to one of two finals, July 28th or August 1st. This tournament is a qualifier for state and regional Heartland Poker Tour tournaments. Daily prizes and concert tickets will be awarded. The grand prize of this year’s tournament is a 3 day two night trip to Vegas. Players must register by 12:45pm daily in the Flickertail Gardens. The competition is sponsored by The Vegas Motel, Sevens Restaurant, and Four Bears Casino and Lodge.

Marketplace for Kids

Marketplace for Kids is coming to the State Fair! The Bright Ideas Showcase and Contest will take place in the State Fair Center Wednesday, July 29th from 8am to 2pm. Marketplace for Kids is a unique educational program offering encouragement for developing young entrepreneurs. It provides young people with a forum to present and explain their projects which are demonstrating entrepreneurship, innovation, and creativity. For more information visit http://www.MarketplaceForKids.org

Activities for the Kids!

The Fair is the perfect stop for families with kids of all ages. We have dedicated an entire area just for kids. Kid's Kingdom includes a petting zoo, giant sand box, kiddie rides, camel rides, and clowns keep children entertained throughout the Fair. The area is packed with several fun and free activities to participate in, however tickets are required for kiddie carnival rides and live animal rides. Kid's Kingdom, located on Stage 1, is sponsored by Trinity Health and is open from 11am -9 pm.

Hedrick's Petting Zoo, located in Kid’s Kingdom, is a place the whole family will enjoy. The zoo provides an exciting experience to meet and greet a variety of animals at the State Fair. Animals range from exotics like kangaroos, camels and zebras, to more domesticated creatures like llamas, donkeys and goats. Hedrick’s Petting Zoo is sponsored by Trinity Health, the zoo is free and is open daily from 11am - 9pm.

Kid's Clubhouse is another area at the Fair dedicated to kids. This air-conditioned clubhouse features activities, games, coloring and an indoor playland. The Kids Clubhouse also has a Comfort Zone, which provides parents a family friendly place for feeding and changing infants. Kids Clubhouse is open every day 11am - 8pm and is sponsored by Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Dakota.

With so many options for children, we hope your family will take advantage of everything the Fair has to offer. To find other events, contest, and family entertainment visit our website at www.ndstatefair.com.

Clown Contest

Are you ready to clown around at the North Dakota State Fair? Any clown or organization is welcome to participate in the Parade Contest, Make-Up Contest, Skit Contest, Balloon Contest, or all four! The contest takes place at 2pm, registration is July 25th at the Jukebox Junkie Stage. For more information call Dizzy the Clown at 701-721-8434 or 701-852-5696.

Make a Pit Stop at Cenex

What a Ride! The North Dakota State Fair has something for everyone-great food, great fun, and great concerts at the Cenex Grandstand.

Now you can register to win Cenex Grandstand tickets at your nearby Cenex location. They are giving away tickets for Motley Crue, Taylor Swift, Dierks Bentley- and more! Plus, they have discounted ride tickets for the kids, while supplies last.

So plan a day at the North Dakota State Fair this year… and plan a pit stop at Cenex along the way. They have the snacks and fuel you need for the trip- and you could win tickets to a great Cenex Grandstand concert too. Valid at participating locations only.

More Ways to Win!

Fans of the Fair have been winning tickets left and right on the North Dakota State Fair’s social networking sites, but now there are even more opportunities to win your way to Fair events. Media of all kind will be giving away tickets in a town near you. Radio stations, TV stations, Cenex locations, and local newspapers across the state are doing North Dakota State Fair ticket giveaways.

Keep your ears open and your eyes peeled for these great opportunites. Cities with participating radio stations include Bismarck, Devils Lake, Dickinson, Fargo, Grand Forks, Hettinger, Jamestown, Langdon, Minot, Rugby, and Williston. Newspapers participating include Dickinson, Bottineau, Bowbells, Devils Lake, Ellendale, Minot, Mohall, Mandan, New Rockford, Belcourt, Williston, and Fordville.

Contact your local media for more details on how to win tickets to the North Dakota State Fair!

Got talent? The North Dakota State Fair wants you to showcase your gifts. The Fair has dedicated an entire stage to North Dakota talent where locals can perform for free. The stage is featured in the SRT State Fair Park and is home to dancers, martial artists, singers, and more. Catch local talent everyday at the Fair from 11:30am to 7:00pm daily.

Interested in performing at the Fair? It’s not too late! Go to our website to download an application or call (701) 857-7620 for more information. Schedules will be finalized after July 1st.

Dodge Balls at the ND State Fair!

The fifth annual North Dakota State Fair Dodgeball Tournament is back by popular demand. The tournament will take place on Friday July 24th at 10am. It is open to ages 16 & up. Prizes and medals will be awarded to the top three teams in the Open Division and the teams with the best uniforms in both divisions. The entry fee is $60 per team and teams should have approximately 6 to 8 players. All proceeds from the tournament will be donated to the Minot Area Community Foundation. To register you team, go to www.ndstatefair.com/spaecialevents/ to download a registration form, or call (701) 857-7620 for more information. Come on down for bragging rights and to support a good cause. This event is sure to be a blast!

Extreme Canines Stunt Dog Show

The Extreme Canines are back by popular demand for their second appearance at the Fair!
You may have seen these guys on Oprah Winfrey, Ellen Degeneres, Tonight Show with Jay Leno, and Pet Stars with Mario Lopez. Each of the amazing pooches in the show have been adopted out of pounds and shelters from across the country. They've been promoting pet adoption and responsible pet ownership since 1999. From large breed to small, you’ll be amazed as the dogs execute big air stunts, catch frisbees, compete in grand prix style agility racing, and soar to new heights in the “Extreme Canines High-Jump Challenge." The Extreme Canines will perform at 1:30pm, 4pm, and 7pm daily on Stage 3 everyday of the Fair, sponsored by Bremer Bank.

The Gothard Girls & High 48's

The Gothard Girls are champion Irish dancers who weave their own fiddle tune arrangements, songs, stories and intricate choreography into a lively and entertaining show that engages audiences of all ages, from the youngest to the eldest. From a very early age, the girls have been performing on stages all over the Pacific Northwest and beyond. The Gothard Girls will be performing three times daily on the Jukebox Junkie Stage:

July 24th, 26th, 27th, and 28th~ noon, 2, and 5pm

July 25th~ noon, 5, and 10pm

The High 48s will be performing on Jukebox Junkie Stage the rest of the Fair from July 29th through August 1st. They have grabbed the attention of festival audiences in the Upper Midwest and beyond, released two critically acclaimed CDs and won first place in the 2008 RockyGrass Band Competition in Lyons, CO. They focus on writing original material that combines the soul and drive of bluegrass with the harder-edged sound of alternative country and roots rock. It’s a style of music the band calls Hard Grass. Hear the High 48s four times daily on the Jukebox Junkie Stage:

July 29th~ noon, 6pm, 8pm, and 10pm

July 30th and 31st~ noon, 2pm, 5pm, and 10pm

August 1st~ noon, 5pm, 7pm, and 10pm

Where's the Beef?

No longer do I hear the echo of a cow mooing outside my office. That must mean that Achievement days have come to a close. For the past four days, 4-H members have been competing to qualify for the North Dakota State Fair. Everything from beef to sheep to swine came to strut their stuff for the judges, and oh boy did those judges swoon. Throughout the week there was nothing but smiles on everyone’s’ faces and laughter in the air. We are sad to see you go, but until we meet again farewell to all you 4-Hers, and a job well done.

Wow! Yesterday at the Achievement Days the kids were running crazy! There were plenty of seriousness and hard work that went into the raising and showing of their livestock, lots of skill and talent in their still exhibits ranging from recycled caprisun purses to beautifully crafted wood pieces and more! But after the shows were done and the goodbyes neared, it was time to have a little fun. In a not so agricultural take, the ag olympics are something that the leaders and parents of the group put together for the kids to take part in, and they looked like they were having a blast. Running through the State Fair Center and the Expo Barn, they were all smiles under the dirt and grime that had accumulated during the week. In this multi part, multi team, multi player, multi FUN event, they participate in events like blind folded water baloon tossing, and scavenger hunts with several stations where the must complete a task at each, including trivia and charades! The Ag Olympics is so fun it seemed as though virtually everyone was participating. A great way to wrap up the week full of learning, competition, and hard work. (Pictured: A group of 4-Hers at a station during the ag olympics scavenger hunt, after just acting out an armpit fart)

2009 Achievement Days

With the 2009 North Dakota State Fair right around the corner 4-Hers have gathered to compete in this year’s Achievement Days. 4-Hers have been at the State Fair grounds all this week showing horses, rabbits, poultry, dogs, cats, sheep, dairy, beef, swine, goats, and more! The competitions which started this Monday with the horse show will continue until this Thursday June 25th. Today you can catch the swine, sheep, dairy, goat, and beef shows in the Expo building on the State Fair grounds. Don’t miss the Achievement Days Barbeque on Thursday at 4:30pm in Magic Place. They will be serving fried chicken, mashed potatoes, gravy, corn, chocolate chips cookies, and milk only $6 for adults and $4 for children.

Only those who receive a blue ribbon or a higher honor, such as Outstanding Reserve or Grand Champion, during Achievement Days are eligible to be entered at the State Fair. Good luck to all the competitors, we can’t wait to see you again at the Fair this year.

Static exhibits showed in Magic Place today, and there are certainly some talented kids in North Dakota. Here are some that caught my eye. Top Left is a photo by Kayla from Des Lacs Livestock. Ridge’s woodwork is in the Top Right and is representing Prairie Tumbleweeds. Bottom Left is a photo by Brittney from Rockey Acres and Bottom Right is 8yr old Shaylee’s wood art from wheatlanders. We couldn't be more proud of our 4-H members!