Aug. 25 – Labor Day, Sept. 5, 2022 265 Days 13 Hours 7 Mins FAIRGROUNDS EVENTS CALENDAR TICKETS Expand search form Visit Entertainment Food Shopping Animals Participants RECOGNITION PROGRAMS Century Farm Program The Century Farm recognition program, sponsored by the Minnesota State Fair and the Minnesota Farm Bureau, recognizes farms that have been in continuous ownership by a family for 100 years or more. Since the program began in 1976, nearly 11,000 Minnesota farms have been recognized. Each year, Century Farm recipients receive an outdoor sign designating the farm as a “Century Farm” and a certificate signed by the governor of Minnesota and presidents of the Minnesota Farm Bureau and the Minnesota State Fair. Check out a list of 2021 Century Farms. The application for the 2022 Century Farm program is now available. The application may also be requested via email by contacting centuryfarms@mnstatefair.org. Additional information about qualifications for inclusion, recognition ceremonies, signs and certificates are included in the application. Have a farm celebrating 150 years or more of continuous ownership and operation? Applications for Sesquicentennial Farm recognition are available from Minnesota Farm Bureau. For additional information or questions about the Sesquicentennial Farm recognition program, contact Rachael Peterson at rachael.peterson@fbmn.org. Outstanding Senior Citizens Award Program sponsored by Humana Two Minnesota seniors are recognized annually as Minnesota’s Outstanding Senior Citizens on Seniors Day at the Leinie Lodge Bandshell. Out of a pool of nominees from each county in the state, winners are chosen for their outstanding commitment to community service since reaching the age of 65. This event is sponsored by the Minnesota State Fair, the Minnesota State Fair Foundation and the Federation of County Fairs. For more information, contact outstandingsr@mnstatefair.org. (Please note: Google Chrome or Safari internet browsers work best to fill out the nomination forms.) 50 Year Award The 50 Year Award is presented annually to individuals who have actively participated in the Minnesota State Fair for 50 years as an employee, exhibitor, vendor and/or volunteer. Recipients are honored in a special award ceremony during the fair. Their names are also added to a permanent plaque located in the State Fair’s Administration Building. For more information, contact fiftyyearaward@mnstatefair.org. Minnesota State Fair Beginning Exhibitor Livestock Learning Experience (BELLE) Grant The Minnesota State Fair is committed to showcasing our state’s finest agriculture, and we recognize the importance of cultivating youth experiences in the livestock industry. We also understand that exhibiting at the Minnesota State Fair can stretch the family budget. Thanks to support from the Minnesota State Fair Foundation, we are proud to introduce the Minnesota State Fair Beginning Exhibitor Livestock Learning Experience (BELLE) Grant! This grant program will gift $500 each to 11 large-animal exhibitors and $250 each to four small-animal exhibitors who commit to participating in the Minnesota State Fair for the first time in 2021. Note: The BELLE Grant application is now closed. The Minnesota State Fair is also seeking peer-to-peer mentors to help guide BELLE participants. Each mentor will be paired with a grant recipient who exhibits the same species as the mentor. Mentors will be asked to meet with their mentee once in person or via video conference and be available throughout the summer to answer any questions that may arise. Mentors will receive two State Fair admission tickets and a certificate of participation. Note: The BELLE Grant peer-to-peer mentor application is now closed. Minnesota State Fair Scholarship and Christensen Family Scholarship The Minnesota State Fair is invested in the educational endeavors of young adults from greater Minnesota. The Minnesota State Fair Scholarship was established in 1994 and awards 20 scholarships of $1,000 each. Since its inception, more than $500,000 has been awarded. Additionally, Christensen Farms, one of the largest family-owned pork producers in the nation, has made available an additional $1,000 scholarship called the Christensen Family Scholarship. These scholarships will be made available to rural youth or those enrolled in an agriculture program in 2021-22. The application process for either the Minnesota State Fair Scholarship or the Christensen Family Scholarship is the same and must be submitted online. The application for 2022 is not yet available. Best Awards The Minnesota State Fair awards its most outstanding vendors with a “Best Award.” Learn more Bricks, Benches & Tables Placing a personalized brick, bench or table on the fairgrounds is a great way to honor loved ones and share your love for the Minnesota State Fair with friends, family and 2 million annual fair guests. These items are available through the State Fair Foundation’s recognition program. Donors support the Foundation’s mission to preserve and improve State Fair buildings, fairgrounds, and educational programs. Learn more about the Minnesota State Fair Foundation and its recognition programs. More Information: These links can be accessed and printed using Adobe Acrobat Reader version 5 or higher. If you do not have Acrobat Reader or have an older version, you may download the most current Acrobat Reader. Links will go live as information becomes available. 50 YEAR AWARDS 2021 List of 50 Year Award Recipients 2022 50 Year Award Application BELLE GRANT 2021 BELLE Grant Requirements CENTURY FARMS List of 2021 Century Farms 2022 Century Farm Application MINNESOTA STATE FAIR SCHOLARSHIP 2021 Minnesota State Fair Scholarship and Christensen Family Scholarship Winners 2022 Minnesota State Fair Scholarship Instructions 2022 Minnesota State Fair Scholarship Application OUTSTANDING SENIORS 2021 Outstanding Senior Award Recipients 2022 Outstanding Senior Citizens Award Information and Forms Please note: Google Chrome or Safari Internet browsers work best to fill out the Outstanding Senior Citizen Award forms. 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