Minnesota State Agricultural Society's Annual Meeting Recaps a Successful 2014 Fair and Looks Ahead to 2015

ST. PAUL, MINN. (01/18/2015)(readMedia)-- The Minnesota State Agricultural Society board of managers, governing body of the State Fair, met this weekend to recap the most successful and highest-attended Minnesota State Fair in its more than 150-year history and look ahead to 2015. The Society's series of meetings was held Jan. 15-18 at the Doubletree Hotel in Bloomington as part of a joint convention of the Society, Minnesota Federation of County Fairs and Midwest Showmen's Association.

Improvements and maintenance projects approved for 2015 include construction of shade structures over the Schilling Amphitheater at West End Market; installation of street lights at the Transit Hub; tree care and landscaping; various roofing and painting projects; miscellaneous street, sidewalk and curb repairs; and electrical upgrades. All projects are funded through State Fair operating income and grants from the Minnesota State Fair Foundation. The fair is financially self-supporting and receives no government aid of any kind.

The fair's board of managers also approved admission prices for the 2015 Great Minnesota Get-Together, which will remain the same as last year. Adults (13-64) will be admitted for $13; seniors (65 and over) and children (5-12) for $11; and children (under 5) for free. Pre-fair discount admission tickets will remain $10. Parking fees will also stay the same at $13.

In other business conducted during the meeting, Al Paulson of Shevlin was re-elected to a second one-year term as president of the State Fair. Paulson is the Clearwater County auditor and was first elected to the State Fair board in 2004 as representative of the Society's ninth regional district. Joe Fox of Maplewood was re-elected to a two-year term as State Fair board vice president, representing the Society's fourth regional district. Dan Grunhovd of Gary and Wally Wichmann of Balaton were each re-elected to three-year terms on the board representing the Society's ninth and seventh districts, respectively.

Elaine Christiansen of Falcon Heights was elected to honorary life membership in the Society. With more than 70 years of involvement with the Great Minnesota Get-Together, Christiansen participated in 4-H as an exhibitor and demonstrator, acted as the Martin County 4-H Home Agent and as a State 4-H Club Agent. In 1955, she became the Food Service Manager for the 4-H Cafeteria at the fair's 4-H Building, and served until 1983 when she took full-time employment with the Pillsbury Company's Consumer Kitchens and Publications division. Christiansen could not give up on her love of food service and the fair, so in 1993 she joined the staff at the Hamline Church Dining Hall on the fairgrounds where she is still active.

The State Agricultural Society is made up of delegates from each of the state's 87 county fairs, plus representatives of 43 statewide associations involved in agriculture, horticulture and education. The Society is a quasi-state agency charged exclusively with the production of the annual Minnesota State Fair and management of the historic 320-acre State Fairgrounds.

The Minnesota State Fair is one of the largest and best-attended expositions in the world. In 2015, a record 1,824,830 visitors attended the annual event. Showcasing Minnesota's finest agriculture, art and industry, the Great Minnesota Get-Together is always 12 Days of Fun Ending Labor Day. Visit mnstatefair.org for more information. The 2015 Minnesota State Fair runs Aug. 27 - Labor Day, Sept. 7.