Minnesota State Fair Wraps Up the 2024 Great Minnesota Get-Together

(St Paul, MN)  – Sept. 3, 2024  –The 2024 Minnesota State Fair brought people together from across the state of Minnesota to
celebrate. Labor Day attendance of 175,889 brought this year’s cumulative total to 1,925,904, making it the fifth
best-attended fair ever.

* New attendance record.

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“It’s been a phenomenal year for the Minnesota State Fair, filled with unforgettable moments and fun for everyone.
This year’s fair also had its share of Minnesota weather, and the State Fair team responded by pulling together to keep
people safe and to take care of the fairgrounds amidst episodes of extreme heat and humidity, rainstorms and high
winds,” said the fair’s CEO Renee Alexander. “The Great Minnesota Get-Together is truly a special event where we
can celebrate all that is great about Minnesota and each other. We can’t wait to welcome everyone back to the fair Aug.
21 through Labor Day, Sept. 1, 2025.”

The Minnesota State Fair’s agricultural and creative competitions drew more than 34,000 entries this year, with
competitors vying for a share of ribbons, trophies and special awards and nearly $2 million in prize money.
Competitions included events for livestock, horses, school projects, dog trials, baked and canned goods, fruit,
vegetables, crafts, bee and honey products, fine arts, farm crops, flowers, butter, cheese and more.
The State Fair’s Fine Arts Exhibition featured the largest juried art show in Minnesota. The 2024 People’s Choice
Award – Adults’ Choice went to “Mallards Facing Winter,” a photo by Omar Ghrayeb of Minneapolis, Minn. Kristin
Williams of Minneapolis, Minn., won the Kids’ Choice Award for “Sprout,” a needle felt sculpture.

The Purple Ribbon Auction on Saturday, Aug. 24, set 10 new record prices and raised more than $1.2 million for the
115 4-H members who participated in the auction. In addition, the auction awarded $140,000 in scholarships to 56 4-H
youth participants.

In open class livestock competitions, supreme champion titles were awarded to the best grand champions out of all
beef cattle, dairy cattle, boer goats, dairy goats, breeding sheep and swine grand champions and were exhibited by:
Open Class Supreme Champion Dairy Female: Lisa Demmer, Discovery Genetics, Ellsworth, Wis.
Open Class Supreme Champion Dairy Junior Female: Pit-Crew Genetics, Cambridge, Minn.
Open Class Supreme Champion Beef Female: Nolan Hackett, Brookwood Farms, Sauk Rapids, Minn.
Open Class Supreme Champion Beef Bull: Patrick Wall, PAW Livestock, Pleasantville, Iowa
Open Class Supreme Champion Beef Cow/Calf: Jaxon Hilbrands, Hilbrands Simmentals, Holloway, Minn.
Open Class Supreme Champion Boar: Mike Patterson, Country Girls Show Pigs, Kenyon, Minn.
Open Class Supreme Champion Gilt: Braden Bailey, Bailey Livestock, Towner, N.D.
Open Class Supreme Champion Ram, Wool Breeds: Dylan Nohner, Pines End Natural Coloreds, Erwin, S.D.
Open Class Supreme Champion Ewe, Wool Breeds: Isaiah Bauck, Dew Drop Farms, New York Mills, Minn.
Open Class Supreme Champion Ram, Meat Breeds: Adriana Wendland, Northern Starr Livestock Services, Shakopee,
Minn.
Open Class Supreme Champion Ewe, Meat Breeds: Devin Wolkow, Wolkow Dorsets, De Smet, S.D.
Open Class Supreme Champion Dairy Goat Herd: Tatiana Deters, Russian Ridge, Spring Grove, Minn.
Open Class Supreme Champion 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
Supreme and Signature winners in the Minnesota State Fair Horse Show were:
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)

The Douglas K. Baldwin Award for FFA livestock show participation and leadership went to Tayler Franz of Windom
FFA.

Rachel Visser of Hutchinson, Minn., representing McLeod County, 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.

The award-winning CHS Miracle of Birth Center welcomed 159 newborn animals, including 134 piglets and 25 lambs.
For competition results in Ag-Hort Bee, Creative Activities and K-12 competitions visit: mnstatefair.org/competitions/
Total Grandstand Concert Series sponsored by Sleep Number attendance was 86,724 (not including the free MSF
Amateur Talent Contest Finals). The lineup included Becky G with special guest Los Aptos (Aug. 22); Chance the
Rapper (Aug. 23); Nate Bargatze: The Be Funny Tour (Aug. 24, sold out), Blake Shelton with special guest Emily Ann
Roberts (Aug. 25); Happy Together Tour 2024 featuring The Turtles, Jay and the Americans, The Association,
Badfinger, The Vogues and The Cowsills (canceled due to severe weather on Aug. 26); Ludacris & T-Pain (Aug. 27,
sold out); Jon Pardi with special guest Dillon Carmichael (Aug. 28); Mötley Crüe with special guest White Reaper
(Aug. 29); Matchbox Twenty with special guest Beauty School Dropout (Aug. 30); Stephen Sanchez with special
guest Madi Diaz (Aug. 31); and KIDZ BOP LIVE 2024 (Sept. 2).

Nearly 4,000 fans cheered on the best amateur talent in the state at the MSF Amateur Talent Contest Finals held Sept.
1, at the Grandstand. Contestants were competing for nearly $20,000 in prize money. Winners were:

Open Division
First place: Dante Carlson of Woodbury, Minn., cello solo, “Julie-O”
Second place: Angelina Elliott of Brooklyn, Minn., dance solo, “Anamorphosis”
Third place: Cypher Side Dance School of St. Paul, Minn., dance group, “Hip Hop Mix”
Teen Division
First place: Aaliyah Dixon of St. Michael, Minn., dance solo, “Burden Down”
Second place: Danica Scofield of Blaine, Minn., piano solo, “Chopin Ballade No. 1”
Third place: Matthew Woody of Farmington, Minn., vocal solo, “Rainbow”
Preteen Division
First place: Brandt Montag of Alexandria, Minn., vocal solo with guitar, “Movies”
Second place: Matinly Conrad and Chase Lang of Shoreview, Minn., dance performance, “When I Was Your Man”
Third place: Tillie Kuhl of Shoreview, Minn., dance solo, “Escape the Weight”

New additions and highlights for 2024 included: Minnesota State Fair Featured Design available on merchandise at the
State FairWear gift shops; Official MN State Fair App; Cats & Dogs The Exhibition at the North End Event Center;
Minnesota State Fair Foundation’s Welcome Wall; Additions to accessibility and guest services (Aira app, audio
description additions, Joy Mobile, KaiBi Mobile Family Care Center and another adult-size changing table); Two new
Midway rides; State Fair History Snapshots (15-minute history presentations); Guest experience enhancements (re
designed Crop Art Exhibit space, new windows and doors in the historic Fine Arts Center and updates to The Garden
and Dan Patch Park); New competitions & themes; 90 years of the Streetcar Arch; 90 years of the DNR Building &
Park; Additional historical highlights; Transportation expansions; and more.

The State Fair’s 2024 Best Awards recognized 12 outstanding vendors, attractions and commercial exhibits. Winners
were: Anderson Bros Outdoors, Blue Barn, Caricatures by Cindy, Crazy Mouse owned by Wood Entertainment,
Demetri’s Fine Greek Food, Homespun Gifts and Décor, Milk Can Game owned by Coy Heatherly Concessions,
Minnesota Department of Public Safety, Orange Treet, Pria Handmade Accessories, Puppy Express owned by Prime
Pacific, and Tot Boss.

The 2024 fair featured 33 Official New Foods sponsored by Mattress Firm: 3 Piggy Pals On-A-Stick, Afro Poppers,
Ba’bacon Sour Cream + Onion, Blazing Greek Bites, Buffalo Cheese Curd & Chicken Tacos, Chile Mango Whip,
Cookie Butter Crunch Mini Donuts, Cotton Candy Iced Tea, Crab Boil Wings, Deep-Fried Halloumi Cheese, Deep
Fried Ranch Dressing, Dill Pickle Tots, Fried Bee-Nana Pie, Grilled Purple Sticky Rice, Ham and Pickle Roll Up on a
Potato Skin, Lady’s Slipper Marble Sundae, Marco’s Garden, Mocha Madness Shave Ice, Nixtamal & Wild Rice Bowl
with Wóžapi & Bison Meatballs or Sweet Potato Dumplings, Patata Frita Focacciawich, PB Bacon Cakes, Raging Ball,
Savory Éclairs in Two Varieties, Shroomy “Calamari,” Strawberries and Cream Waffle Stick, Strawberry Lemonade
Donut, Swedish Ice Cream Sundae, Swedish ‘Sota Sliders, Sweet Corn Cola Float, Sweet Heat Bacon Crunch, Turkey
Kristo, Walking Shepherd’s Pie, and Wrangler Waffle Burger.

Six new food vendors included: Chan’s Eatery, El Burrito Mercado, Kosharina Egyptian Cuisine, Loon Lake Iced Tea
Midtown Global Market’s Indigenous Food Lab, and Paella Depot.

The Minnesota State Fair is one of the largest and best-attended expositions in the world. Showcasing Minnesota’s
finest agriculture, art and industry, the Great Minnesota Get-Together is 12 Days of Fun Ending Labor Day. The State
Fair is financially self-supporting and does not receive government appropriation. Follow along on Facebook, X,
Instagram and TikTok @mnstatefair for year-round updates. The 2025 Minnesota State Fair is Aug. 21 through Labor
Day, Sept. 1. Visit mnstatefair.org for more information.