More than 349,000 attend NDSF
Trending
More than 349,000 people attended the 2026 North Dakota State Fair, filling the fairgrounds and experiencing everything from Grandstand entertainment and championship competitions to agriculture, family activities, educational exhibits and free attractions.
The 2025 N.D. State Fair set a new all-time attendance record, welcoming 356,552 attendees, according to the July 28, 2025, edition of The Minot Daily News.
This year’s fair, held July 17-25, celebrated America’s 250th anniversary the North Dakota way under the theme, “Celebrate the Big 250…The Fair Way!”
“This year’s fair was a celebration of everything that makes North Dakota special,” Craig Rudland, general manager of the state fair, said. “From honoring America’s 250th anniversary to welcoming hundreds of thousands of guests through our gates, we saw families making memories, friends reconnecting, communities coming together and visitors discovering something new every day. Whether someone came for the concerts, rodeos, agriculture, food, competitions or the free attractions, we hope they left with memories that will last a lifetime.”
New experiences at this year’s fair included the interactive Freedom 250 Truck, celebrating America’s founding and the nation’s continued pursuit of liberty. The debut of Agriculture Acre inside the N.D. State Fair Center gave families the opportunity to experience hands-on agricultural education, commodity exhibits, cooking demonstrations and interactive displays showcasing the importance of N.D. agriculture.
The N.D. State Fair mobile app debuted this year and helped guests personalize their visit and discover new experiences.
Opening night captured this year’s theme as Gov. Kelly Armstrong officially opened the Grandstand alongside leadership from Minot and Minot Air Force before two B-52 Stratofortress flyovers provided a tribute to America’s 250th anniversary.
The Grandstand delivered one of the most diverse entertainment lineups in fair history while many other activities were held throughout the fair grounds, according to fair officials.
Senior Day was among special days observed at the fair. An annual tradition, about 400 seniors were welcomed to the fair on July 23 for a day of entertainment, fellowship, education and patriotic fun.
Many competitions were held during the fair including the Diaper Derby and Toddler Trot held July 21. The Diaper Derby featured one heat with four determined crawlers. While several competitors took their time getting started, 11-month old Beckham Knipp kept the crowd laughing as he made a few turns just before the finish line before finally crawling across to claim victory.
The Toddler Trot featured two heats of competitors who raced toward the finish. Winners were: Heat 1 - William Bagwell, 23 months; and Heat 2 - Kenny Tichenor, 22 months.
“These kinds of events show that some of the best fair memories come from the simplest moments,” Liberty Zuchara, marketing intern for the state fair, said. “Watching the babies and toddlers race brought so much joy to everyone watching. Seeing the crowd cheer on every child made this one of my favorites events of the fair.”
Following the final Grandstand performance Saturday night, the Closing Night Fireworks Spectacular lit up the Minot sky, providing a spectacular fair finale.
Planning is already underway for the 2027 N.D. State Fair set for July 23-31, 2027.