The 2024 Beltrami County Fair will be held Aug. 7-Aug. 11.
Each year the County Fair provides fun and education for people young and old, and for me the fair marks the end of summer after spending hours tending to the vegetable, annual and perennial specimens I want to exhibit in the horticulture area.
A wet, cool spring has suited many of the plants in my garden, but not all. As a Master Gardener, I am always amazed at the healthy plants that are submitted for the horticulture section's shows. It inspires me to grow new and different plants for next year's show.
The theme for 2024 is “Fun Up North.” All entries must be submitted between 12pm and 7pm on Wednesday, August 7th. If you have multiple entries, please arrive early to allow for the time needed to ensure all entries are displayed in the display area on time.
We encourage you to pre-register all of your entries (or any entries you wish to have) because it is easier to remove an entry than to stand in line to add an entry. Pre-registering online is easy and quick. Alternatively, you can bring your registration to the fair office or mail it to arrive at the fair office the Friday before the fair begins. All specimens must be received by 5:00 PM on the last day of the fair.
Entries in the Horticulture division are open class. Anyone may enter following the guidelines outlined in the specific entry category. There is no fee to exhibit in the open class. A premium is paid for ribbons earned through entry.
If you have any questions about where your exhibit will fit or would like any other information regarding your exhibit, please contact the department manager listed in your exhibit booklet: For the Horticulture area, contact Amber Bury at (218) 760-1422 or amber.bury1@gmail.com.
Please read and follow the submission guidelines carefully. For example, plants in pots larger than the designated size will be disqualified. Please read the Premium Guidelines for the Arrangement category and have fun using your imagination to create your design.
The Master Gardeners would like to thank all of the special award recipients in the various categories. These fine specimens are displayed at a special table. They would also like to thank the judges, Master Gardeners and volunteers from the Bemidji Garden Club. The garden area has seen hundreds of visitors and the success is due to the help of volunteers.
During opening hours, staff are always available to answer any questions about gardening or exhibiting. We welcome your comments and suggestions, and we thank all exhibitors who take the time to bring in their specimens for the public to learn about and enjoy.
These local garden articles will be brought to you weekly during gardening season, but gardening information can be found year-round by clicking on “Yards and Gardens” on the University of Minnesota Extension website (www.extension.umn.edu) or by visiting our Facebook page (www.facebook.com/Beltramicountymastergardeners).
A local Master Gardener will answer your questions via voicemail, so just call and leave your name, phone number and question.
