MINNESOTA STATE FAIR

Here’s what to expect at the 2025 Minnesota State Fair

Estelle Timar-Wilcox / MPR News — Mon, 07 Apr 2025 12:40:00 GMT

The Minnesota State Agricultural Society Board of Managers met Thursday morning to discuss plans for this year’s State Fair. The board is comprised of one representative from each of the agricultural society’s regional districts, and it acts as the State Fair’s governing body.

Reporter Estelle Timar-Wilcox has been following the planning process and shared with MPR what to expect this year.

There are about 5 months until the State Fair. What’s happening at the fairgrounds right now?

Staff and maintenance crews are just starting to come back to the fairgrounds in the next couple weeks to start getting the space ready. Their big project this summer is renovating the Lee and Rose Warner Coliseum. They’re replacing the roof, updating seating, doing some more renovations in there. Organizers say construction will pause during the fair so the building can be used as usual, and then they'll finish renovations after this year’s fair.

As far as food and entertainment, organizers say that’s mostly booked at this point. They’ve announced a few of the Grandstand acts. So far, that includes country band Old Dominion, Melissa Etheridge and the Indigo Girls, Def Leppard and the Steve Miller Band.

Fair prices at the gate are going up this year. What do we know about that?

Prices are going up to $20; that’s up from $18 last year at the gate. You can get tickets online now for $17, if you want to keep it a little lower for yourself. Fair officials say it’s just gotten more expensive to run it. Security costs have doubled since 2019, and they’re also spending about $20 million on that Coliseum renovation, plus work on the 4-H building and some other maintenance projects.

Then outside the gates, there’s also some talk of increased parking costs. Thousands of people usually find free street parking nearby, but the city of Falcon Heights is considering charging this year. They’ve got a proposal on the table to charge $25 for a day. The city would partner with an e-meter company, so you'd use an app to pay the fee.

Falcon Heights says that could bring in up to $200,000 in city revenue to help offset costs that they incur from crowds and wear and tear on the roads. City Council members said last night, they’re still thinking about it, and they’ll meet again later this month.

What about poultry and dairy farmers? How are they managing avian flu? Any word on what impact that might have on the fair?

Fair officials are monitoring the situation. They said they’re collaborating with health experts to get some input, but they said they’ll hold off on making any final decisions. State Fair CEO Renee Alexander said they will monitor the situation over the summer and see what’s happening at county fairs.

'Last year, the fair decided to keep birthing cattle and calves out of the Miracle of Birth Center as a precaution, and they made that call in early August. Milking cows also needed to test negative before coming to the fair.

As things ramp up, as we get closer to the fair, what else are you watching?

We’ll get more announcements of Grandstand shows and free entertainment. And then the one that everybody’s always really excited for is that new foods list, which we’ll probably get in early July.

And if you just can’t wait until August, the fair is hosting its fifth annual kickoff event in May. That’s kind of a four-day mini run of the fair. They’ll have some performances, a limited selection of fair food. That’ll run May 22-25, and there are limited tickets available each day to keep the crowds down too. You can buy tickets online for $13, or $16 at the gate.

This story was originally published on MPRNews.org.

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Visit Bemidji taps into the power of social media to sustain thriving tourism market

TJ Rhodes — Tue, 24 Dec 2024 13:30:00 GMT

BEMIDJI — Social media has the power to bring people together and Visit Bemidji, the community’s tourism bureau, tapped into this potential and shared their results during a recent Bemidji City Council meeting.

Visit Bemidji consistently promotes the town and its many community events on its Facebook, Instagram and TikTok pages to a large, dedicated following.

Its Facebook page garnered 1.3 million views on posts in 2024; its Instagram account, considered a top priority, has grown considerably with more than 5,000 followers and its TikTok page, established in July of 2024, exploded in popularity with 1.2 million total views and at least five viral posts of 50,000 views or more.

Social media, alongside the normal modes of marketing, has helped draw in a large crowd of tourists to Bemidji.

Here is how Visit Bemidji’s small team of four, consisting of Josh Peterson, executive director; Brady Laudon, assistant director and social media manager; Sydni Miles, sales coordinator and office administrator; and Dean Beattie, visitor experience representative, have accomplished this feat of growing and sustaining Bemidji’s tourism industry in 2024.

Garnering success

Tourism at the beginning of 2024 struggled thanks to little snowfall during the winter months.

“We kind of flat-lined this year,” Peterson said during the Dec. 16 council meeting. “Three months of not having snow kind of shows us the impact of how important snow is to our local tourism. We had a strong summer and fall, so we bounced back.”

This rebound can be partially credited to a strong selection of summer and fall events held in Bemidji, like Unicon 21, Bemidji’s largest event of 2024. The two-week gathering brought more than 1,200 unicyclists from across the globe to Bemidji for the International Unicycling Federation World Championship and Convention, which hadn’t been held in the U.S. for 22 years.

Visit Bemidji was able to showcase its creativity when it launched a TikTok page with a video following Paul Bunyan and Babe the Blue Ox as they rode unicycles past Bemidji landmarks before stopping at Bemidji Brewing, all to promote Unicon 21.

The video collected a few thousand views, kickstarting the TikTok page.

“We couldn't do this report without talking about Unicon, it was a huge success,” Peterson said. “The Sanford Center did a survey of the competitors and there’s some great data that we look forward to diving into to figure out strengths, weaknesses and where we can go from here.”

“It was two weeks of craziness but everyone I talked to (was) just in love with the Bemidji experience,” he added. “Over 28 countries were represented during Unicon.”

At-Large Councilor Audrey Thayer expressed gratitude for Unicon 21 as it highlighted the area's culture in more ways than one.

“The people wanted the tribes in front and that was amazing to see,” she said. “It's the first time I've ever seen that in the city where they actually look for the tribes to be there and then put them in front. (They) actively made that effort (and) that said a lot about our city, for diversity for all people.”

Visit Bemidji hopes to keep writing success stories like Unicon 21 by continuing to creatively market the Bemidji area while using the tools at their disposal.

And with 2024 ending with a white Christmas, Visit Bemidji remains optimistic for what's to come in 2025.

In-house efforts

While Visit Bemidji strives to market itself on social media, its efforts go beyond Instagram and TikTok.

It also creates advertisements that don't just promote Bemidji, but embody it by working with the local arts scene to feature locations and people that keep its effort authentic.

These ads are widely publicized, seen in places like Paramount Plus, IHeart Radio stations in the Minneapolis area and, most recently, the NBC Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.

The Visit Bemidji team continually evolves as well, as seen with the use of TikTok in 2024 and an increased use of a drone for scenic photography and videography from the sky.

They do it all from the comfort of Bemidji.

“All (of) the marketing is being done in-house, organically, with the equipment that we have,” Laudon said. “Without the staff that we have here, we wouldn't be able to make it happen. We're lucky to be in Bemidji. We're very thankful.”

Peterson also noted the ways that Visit Bemidji's efforts compare to those of other tourism bureaus in the state.

“On that note … we're outperforming major players like Duluth and Explore Minnesota,” he added. “We're excited with what we're able to accomplish.”

Visit Bemidji’s increased output and results are thanks to a willingness to think, and explore, outside of the box. This includes their relatively new and yearly trip to the Minnesota State Fair.

During their report, they stated that the fair is an expensive endeavor that is well worth the effort as they’ve noticed a correlation between visiting the fair and increased fall tourism numbers.

The state fair sees an average of 1.9 million visitors every year and Visit Bemidji is the sole tourism bureau to set up a booth.

Members of the city council have joined in on the fun, with some remarking that the fair is one of their favorite times of the year since the inclusion of the Visit Bemidji booth.

All of these efforts combine to help place Bemidji on the map and ensure it stays relevant at the national level.

Community appreciation

After the presentation concluded, the council expressed appreciation for Visit Bemidji’s efforts.

“I come from an ad agency background. I know how they make their money,” Ward 3 Councilor Ron Johnson said. “They buy the ads and they get like a 10% markup, and then they get the money for (a) creative (team) to do them. That's how we used to run … and that's all done in-house now. It's done really quality.“

Ward 4 Councilor Emelie River expressed similar sentiments.

“Our community really appreciates all of what is done to bring people in,“ she said.

Bemidji Mayor Jorge Prince noted that the tourism bureau is known throughout the state for its quality work.

“I thank you guys for the bang for our buck that you give the city and our community,” he said. “I'm in a lot of different spaces with a lot of different elected officials. I hear positive comments about our tourist bureau and we're kind of the envy of many other cities. When we do that with such a small staff, that's a credit and testimony to everybody that's involved. Thank you for that.”

Prince also made sure to thank Visit Bemidji for providing reliable and consistent financial support for the city.

“Your budget is $550,000, so 22% roughly of all the dollars that are coming in are being allocated directly to city-associated things,” Prince said. “That's a very high percentage. I'm not going to forget that. I'm also going to be grateful for that.”

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Dokken: UND-NDSU sporting clays shoot, Minnesota State Fair are sure signs of fall

Brad Dokken — Sat, 31 Aug 2024 11:30:00 GMT

And just like that – poof! – summer is over.

How did that happen?

It happens every year, of course – thanks, Captain Obvious – but this year’s shift to fall seemed to happen more abruptly than usual. Harbingers of summer such as the Minnesota Fishing Opener and the morel mushroom bonanza we found over Memorial Day Weekend seem like just a couple of weeks ago, but they’re long since in the rearview mirror.

Signs of fall are everywhere. For proof, look no further than hunting seasons that are already underway or about to begin in a matter of days.

In North Dakota, hard-core Canada goose hunters have been going afield since Aug. 15, the archery deer season opened at noon Friday, Aug. 30, pronghorn bow season opened Aug. 30, and other rites of fall – small game, waterfowl and pheasant – aren’t far behind.

Jesse Kolar, the Game and Fish Department’s upland game supervisor, offered a preview of what North Dakota hunters can expect during this year’s grouse and partridge seasons in a video that’s available on the Herald website at grandforksherald.com and scrolling down to the Northland Outdoors section. Bottom line: the outlook is pretty good.

Not to be forgotten, of course, are Minnesota’s bear season, which opens Sunday, Sept. 1, and Minnesota’s archery deer season, which opens Saturday, Sept. 14, along with the grouse season.

By calendar, at least, fall doesn’t officially begin until Sunday, Sept. 22, but for all practical purposes, it’s already here.

In my world, at least, that’s not necessarily a bad thing. As with most people who enjoy the outdoors, fall is my favorite time of the year.

So much to do, so little time.

UND-NDSU sporting clays shoot

Looking ahead to October – my favorite month of the year – students in the Natural Resources and Fish and Wildlife programs at UND and North Dakota State University again will hold a sporting clays shoot to coincide with the Fighting Hawks-Bison football game set for Saturday, Oct. 5, at the Fargodome.

The UND-NDSU sporting clays shoot will be held from 9 a.m. to noon Oct. 5 at the Horace Shooting Park in Horace, North Dakota. Ryan Taylor, director of public policy at Ducks Unlimited’s Great Plains Region Office in Bismarck, is hosting the event.

Because last year’s UND-NDSU football game was in Grand Forks, the inaugural sporting clays shoot was held at the Dakota Sporting Clays Range west of town.

The UND squad – members of the UND Chapter of The Wildlife Society – won last year’s sporting clays event, edging the NDSU shooters by a mere 2 points during the competition.

Here’s hoping for a repeat.

State Fair nuggets

I haven’t been to the Minnesota State Fair in several years, but I always think of the “Great Minnesota Get-Together” as the unofficial end to summer.

The State Fair, which began Aug. 22, continues through Monday, Sept. 2 – Labor Day.

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources Building, built in 1934 at a cost of $73,000, according to the DNR, is always a highlight during my State Fair visits. The DNR fish pond this year focuses on “lesser-known native fish,” according to one of the daily email updates the DNR sends to media outlets during the State Fair.

“These fish, many of which are commonly called rough fish, are garnering renewed appreciation for the important role they play in aquatic ecosystems and the health of rivers and lakes,” the DNR said. “Research is underway to track the populations of these species, with initial results expected in the latter part of 2024. The Minnesota DNR has also formed a work group with members of conservation organizations, members of the bowfishing community and interested stakeholders to identify conservation strategies for these lesser-known native fish.”

A livestream of the DNR fish pond is available via the Live Fish Cam on the DNR’s YouTube channel. It’s definitely worth checking out.

For the past several years, a large collage on the side of the DNR Building at the State Fair has featured a photo of Jack Jensen, the first manager of the Roseau River Wildlife Management Area in northwest Minnesota. Known by locals as “The Bog,” Roseau River WMA is about as far away as you can get from the State Fairgrounds and still be in Minnesota.

Jensen, who died in 2004 at the age of 90, was manager of Roseau River WMA from its founding in the late 1940s – they were known as “refuge patrolmen” in those days – until retiring in 1978.

Every year, Jack’s son, Scott, shares a photo from the State Fair of himself standing next to the collage and this year is no exception. The photo, which I’m sure was taken before either of us were born, always strikes a note of nostalgia, as my dad, who retired in 1976 and died in 1992, also worked with Jack at Roseau River WMA.

Those were the days.

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Not a fish story: DNR’s historic Minnesota State Fair cabin turns 90

Lisa Ryan / MPR News — Fri, 30 Aug 2024 16:01:00 GMT

An important part of a Minnesota State Fair oasis turns 90 this year. The Department of Natural Resources has long maintained a large exhibit, including a 1934 Civilian Conservation Corps-constructed log cabin and popular fish pond near Nelson Street, and Carnes and Judson Avenues.

There are also large shade trees and a small walking trail. But the cabin with its machined logs “kind of looks like a Lincoln Log structure, if you’ve ever played with those as a kid,” said Amelia English, the DNR’s State Fair event coordinator.

“When we stand inside the great hall, it is 50 feet to the ceiling, so we’ve got beautiful gables above us,” English said.

The DNR exhibit and the people who design it and work there aim to educate Minnesotans about the natural history at a place that evokes a state park managed by the agency.

“You do feel like you’re having a little step into a state park or a state forest while you’re here,” English said, adding the old cabin “has a different feel than some of the other interesting buildings on the fairgrounds.”

The way that the department does this has evolved over the decades. Gone are the raccoons and mammals in one wing of the DNR building. So too are the crowds enjoying nature films.

“We do have films showing in there, but most people don’t want to sit and watch a movie when they’re at the fair, now they want to touch stuff and move through stuff and eat their snacks,” English said.

To satisfy the desire for more hands-on learning, there is an interactive sand box that teaches people about topography — like the hills and valleys that can be found throughout the state.

Some things have changed for safety reasons; there used to be a shooting range for guns and archery, English said.

Look back: The DNR State Fair Cabin over the years

A woman looks at the fish tanks at the DNR Cabin in 1953. They were remodeled later to be accessible to people of all heights.

People in 1947 look at the DNR Cabin fish tanks at the Minnesota State Fair.

The exhibits at the DNR building have changed through the years. They used to have live animals throughout the fair, seen here in 1970.

The outdoor fish pond was built in 1971

The Department of Natural Resources building was originally called the Department of Conservation. Federal and state funding went into building the log cabin structure at the Minnesota State Fair, seen here in 1934, the year it was built.

One of the most popular destinations within the DNR’s exhibit are the fish displays, a feature from the beginning. English said the tanks inside were redone 25 years ago to make them easier for children and others to see in.

Lindsay Thompson and her son Asher are yearly visitors to the DNR building at the fair.

“We like to go to our lake and fish, so we like to look for fish we see at the lake when we’re in the DNR building,” Thompson said as Asher named them — bass, walleye and bluegill.

The 50,000-gallon fish pond outside dates back to 1971, and holds three dozen species of fish, at least temporarily. English said they are only in the pond during the 12 days of the State Fair.

“The fish have an off-season retreat that’s top secret.”

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Fair to say I won’t forget my first Minnesota State Fair

Michael Johnson — Fri, 30 Aug 2024 10:30:00 GMT

The Minnesota State Fair certainly lives up to the name of the Great Minnesota Get-Together.

I have never in my entire life been anywhere where so many other people also wanted to be. I tend to seek out the lesser-knowns of the world. The hidden gems. The secret gardens. The middle-of-nowhere pasture that only the cows seem to know about. Those who have been to the State Fair know that the fair is not that place. It’s great, big and boasts of something for everyone.

I arrived on Thursday, opening day, thinking I would get a head start and beat the crowds. Dead wrong. (I would find out the next day that the fair hit a record first-day attendance of 138,875.) The fair utilizes 31 parking lots throughout the Twin Cities to park and ride to the fair for free. You know I'm going to utilize a free ride. My son, sister and I hit up the closest option near our hotel by the University of Minnesota in downtown Minneapolis and found that the lot was already full. We rolled to another parking lot, which was adjacent to another parking lot. Both showed signs indicating that they were full. I drove past only to watch another car pull up and parking lot attendants let them in.

Baffled by the mixed messages, I pulled out my first U-turn of the day and signaled to go in. Begrudgingly they realized they better let me in, too. Whew! I realized I was in. Smooth sailing from here. Well, not really, but there was no use turning back at that point.

We hopped out and raced down the sidewalk toward three waiting buses. All three were full, but one bus driver offered to take us if we didn’t mind standing. Not a problem. I just sat the last three hours getting there, I can stand.

Bus drivers in the Twin Cities are a breed of their own. I mean that in a good way. I can hardly manage to venture the Cities by car, but they were bobbing and weaving, braking and accelerating through traffic like they were invincible. Meanwhile, I held on to the overhead pipe just behind the driver, trying my best not to launch forward as if I were riding a wave headed hastily toward shore.

We pulled up to the fairgrounds and I entered into my first of many lines that day. There are many self-serve pay stations as you enter the fair, so getting tickets in is a breeze. After a quick search of my giant backpack, I was allowed in and I entered the flow of traffic which is anything but orderly. It’s hard to expect anything orderly when you have so much to see, so much to buy, so many directions to go.

While I was there to work, arrange interviews and find people to chat with, most everyone else there did not care about that. They were there to have fun — and they sure did.

There was a field of microphones where young women were singing karaoke for the world to hear. There was every kind of food from many nations from Egyptian to Finnish. After I had visited with a few people and walked past countless food trucks, I settled on “Hotdish on a Stick.” It sounded good as a light rain began to fall across the fairgrounds and the temperature flirted with 70 degrees. It genuinely was a delight, especially with a cup of gravy to go with it.

As I walked away, a couple young men walked by and one asked the other, “What’s hotdish?”

“It’s casserole,” the other said.

I’m surprised a debate didn’t break out among event goers right then and there. There must not have been any other Minnesotans in earshot. I’m not actually sure what earshot would be at the Minnesota State Fair, however. The loudness of the fair is nearly inescapable.

I know I am making the fair sound miserable, but it’s really not. (Though the few hours of rain was frustrating.) It just works over your senses in such a way that someone like myself can quickly become overwhelmed.

I saw the most beautiful horses I have ever seen. I tasted foods I would never think to make or buy anywhere else. Every few steps sent a new smell at me — all of them were mostly good. Many took my mind places my body may never go again. I heard screams of delight from the Midway and felt the passion and pride that so many 4-H exhibitors had as they stood ready to compete in one of the biggest competitions in the world.

I could tell my son was overwhelmed by things, too. But for at least one moment, he stood in front of the revolving butter carving stage and watched the dairy princess have her head carved into butter. He was mesmerized by such a bizarre yet beautiful thing.

As I exited that place that evening, I watched as a man and woman in their 60s locked lips just under the giant archway of the fairgrounds. It wasn’t just some peck and I am guessing it was a tradition for them. For the right person or people, this place is magical. For this small-town boy, it was a lot to take in.

I arrived at the bus gates just in time to watch the buses fill. I found my spot standing behind the driver as we both looked forward to the day coming to a close.

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After storm damage assessment and cleanup, MN State Fair opens late Tuesday

Andrew Krueger / MPR News — Tue, 27 Aug 2024 14:50:58 GMT

Two rounds of severe thunderstorms delayed the opening of the Minnesota State Fair and left parts of the state reeling Tuesday morning, Aug. 27, amid widespread power outages, downed trees and other overnight storm damage.

The one-two punch of severe weather forced officials at the Minnesota State Fair to delay opening the gates Tuesday by two hours to assess and clean up damage. That’s after they ended some operations early and canceled the scheduled Grandstand show on Monday night.

At one point Tuesday morning, more than 150,000 Minnesota homes and businesses were without power in the wake of the storms. That number started dropping through the day as crews repaired downed lines.

“The damage in our territory is unprecedented and we want to be transparent that we expect some members may remain without power for 2+ days,” Connexus Energy, serving the northern Twin Cities metro area, said in an update after the first wave of storms.

The second wave of storms added to line crews’ challenges, with Connexus reporting that it had nearly 700 separate incidents — downed lines or broken poles — to respond to.

Xcel Energy said it had 700 employees and contractors working Tuesday morning to restore power, with another 1,000 workers expected in the field by later in the day.

“Because damage is widespread, it will take significant time to get the lights back on for all customers. Xcel Energy anticipates restoring power for about half of the 150,000 affected customers today. Most remaining customers will have power restored by Thursday evening,” the utility said in an update Tuesday morning.

Overnight storms wreak havoc on central, southern Minnesota

Debris from a fallen tree in one Minneapolis neighborhood.

The line to get into the Minnesota State Fair after a delayed opening on Tuesday.

The Minnesota Twins stadium screens advise people to take shelter during Monday's baseball game.

The Minnesota State Fair grounds experienced damage during storms on Monday, Aug. 26 that lasted into Tuesday.

Storm clouds move over Mendota Heights as a line of severe storms roll through the Twin Cities on Monday evening, Aug. 26.

Fallen branches damaged this van in St. Paul on Tuesday, Aug. 27.

The line to get into the Minnesota State Fair after a delayed opening on Tuesday.

A large branch damaged this car in Uptown Minneapolis on Tuesday.

A simultaneous rainbow and lightning strike in southern Minneapolis Monday.

Two rounds of storms

Monday night’s storms downed trees and power lines, dropped torrential rain and sparked intense lightning as they moved from west-central Minnesota through the Twin Cities and into western Wisconsin during the evening.

In addition to affecting operations at the Minnesota State Fair, the storms prompted a rain delay of the Twins game at Target Field.

And they caused major damage to vendors’ tents and merchandise at the fifth annual Black Entrepreneur State Fair at Cabooze Plaza in Minneapolis. Volunteers arrived Tuesday morning to help clean up the damage, with the event set to reopen on Wednesday.

Along with causing a lot of damage, the first round of storms also sparked surreal sights. As the storms passed, the rays of the setting sun created rainbows even as lightning webbed across the sky.

The evening sunshine also bounced off the exiting storm clouds to create a vivid, colorful sky that enveloped the metro area in hues of pink and orange.

After a quiet overnight, the second round of storms moved from southwest Minnesota into the metro area before sunrise, bringing another round of wind gusts in excess of 60 mph.

Some neighborhoods that escaped storm damage and power outages on Monday night, were not as lucky on Tuesday morning. The storms sent a new round of downed trees and branches onto cars, homes and streets.

There were no immediate reports of injuries from the severe weather in the metro.

Xcel Energy reminded Minnesotans affected by the severe weather to stay clear of downed power lines.

“Always assume an electric line, even one that is on or near the ground, is energized and therefore dangerous. Never, under any circumstance, touch or move a downed power line. If you come across a downed power line, leave the area and report it immediately,” the utility said.

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Minnesota Democrats see record state fair sales as Walz prepares for Georgia tour

Hunter Dunteman — Mon, 26 Aug 2024 21:04:03 GMT

FALCON HEIGHTS, Minnesota — The Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party is seeing more financial support than ever before at the Great Minnesota Get Together.

Just four days into the Minnesota State Fair, officials report that the party’s booth at the fairground has already sold $190,000 across more than 6,000 transactions.

The first day of the fair, on Thursday, Aug. 22, saw a variety of types of merchandise repping the names of Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris and her running mate, Tim Walz, sell out, with fairgoers spending roughly $70,000. Camouflage Harris-Walz hats sold out in less than an hour.

According to Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party (DFL) spokesman Darwin Forsyth, the sales through the first four days of the fair “obliterate” previous records. In 2019, the booth raised $164,000 across the entire 12-day event. The previous single-day record was roughly $19,000.

In addition to merchandise sales, party officials say they’re also noticing an increase in volunteer sign-ups.

“Minnesotans’ overwhelming enthusiasm for the Harris-Walz ticket has supercharged our volunteer sign-ups and grassroots fundraising, and now it’s fueling our success at the state fair,” said DFL Chair Ken Martin. “Now is the time for everyone who is fired up to elect DFL candidates to turn that enthusiasm into the door-knocks and phone calls that will decide this competitive election.”

The extra support the DFL reports immediately follows the Democratic National Convention in Chicago, which thrust Walz into the nation’s spotlight as he formally accepted his nomination as the party’s candidate for vice president.

The increased energy within the Democratic party isn’t only good for Walz, either. According to Democratic U.S. House candidate Jen Schultz, who attended the convention in person, it could also help down-ballot candidates.

“[Voters] will have more reason to stay in the DFL column on the ballot than they would to even cross over,” Schultz explained. “I think we're going to see a lot more votes for Harris-Walz, because Walz is there on the ticket, and they may just decide to go all the way down the ballot with DFL.”

The boost in fundraising comes as Walz returned to Minnesota following the DNC, but is already preparing to leave the state again for another bus tour, this time in Georgia.

According to the Harris-Walz campaign, the candidates are set to tour throughout southern Georgia via bus before Harris holds a campaign rally near Savannah. Walz, however, will not appear at the rally, according to campaign officials.

“On the bus tour, the Vice President and Governor Walz will meet directly with voters in their communities,” a news release reads, “much like their western Pennsylvania bus tour which included stops at a local campaign field office and a high school football practice.”

Walz has spent little time in Minnesota since he was tapped to run alongside Harris in early August. According to schedules released by the Harris-Walz campaign, the governor has made public appearances in 19 different locations across a dozen different states since Aug. 6.

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Even in a year of H5N1, showcasing dairy is still a priority at Minnesota State Fair

Michael Johnson — Fri, 23 Aug 2024 19:25:31 GMT

MINNEAPOLIS — Making it to the Minnesota State Fair with your family in tow can be a feat in and of itself. Imagine bringing along your family, 15 cows and two calves to stay for the full 12 days of the fair, plus two extra days in preparation of the start of the Great Get Together.

That was the task Kristen Reiman Duden was up for and one she called an honor Thursday, Aug. 22, on the first day of the fair. Reiman Duden was standing out in front of her cattle answering questions of the public in the cattle barn and took a few moments to chat with Agweek between having cows cycled through the milking parlor where each cow is milked in front of bleachers full of people on the other side of giant glass windows.

Reiman Duden shared that she’s a fourth-generation part of the farm, which is part of Brickton Genetics, where she and her husband Thomas own 40 registered Jersey and Holstein cattle near Princeton, Minnesota.

Every year, the Minnesota State Fair showcases a different breed as part of the parlor herd. This year the featured breed was Jersey. The Minnesota Jersey Cattle Association asked if anyone would like to be featured, and Reiman Duden stepped up to the plate.

“I always thought it would be cool that someday maybe we’d be able to feature our herd here,” Reiman Duden said.

To be featured at one of the biggest celebrations of dairy in the world is a rare opportunity.

“I love the Minnesota State Fair … I’m just really proud to be here and to showcase our cattle,” she said.

They brought 15 milk cows and two calves. A few of the cows they brought were from other nearby farms. They stretch out in front of the milking parlor area where hundreds of cows will be milked daily during the fair. On Thursday, that included more than 50 4-H cattle.

Reiman Duden said their cows come from their 40 milk cows that make up the Princeton farm that are part of Brickton Genetics. The business gets its name from the old town of Brickton, Minnesota, where bricks were once made from the clay-filled ground there. The farm has been operating since 1933.

Being on display for more than a million people during the fair can be a lot of pressure. It takes a group of cows that’s calm and used to the crowds.

“The fun thing is is most of these animals have all been shown by 4-Hers or FFA kids. So they’ve been leashed, they’ve been walked, they’ve been worked with. So that’s what we really pride ourselves that we have a really calm set of cattle.”

They are milked at 10 a.m., noon, 2 p.m., 4 p.m. and 6 p.m. daily. They will likely have other special appearances throughout the fair.

While the cows need to be pleasant and handle the milking schedule, Reiman Duden said the team of people caring for these animals are working around the clock to make sure they all look clean and orderly. They’ll be working here until the final milking on Labor Day at 4 p.m.

“It’s a huge honor, it’s a lot of work, but it is a labor of love,” Reiman Duden said.

She thanked friends and family for helping them get here and she thanked the many hands that were helping to make sure people’s questions were being answered around the clock about their herd and their passion.

Destined for greatness

The Jersey cows on display are known for their quality milk often used for making cheese. It just so happens that’s where all the milk coming out of the state fair is going this year, to First District Association in Litchfield, Minnesota.

Making sure it gets there was Chuck Godding, of Advanced Dairy LLC. Advanced Dairy is contracted to supply service and supplies necessary to keep the milk parlor operating each day of the fair. They took full responsibility of this service last year. He said the calibration of equipment and cleanliness are key as the Minnesota State Fair is a qualifying event for the World Dairy Expo.

“We do that as a dealership just because it looks better on their books to have it done by an authorized dealer, if anyone would complain about anything,” Godding, a voluntary milking systems specialist said. Every ounce of milk matters in this setting so precise milking matters.

Godding was at the fair on Thursday to watch his grandchildren show beef cattle and will return again next week to be on call as part of the DeLaval staff that handle any parlor issues that arise. He said the opportunity to have dairy cattle on display in front of such big crowds was a privilege that herdsmen should be proud of. The setting, literally surrounded by thousands of people at all hours of the day, is far from a rural setting most are used to. But bringing the agriculture to the crowds matters, Godding explained.

“I do like what you see in this barn here,” Godding said standing in front of the cattle barn. "This barn does a really good job of representing agriculture to the non-agricultural Minnesotan.”

As he sat with his grandkids and their cattle he watched them walk up to people and ask if they would like to pet the cattle or answer any questions.

“I think those little things are really important so that agriculture can be in a positive light. Because these kids that are involved in agriculture, they work hard,” Godding said.

With many kids starting the day at 5 a.m. and continuing until the fair closes at night, their work is on full display. From catching cow manure with buckets to maintaining a clean setting to answering questions that run the gamut.

During the fair there will be upwards of 400 dairy cows milked. Godding estimated numbers were down somewhat due to the H5N1 virus. There have been up to 650 cows milked during the fair.

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Blossoming late: A new Minnesota State Fair crop artist emerges in retirement

Sam Stroozas / MPR News — Fri, 23 Aug 2024 14:51:00 GMT

When Maureen Sorensen talks about her crop art, it sounds like she is writing a love letter to the state of Minnesota.

The Witch’s Tower, ice fishing and loons — just a few of the things she thinks represent the state best.

For the last 50 years, Sorensen, or Mrs. Pours on social media, has made the crop art display at the Minnesota State Fair one of her first stops. She would admire it and go forth with her fair day, but it lingered in her mind. Could she make art like that? She couldn’t think of a reason not to.

“My daughter said, ‘Why don’t you do crop art?’ I needed a new hobby, so we did her dog Bryndal as my first crop art,” Sorensen said.

After working at 3M for decades, Sorensen retired. She had not pursued art before then, but after retirement, she began by doing stained glass in her free time. After she mastered that, she moved on to painting and did 1,200 pieces in two years.

At her daughter’s suggestion, she submitted two pieces in 2023: Bryndal the dog and the Stone Arch Bridge. The pup got fifth place in her category, and the bridge now hangs in Terminal 1 in the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport.

Sorensen often repeats pieces so she can improve. She has several submissions for the 2024 fair including ones centered on LGBTQ+ Pride, Timberwolves’ player Naz Reid and a neighbor’s cat — but the showstopper is her kaleidoscope.

Imagine this: A kaleidoscope fully decorated in seeds representing different parts of Minnesota including Scandinavian folk art, Hmong embroidery, indigenous flowers and Somali weaving. When you look through the glass, there are over two dozen discs to examine. Each one has been carefully curated to give you Minnesota experiences including the Boundary Waters, Babe the Blue Ox and even chef Yia Vang.

“I want to symbolize that we see things differently,“ Sorensen said about her kaleidoscope. “These are iconic images in my world, the snow plows, the biggest ball of twine, the lady slipper … We are all these things in my world. We are Minnesota nice, we are meat raffles.”

In her basement, Sorensen describes constructing her crop art as a type of therapy. She puts on the television in the background or sometimes a podcast. She takes her magnifying glasses and gets to work.

The 75-year-old says she never does anything halfway.

“It might take me from 8 o’clock in the morning until 2:30 in the morning with a couple breaks, it is very meticulous,” she says. “I’m kind of like my mother, I can do something really well once — and in crop art, that’s all you get.”

But a crop artist has to be careful, Sorensen says it can get pretty messy quickly. She has an organizer for her seeds and acrylic paints. On a recent flight, she brought seeds in a medicine box so she could keep working on the go.

Her seeds usually come from her local co-op. Per State Fair rules, only seeds that can be grown in Minnesota can be used, such as quinoa, grass and broccoli. Sometimes seeds can be painted, other times they need to retain their natural color. Each category has specific rules.

The level of detail in Sorensen’s work keeps her busy, but she admits she may have overextended herself this year with seven entries.

She isn’t sure if she will keep doing crop art next year. She says only time will tell — she may be onto a new art adventure.

“I will always enjoy crop art, I will always go see it. What a joy it has been this year,” she said.

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Meet Minnesota State Fair’s new Princess Kay of the Milky Way

Noah Fish — Thu, 22 Aug 2024 16:43:10 GMT

ST PAUL — McLeod County's Rachel Visser was crowned the 71st Princess Kay of the Milky Way.

The sophomore at the University of Minnesota from Hutchinson was honored during an evening ceremony on Aug. 21 at the Minnesota State Fairgrounds, in an unofficial kickoff to the The Great Minnesota Get-Together, also referred to as the Minnesota State Fair.

Visser, who is majoring in agricultural and food business management and agricultural communications and marketing, will serve as the official goodwill ambassador for the nearly 1,800 Minnesota dairy farm families.

"It almost doesn't feel real," Visser said a few minutes after being crowned. "I'm so excited for the next 12 days at the State Fair, and the next year ahead will be super exciting. I was super shocked and super surprised, but it was a super incredible feeling. Looking out into the crowd and seeing my parents and the people that have supported me was incredible."

Visser, who didn't grow up on a dairy farm, got involved with the industry and quickly grew to love it. In the summer, she works with Chad and Stacy Bohn of Litchfield on their farm, where they milk 27 cows and focus on developing a high-quality show herd.

"I showed my first Jersey calf 11 years ago, and I fell in love with the hard working dairy farmers, and I wanted to learn everything about what they did to produce healthy dairy products," Visser said. "I'm super excited to share the dairy story — not only my story, but from farmers across the state of Minnesota."

Nine county dairy princesses from throughout Minnesota competed for the Princess Kay of the Milky Way title. Katie Ketchum of Altura, representing Winona County, and Grace Woitalla of Avon, representing Stearns County, were selected as runners-up.

Visser, Ketchum and Woitalla were also named scholarship winners. Mackenzie Moline of Saint Peter, representing Nicollet County, was named Miss Congeniality.

Throughout her year-long reign as Princess Kay of the Milky Way, Visser will make public appearances to help connect consumers to Minnesota’s dairy farm families. Her first official duty as Princess Kay will be to sit in a rotating cooler in the dairy building at the State Fair to have her likeness sculpted in a 90-pound block of butter by sculptor Gerry Kulzer.

Other finalists for Princess Kay were Miranda Schroeder, Caledonia, representing Houston County; McKenna Wright, Hutchinson, representing McLeod County; Selena Corona, Saint Joseph, representing Stearns County; Katelyn Welgraven, Ruthton, representing Pipestone County; and Afton Nelson, Owatonna, representing Steele County.

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