2013 Minnesota State Fair Concludes With Two Record Attendance Days

ST. PAUL, MINN. (09/03/2013)(readMedia)-- Final attendance numbers are in. In total, 1,731,162 loyal fair fans came out to celebrate the end of summer at the 2013 Great Minnesota Get-Together, despite high heat and humidity on seven of its 12 days. On Sunday, Sept. 1, 236,197 visitors made it the best-attended single day in State Fair history. A new Labor Day attendance record was set on Monday, Sept. 2 with 164,277 visiting on the fair's final day. All other daily figures, along with attendance history can be found at mnstatefair.org.

On Sunday, Sept. 1, the Minnesota State Fair board of managers met and approved plans to move forward with the renovation of the Heritage Square area and addition of a transit hub to the west end of the fairgrounds. Further details will be announced in the fall.

The Minnesota State Fair's agricultural and creative competitions drew close to 36,000 entries this year, with competitors vying for a share of ribbons, trophies and more than $1 million in prize money. Competitions included events for livestock, school projects, dog trials, baked and canned goods, fruit, vegetables, crafts, bee and honey products, fine arts, farm crops, flowers, butter, cheese and more.

The State Fair's Fine Arts Exhibition featured the largest juried art show in Minnesota. The People's Choice Award went to "What Did I Promise You," a charcoal and pencil on paper piece by Daniel Volenec of Eden Prairie. Japheth A. Storlie of Minneapolis won the Kids' Choice Award for a mixed media sculpture entitled "The Newton House."

"The Grinch Who Stole Christmas" presented by Forever Floral won the 2013 Minnesota State Fair Floral Designer People's Choice Award as part of the first-ever Minnesota State Florist Association Floralpalooza in the Agriculture Horticulture Building.

The 4-H Purple Ribbon Auction brought in a record-breaking $450,000 to benefit 4-H programs.

In open class livestock competitions, supreme champion titles were awarded to the best grand champions out of all beef and dairy breeds. Supreme Champion Dairy Female went to a Jersey exhibited by Tom and Kelli Cull of Lomira, Wisc. A Shorthorn exhibited by Joseph O'Sullivan of Maple Lake was awarded Supreme Champion Beef Female. Kody Stork of New Richmond, Wisc. exhibited the Hereford that won Supreme Champion Beef Bull.

FFA Supreme Champion Breeding Female premiums were also awarded. Supreme Sheep Champion Breeding Female went to Isaiah Bauch of New York Mills. Rachel Friese of Wanamingo won for Supreme Dairy Champion Breeding Female. Supreme Beef Champion Breeding Female went to Hunter Aggen of Harmony. Jon Harmening of Jackson took the Supreme Swine Champion Breeding Female award.

Draft Horse Supreme Halter Champion Stallion, Mare and Gelding were honored again in 2013. Supreme Stallion went to a Percheron exhibited by David Anderson of St. Thomas, Ontario. Supreme Mare was awarded to a Percheron also shown by David Anderson of Ontario, Canada. A Percheron exhibited by Harold Schumacher of Plainview was awarded Supreme Gelding.

The Douglas K. Baldwin Award for FFA?livestock show participation and leadership went to Laura Bachmeier of Apple Valley with the Randolph FFA?Chapter.

MarJenna McWilliam of Winger was crowned the 60th Princess Kay of the Milky Way to serve as the official goodwill ambassador for more than 4,000 Minnesota dairy farmers this year.

The award-winning CHS Miracle of Birth Center welcomed dozens of baby chicks and ducklings into the world along with 207 other newborn animals, including 157 piglets, 13 calves, 37 lambs.

On Military Appreciation Day, Tuesday, Aug. 27 the Minnesota State Fair and its visitors honored more than 1,000 Vietnam Era Veterans in a "Welcome Home" parade through the fairgrounds. Additionally, more than 400 Gold Star family members were recognized with a dedication at the fair's Veterans Memorial Garden.

Grandstand attendance was 85,234?(not including Amateur Talent Contest Finals). Macklemore & Ryan Lewis with special guests Chance The Rapper and Talib Kweli, and Tim McGraw with special guest Brantley Gilbert were sold-out shows.

Nearly 9,000 fans cheered on the best amateur talent in the state at the 41st Annual State Fair Amateur Talent Contest Finals Sept. 1 at the Grandstand. Winners were:

Open Division

First place: Melanie Bratsch of Willow River, vocal solo, "The Girl in 14G"

Second place: Alex Shaleen of Lindstrom, dance solo, "Show Me How To Burlesque"

Third place: BioFreaks of St. Paul, dance performance, "Sing, Sing, Sing"

Teen Division

First place: Mary Alice Hutton of Bloomington, violin solo, "Banjo and Fiddle"

Second place: John Blanda of Maplewood, piano solo, "My Romance"

Third place: Britton Pankratz of Mountain Lake, yo yo performance, "Mix"

Preteen Division

First place: Gideon Scheeler of St. Paul, piano solo, "Flight of the Bumblebee"

Second place: Shane Mokua of Cambridge, dance solo, "Radioactive"

Third place: Lauren Senden of North Mankato, vocal solo, "Gimme Gimme"

Ben Olson of Coon Rapids and Laura Hernick of New Brighton were the overall male and female 5K Milk Run winners with times of 17:05 and 19:38, respectively.

The 2013 Outstanding Senior Citizen Awards were presented to Kelly Christianson Falk of Roseau and Lloyd Adams of Grand Rapids. A ceremony was held at the Leinie Lodge Bandshell on Thursday, Aug. 29 to honor 84 seniors representing 46 Minnesota counties.

The State Fair People's Choice Awards recognized outstanding vendors, while allowing guests to determine the best of the best. During the first six days of the State Fair, visitors were invited to cast ballots at any information booth for their fair favorites in six categories. Winners were:

Best Product or Service: Henna by Sole Shine

Best Food or Beverage: Carl's Gizmo Sandwiches

Best Attraction: Eco Experience - Minnesota Pollution Control Agency

Best Value: Hamline Church Dining Hall

Best Customer Service: Mancini's Al Fresco

New additions to this year's State Fair included: the Luminarium Exxopolis, a monumental inflatable sculpture with extensive tunnels and soaring domes; EquiMania!, an interactive educational exhibit for horse enthusiasts; Arts A'Fair, a celebration of Minnesota's performing arts community through pop-up performances; WISER?LIVING: Smart Solutions for Aging at Home, an interactive exhibit designed to help visitors and caregivers facing the challenges of aging discover innovative products and services to support independent living; Heritage Variety Showcase, a nightly variety entertainment series at Heritage Square; The LEGO?Road Trip; The Minnesota State Florist Association's Floralpalooza, which engulfed the rotunda of the Agriculture Horticulture Building in a stunning display of flowers and other plants; Canstruction, four life-size agriculture-themed sculptures made entirely of canned goods being donated to Second Harvest Heartland; the Hop, Flop and Sniff Rabbit Display, where fair guests could learn more about different breeds of rabbits; and many more.

The 2013 fair featured 48 new foods, including bacon-wrapped shrimp on-a-stick; Big Andy sandwich; bourbon wurst; breakfast sausage corndog; taco slider trio; cajun pork rinds; candied bacon cannoli; chipotle chicken salad fajita; chocolate chili ice cream; chop dogs; cocoa cheese bites; comet corn; craft beer-battered onion rings; deep fried bread pudding; deep fried olives; dough-sant; english toffee fudge puppy; flavored corndogs; fried pickles 'n' chocolate; funnel cake sundae; grilled glazed donut; Hawaiian dog; Idaho nachos; Idaho potatoes; lobster macaroni & cheese; Mancini's cicchetti cones, signature steak sandwich, porketta pig wings, and classic char-grilled garlic toast; mini-donut batter crunch ice cream; Minnepumpkin Pie, northwoods BBQ taco, peanut butter & jelly malts and sundaes; Persian kabob koobideh; Philly fries; pitchfork sausage; Sandwich Stop specialty sandwiches; the Three Little Pigs Torta; and wine-glazed deep-fried meatloaf. In total, vendors served up nearly 500 different types of food, 70+ of which were on-a-stick.

The 2014 Minnesota State Fair will run Aug. 21 through Labor Day, Sept. 1.

For more information, visit mnstatefair.org or email fairinfo@mnstatefair.org.