MDN File Photos Carnival rides and food are a few staples every year at the North Dakota State Fair.

After a year off due to the coronavirus pandemic, the North Dakota State Fair will be back July 23-31, knock on wood.

“I’ve heard lots of good comments, not about anything specific, just oh, we want to come back, we want to do things, we want to be at the Fair, we want to see friends,” said general manager Renae Korslien.

Korslien urged people to consider buying tickets for the main acts early because she anticipates that some could be sold out.

Tickets for the main acts went on sale on March 31. Headliners include rockers Lynyrd Skynyrd and Billy Idol, and country acts Dan & Shay, Ashley McBryde, Sawyer Brown, Casey Donahew and Kane Brown.

Other main acts that are sure to please are the Ranch Rodeo, Bulls & Broncs, the Enduro Race, and Freestyle Motocross.

Korslien said the feedback on the entertainment has been extremely positive this year.

Many of the free stage acts also promise to please. Some are returning favorites, like the 188th Army Band and Daryl’s Racing Pigs. As in previous years, there will be a dog act but Korslien said the act is always different.

“We try and have dogs because they’re one of the favorite things,” she said.

The World of Wonder show will feature circus illusions under a big tent and there will be a theater dance by a group from the MHA Nation.

Korslien anticipates that there could be even more exhibits on display in the All Seasons Arena this year because so many didn’t get to be shown last year.

In an average year there are more than 45,000 competitive exhibits on display at some point during the fair, including 4H, FFA, and other entries.

Korslien also said people should enter their exhibits early and should not wait until the last minute so that they can all be displayed.

One fun event will call on legislators, mayors, and other prominent folk to try their hand at displaying pigs, sheep, and goats in a showman’s contest on the last Friday of the State Fair in Arena 2.

“It’s new,” said Korslien. “It will be fun.”

The State Fair will take additional steps such as providing more hand sanitizing stations and portable hand wash stations and perhaps fogging bleachers. They will decide on any additional precautions that might be needed closer to July when they know more about the rate of coronavirus cases in the area. As of mid-March, numbers were down, vaccinations were up, and there were no restrictions on gatherings. It should help that the State Fair is largely an outdoor event, she said.

Fair rides and food booths, with fried everything, will also be back, with added disinfecting precautions taken to help prevent the spread of coronavirus.