The Kandiyohi County Fair runs from Aug. 7 to 10. There are some new rules for exhibiting at the fair this year, so if you're planning on exhibiting, you'll want to be aware of the changes.
The Kandiyohi County Master Gardeners booth will be back and Master Gardeners from the county will be manning the booth throughout the fair and will be happy to answer any gardening questions you may have.
It's a great place to take a break, sit back and enjoy the beautiful flowers. This year's garden theme is “Giant”.
Be sure to vote for your favorite scarecrow and the winner will receive a $25 gift certificate. The one with the most votes will be declared the winner.
If you are entering the scarecrow contest, things will be a little different. This year, you will need to register your entry with the fair office before bringing it to the Master Gardener area. Your registered scarecrow will be in Division K, Class 13, Lot 100.
The Master Gardener booth will again be hosting the “Biggest Zucchini” contest this year, and although it's not listed in the Premium Book, it's still ongoing.
These zucchinis do not need to be pre-registered, simply be brought to the Master Gardener area during the fair, where Master Gardeners will be on hand each day from 10am to 8pm.
Free zucchini seeds have been handed out at various events this spring, but you can also grow zucchini from seeds you plant yourself. The person who grows the largest zucchini will win a $25 gift certificate.
Now, regarding the rule changes for the entry division of the fair, the Premium Book states that this year all entries must be pre-registered online, but when I looked into this new rule, it said that this year will be a transition year.
We encourage you to pre-register your exhibit online, however we will accept mailed registrations if they are received by August 2. Because this is a transitional year, you may also register your exhibit when you bring it to the fair.
There will also be changes to exhibit drop-off times for the fair. Exhibits can be dropped off on Monday, August 5th from 4pm to 7pm. Exhibitors will also be accepted on Tuesday, August 6th from 9am to 3pm. No exhibits will be accepted after 3pm on August 6th.
For a complete list of these rules, please see the 2024 Fair Premium Book. If you did not receive it in the mail, you can go online to the Kandiyohi County Fair website and you will find the printed Premium Book there.
Master Gardener Sue Morris has written a column for the Kandiyohi County newspaper since 1991. Morris has been certified in gardening and horticulture by the University of Minnesota since 1983. She lives in Kandiyohi County.
