4-H at the State fair

Congratulations and Good Luck to all the Watonwan County 4-H members at State fair!

State fair resources

Guide for 4-H members, families and chaperones when planning your stay at the Minnesota State fair.

Watonwan County Encampments

Livestock Encampment: August 25-29

Livestock interviews must be completed online (no exceptions).

  • Open July 14 through August 25, 6:00 pm

  1. All 4-H state fair livestock exhibitors are required to go through the interview process for their species. If this expectation is not met, the 4-H'er will be eligible to place no higher than a blue and is not eligible for purple, champion or the MLBA 4-H Purple Ribbon Auction. This includes showmanship awards.

  2. There are two components to the interview test process – the educational workshop recording and the online test. 4-Hers should first complete the educational workshop recording and then take the test associated with the animal they will show at the state fair. This can be done on any device with internet access. If you don’t have internet access, contact your local staff for assistance.

  3. The answers for 3 questions on each test will come from the educational workshop recording.

  4. Exhibitors will have 60 minutes to complete the test.

  5. If an exhibitor takes the test more than once only the first score will count.

  6. The educational workshop recording and interview test will be available on the Livestock Interview web page beginning July 14, 2021 and must be completed no later than 6 p.m. on Wednesday, August 25th.

  7. There will be no make-up interviews in 2021 (dairy is the exception due to on campus experience).

  8. All call-back and final interviews are scheduled at their regular locations on the fairgrounds, not on the St. Paul Campus.

  9. Interview finalists' names will be posted at the individual species office.

State fair livestock meeting

Superintendents, chaperones, 4-H members and families attending the State fair for livestock judging should all attend.

  • Wednesday, August 18

  • 7:00 pm

  • Watonwan County Extension meeting room

Bus/Livestock Depart

  • Wednesday, August 25

  • 8:00 am at Watonwan County fairgrounds

  • Members load the bus after livestock is loaded and ready.

  • Livestock chaperones: Leah Eischen and open slot

Return

  • Sunday, August 29

  • Load from State fair at approximately 2:00 pm (ring 2)

General Encampment: August 31-September 2

Watonwan county is encampment #2. Chaperones: Deb Saunders and Larry Klinkner

Projects being transported to the State fair from Sarah need to be properly packaged, labeled, and in the office by August 18. Also provide a photo of your project OUTSIDE your project for us to place in a binder for pick-up reference. See the State fair guide.

Three members will be randomly assigned to kitchen duty for September 1 at 10:45 am.

Depart

  • Tuesday, August 31

  • 12:50 pm arrives at BP gas station in Madelia-610 Haynes Ave NE

  • 1:00 pm bus departs

  • 2:55 pm bus arrives at MN State fairgrounds

Return

  • Thursday, September 2

  • 2:30 pm bus departs MN State fairgrounds

  • 4:30 pm bus arrives at BP gas station in Madelia-610 Haynes Ave NE

  • 4:40 pm bus departs Madelia