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Get ready for State Fair

Are you ready for the North Dakota State Fair?

Every summer, people from all over the state and farther away flock to Minot to take in livestock and arts and craft exhibits, contests, free stage performances, grandstand acts and, of course, fair food and carnival rides. Last year more than 300,000 people attended the State Fair, which is billed as the state’s largest event.

This year the fun will begin on Friday and will continue through July 27.

Among the highlights will be the annual State Fair Parade on Saturday, which will begin at 9:15 a.m. at the corner of Broadway and Burdick Expressway and continue to the fairgrounds.

Other highlights of the week include events such as Food Frenzy. Throughout the fair, different food booths will be competing for the title of “Best New Fair Food.” Booths will display colored signs denoting the Food Frenzy contestants. People will have a chance to vote for their favorites in the People’s Choice Awards. Foodies can also compete in the Wing King Challenge at 5 p.m. Sunday, July 21, at the Dakota Talent Stage. Contestants eat wings spiced with different peppers, with nine levels of heat to get through. The wing lover with the fastest time will win.

Then there’s the Milk-A-Cow Contest at 4 p.m. Wednesday, July 24, at the Expo Barn. Contestants will compete to see who can fill a bucket with the most milk in 15 seconds by milking an artificial cow called Bessie.

Little ones will take center stage during the Diaper Derby and Toddler Trot on Tuesday, July 23, at 1 p.m. on the North Dakota Talent Stage. Kids under a year old and those between 13 and 24 months will race each other towards their waiting parents. Needless to say, things don’t always go quite as planned!

The kids’ tractor pull at 2 p.m. Tuesday, July 23, in front of the KX Info Center will give kids ages 4 to 12 a chance to test their strength by pedaling weighted miniature tractors. The kid who pulls the most weight in their class will emerge the winner.

Young ones can also try mutton bustin’ by riding sheep at 6:45 p.m. on July 24 or 25 in Arena I at the All Seasons Arena.

Bigger fair goers might want to enter the arm wrestling contest at 1 p.m. Saturday, July 27, at the Dakota Talent Stage, or the Crowd Pleasers Karaoke Contest nightly at 7 p.m. and 10:45 p.m. on the Dakota Talent Stage.

There is bound to be something for people of all ages to try during the nine-day State Fair.

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