Nearly $950,000 in trophies, ribbons and cash awards will be presented to winning exhibitors in the fair’s many agricultural and creative contests. More than 14,000 people from throughout the region participate in State Fair competitions, entering nearly 35,000 animals, works of art, agricultural products, baked and canned goods, school projects and crafts.

Livestock categories include dairy and beef cattle, sheep, poultry, swine, llamas, goats, stock dogs and horses. New competitions include an Open Class Junior Barrow Show, a 4-H Lama Show (including llamas and alpacas) and a FFA Market Goat Show.

The State Fair’s creative activities competitions showcase the best in Minnesota arts, crafts, cooking, quilts, rugs, baked goods and canning. The center display in the Creative Activities Building will feature an exhibit by the Midwest Miniature Guild. The display will showcase furnished dollhouses, room boxes and other tiny displays that mirror real-life and imagined settings. Pieces range from authentic scaled-down houses, furniture and accessories to historic and fantasy rooms.

Each year the Minnesota State Fair Fine Arts Show features an invited artist, collection, genre or group. This year’s show is “The Fair Remembers: Minnesota Sesquicentennial Anniversary, 1858 – 2008.” The exhibit highlights the 95 Minnesota county fairs. County fair representatives will provide a panel on which they represent their county fair in words and pictures. Imagery may include historic photos, advertisements, ribbons, buttons or programs from past events.

This year, kids can become “Flower Detectives” and earn ribbons for identifying “mystery” flowers Aug. 25 through 28 at the Agriculture Horticulture Building (sponsored by Betterliving Sunrooms of Minnesota).

Free guided tours of the livestock complex are conducted daily beginning at the east entrance of the Poultry Barn. Tours begin every 20 minutes from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and last 30 to 40 minutes. Barn Tours cease 30 minutes prior to barns closing on changeover days.

From farm to market, the agricultural process comes to life as children plant crops, drive tractors, milk cows, feed animals and more at Little Farm Hands (sponsored by Butter Kernel, Cargill, Crystal Sugar, Cub Foods, John Deere Company and Minnesota Corn Growers Association).

English Horse Shows featuring the Texas Trick Riders are scheduled for Thursday, Aug. 21 through Tuesday, Aug. 26 in the Lee & Rose Warner Coliseum.

The Minnesota State Fair Bullriding Show featuring the Texas Trick Riders is set for Wednesday, Aug. 27 at 7 p.m. in the Warner Coliseum. Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA) Rodeos are Aug. 28 and Aug. 29. Rodeos include bareback riding, bull riding, calf roping and steer wrestling.

Western Horse Shows featuring the Texas Trick Riders are scheduled in the Warner Coliseum for Friday, Aug. 29 through Monday, Sept. 1.

Performances by the Texas Trick Riders feature riders and horses demonstrating Roman riding, trick riding, whip cracking, trick horses and trick roping.

Free English and Western Horse Shows begin at 8 a.m. and are all day Wednesday, Aug. 20; Thursday morning and afternoon, Aug. 21; Sunday morning, Aug. 24; Monday, Aug. 25 at 12:30 p.m.; and Sunday morning, Aug. 31. On Monday morning, Sept. 1 the free show begins at 8:30 a.m. The Texas Trick Riders will not be presented at free shows, with the exception of the 12:30 p.m. performances on Monday, Aug. 25 and Monday, Sept. 1.