State Fair Information

Livestock Encampment August 24-28

General/Static Encampment September 1-3

Eligibility Requirements

4-H members may participate in State Fair activities in the following ways:

4-H’ers may take a static exhibit as well as a livestock exhibit each year. State Horse (including horseless horse/horse related) and Dog Show trips are separate from State Fair trips, which means a 4-H’er may accept a State Fair trip as well as a State Horse and/or Dog Show trip.
There is a limit of 6 State Fair activities per participant, group or individual. Examples include: County Arts-In, team presentation, individual presentation, Share-the-Fun, judging team, project exhibit, etc. Participation in multiple activities may not always be possible because of schedule conflicts. Some scheduling is not finalized until late August.

4-H’ers must meet the following requirements to earn a State Fair trip:

Completed sixth grade, except youth participating in a club Share-the-Fun act or Engineering Design Challenge teams (no overnights)
Enrolled as 4-H member by May 16
Project registered for County Fair by June 10th on the FairEntry website.
Animal ID's completed by the appropriate deadline (see http://z.umn.edu/animalidinfo for more information)
Current Livestock Quality Assurance and Ethics Training Certification for livestock exhibitors (see http://z.umn.edu/statewidelqae for more information)

Participation in Wright County 4-H Foodstand is required to receive a 4-H scholarship to cover a portion of registration fees. If a winning 4-H’er does not meet these requirements, his/her trip will be awarded to the next ranking eligible member.

State Fair Trip Procedure

1) Watch an informational video below and download a “4-H State Fair Exhibitor Guide” containing information about options for State Fair exhibition, costs, judging schedules, details on how to sign up, and more. Printed User Guides will also be available for pick-up at 4-H desk anytime throughout the fair.
2) At the conclusion of judging events (entry day, livestock shows, etc.), judges select the projects that they feel are State Fair competition worthy. These “State Fair line-ups” will then be posted online below as well as on the wall in the 4-H exhibit building. Exhibitors should check the State Fair Line-ups website or posters as soon as possible, starting Wednesday morning for general exhibits, or shortly after each livestock show.

For livestock projects, photography, fine arts, and crafts, there are a limited number of trips. For these projects, the judge will award the appropriate number of trips (per state guidelines) to the top winners and select alternates. If a primary trip earner declines the trip, the first alternate will have the option to take a trip, if an additional person declines the trip, the second alternate will be eligible, and so on and so forth until all trips are filled.
For all other static exhibits, the judge will create a list of all projects they feel are state fair quality. If your name is on the list, and you have met all the eligibility requirements listed on the previous page, you have earned a State Fair trip and can get registered!

3) For projects with trip limits, accept/decline the trip(s) as soon as possible on the poster on the wall of the 4-H building. This way alternates on the list know if a trip will be available for them. Primary earners of State Fair trips are expected to accept their trips by 2:00 p.m. on Saturday and after that, trips will be opened up to alternates. Horse trip lists tend to be posted later due to the points calculations, so those are expected to be accepted by the end of the fair at the latest. Those listed as alternates for unclaimed horse trips will be contacted as soon as the fair ends.
4) All exhibitors who accept State Fair trips should pick up an information packet and registration form at the 4-H Desk. 5) Registration and payment* should be submitted prior to Sunday at 2:00 p.m. Gate passes and meal tickets (as needed) will be mailed out after the fair. *Confidential need-based scholarships are available - enquire with 4-H Staff.
6) State Fair Animal ID Check: State Fair livestock exhibitors must be present by their animal on Sunday at 1:00 p.m. and remain with their animal until the ID has been checked by a 4-H staff member or livestock superintendent.
7) All State Fair projects will need to be taken home at the end of the fair. Members can make any repairs or changes recommended by the judges. Livestock, oversized exhibits, and perishable projects are the member’s responsibility to transport to the State Fair. All other projects should be dropped off to the office for transport to the State Fair by the deadline listed in the State Fair paperwork packet.
8) State Fair participants are expected to attend 4-H judging and any applicable education experience associated with the trip they have accepted. In the event of an emergency, if a 4-H’er is unable to attend, Wright County 4-H staff need to be notified. Missed events without contacting a Wright County 4-H staff member can lead to reimbursement of any state trip scholarships you received.
No late registrations will be accepted after July 26 - no exceptions!