I grew up in a small town like Minot. We had Fourth of July celebrations, and state fairs. I thought I knew what to expect when I moved to small town Minot with their state fair. I couldn’t have been more wrong. I thought it would be small with hometown performers, a few vendors from around the state and a few food trucks with carnival food. I did not expect for the entire fairgrounds to be filled to the brim with activities, exhibits, animals, rides, food and more!

As of today, we have gone to the fair twice. Our first trip was on Saturday to watch the parade and explore the fair. Let me just say, I cannot believe that the state of North Dakota puts together a THREE HOUR long parade! We saw every type of truck, tractor and even a helicopter- both on a float and in the air thanks to Trinity Health.

My tips for those going next year:

1. Park in the free fair parking, grab your gate pass and walk through the fair to Gate E and set up for the parade right outside the fair. This is an easy way to save on parking and have access to the parade and fair.
2. Bring some type of bag for candy! We were given enough candy to last us until next year and we’re very thankful to Century 21 for the free drawstring bag they gave during the parade to hold it all at the end.
3. Sunscreen, chairs, water, and wipes (a lot of freezer pops were given and little hands were very sticky) are a necessity!
   Our next trip was for Military Appreciation Day on Tuesday. We started with the free luncheon which was absolutely delicious! We were given beef sandwiches and hot dogs. A huge thank you to all the sponsors and volunteers that put this together, we are so grateful! I heard so many people say how nice it was to have this set up and how surprised they were at the food selection and kindness of the volunteers around us.
4. Next stop was the rides for the free military access from 1-3. This was by far our favorite part of the fair. My son loved the fun zone. Most rides are for 36” and up, with some still requiring an adult. I saw many smaller kids be disappointed so for all you baby parents out there, avoid this area with them to save you the tears. Instead head over to the livestock area where you can see everything from bunnies to cows.
5. Now Tuesday was a very hot day! So, if you find yourself needing to cool down in the coming days at the fairgrounds, head to the 4H Exhibits at the State Fair Center which showcases youth contest entries for science, art, agriculture and more. All with the joy of air conditioning!
   A few other gems we found that you can’t miss:
6. The Birdman Show at Stage 8: this is a free show with a variety of exotic birds from around the world on display. The host was very knowledgeable and made sure the show was enjoyable for everyone.
7. The iFlip show at Stage 5: This show was such a fun time to watch and it was crazy how high they were able to jump!
8. Daryl’s Pig Race at Stage 4: This was hilarious and enjoyable for all the family!
9. Fur Traders Rendezvous: This was a nice calming moment with a toddler to walk around and see all the old methods of blacksmiths, fire arms, and more.

After two visits, I am still wanting to go back to see all that I haven’t seen yet! Go and have some fun Minot! The Fair will definitely deliver.