To collect and collate historical photographs, memorabilia, and personal stories in order to preserve the history of the McLeod County Fair. The fair will seek out stories and request historical items, for loan or donation, to the McLeod County Agricultural Association. During the 140th anniversary of the fair, visitors can view a history display. Funds will be used to preserve a piece of Minnesota's heritage in a single collection, while educating the public with displays.
The AgBMP Loan Program provides needed funding for local implementation of clean water practices at an extremely low cost, is unique in its structure, and is not duplicated by any other source of funding. The AgBMP loan program provides 3% loans through local lenders to farmers, rural landowners, and agriculture supply businesses. Funds are used for proven practices that prevent non-point source water pollution or solve existing water quality problems.
To provide access to arts and heritage education to fairgoers. The Aitkin County Agricultural Society enhanced their portable stage by adding additional equipment and a sound system. The fair was able to welcome three artistic performers, including a bluegrass band, a clown, and a caricature artist and purchase interactive items that are used in the new agricultural education center.
To provide comedy ventriloquism and variety marionette shows and provide accompanying workshops on the construction and use of sock puppets. Puppets are a powerful way of bringing story to life and appeal to adults and children alike. The show will stimulate imagination and allow children to learn through play.
To provide arts and cultural heritage activities during fair by hosting a polka band on Seniors Day and sponsoring a children's tent with various arts and heritage related activities.
To enhance the creative arts exhibit areas in the open class and 4-H buildings. Improved lighting will better showcase locally created works in a variety of categories, including but not limited to: painting, quilting, sewing, woodworking.
Funds will also be used to create an agriculture in Minnesota program for children and host a polka band.
To provide an additional stage for area artists and educators to showcase their talents and knowledge. Arts in the Northland will encompass a diverse group of artists and educators to offer educational and hands on experiences for fairgoers. Historical, traditional, and modern forms of art are all to be a part of the Arts in the Northland.
To partner with local non-profits to bring arts and cultural heritage demonstrations to the Pope County Fair. Demonstrations will range from quilting and spinning to the fine arts, rosemaling, and lefse making.
To enhance fairgoers access to the arts by adding a sound system to an existing stage area, adding display cases in the Heritage Building, and expanding art demonstrations.
To bring Native American cultural heritage programming to the Chippewa County Fair. Dancers, singers, drummers, and storytellers from the Upper and Lower Sioux tribes will perform at a grandstand event.
To enhance access to arts and cultural heritage events at the Crow Wing County Fair. A camera, projector, and big screen will allow visitors to better see demonstrations in the "Curling Building." Funds will also be used to add electrical outlets to run equipment.
To undertake a new programming project: Festival of Arts Day at the Faribault County Fair, and purchase a portable stage to enhance arts and cultural heritage events. Festival of Arts Day will expose guests to different Minnesota artists and types of art found in our state. A variety of genres--story telling, puppetry, folk music, visual arts, and more--will be featured in various locations around the fair.
To enhance fair visitors' ability to view local artwork at the Freeborn County Fair, by installing track lighting and purchasing new display cases for 2-D and 3-D exhibits in the Creative Arts and Crafts building. Funds will also be used to bring new programming to the fair. Ben Franklin will live at the fair and converse with visitors, bringing with him historically accurate replicas of furniture, clothing, and cookware. Visitors can watch or participate in building a log cabin with turn of the century tools.
In celebration of the 135th anniversary of the Isanti County Fair, visitors will have the opportunity to revisit the region's rich timber industry history. A lumberjack show will showcase a variety of authentic tools, historical facts, live demonstrations, and handmade works of art.
To offer new arts and history programming at the Itasca County Fair. Visitors will have the opportunity to listen to a harpist, dulcimer player, and watch a presentation on the dogsled, clothing, and making of the film Iron Will.
To offer Lake of the Woods county fair visitors opportunities to participate in arts and cultural heritage events, and purchase a PA system to help make programming accessible to individuals with limited hearing.
To enhance Lincoln County Fair's capacity to host diverse programming by purchasing a stage. A stage would create a performance area outside of the grandstand, allowing for more programming at the fair. Currently, there is not a space for dance performances or performances with multiple singers. The stage would elevate the event to attract attention and allow for greater visibility, but be low enough to allow for audience interaction.
To enhance arts and cultural heritage programming at the East Otter Tail County Fair by hosting a fiddle contest, a barbershop quartet, and by purchasing a sound system to help performers engage a larger audience.
To bring a variety of arts and cultural heritage programming to the Lincoln County Fair. The fair will host live jazz, folk and bluegrass bands, in addition to a clogging performance. A demonstration area will also be created in the Open Class Exhibits Building. In that space, an artist will present on drawing and painting, and attendees can make their own art at the fair with provided supplies.
To enhance the free arts and cultural heritage performances on Pope County Fair's Free Stage by installing a permanent sound system and bring a Medicine Wagon Show to perform multiple shows each day of the fair. Additionally, to mount historical markers around the fair to explain the history of the buildings and fairgrounds.
To promote the preservation of agricultural history, education and diversity at the Ramsey County Fair by showcasing traditional Hmong dances, square dancers, a fife and drum corp, and Agricadabra, a show which featurs agricultural facts and magic.
To increase access to arts, cultural, and MN history programming at the Wilkin County Fair. Programming will include performances by a bluegrass band, dance group, the Red River Theater, and a one room schoolhouse reenactment. Attendees will also be able to read about the history of the fair on signs placed throughout the grounds, and learn about the history and culture of the livestock industry in the Red River Valley by taking a History Walk.
To offer free arts activities for children, host fine arts demonstrations, and create a space for teenagers to attend music shows at the Watonwan County Fair.
To build display cases to increase the fair's capacity to display quilting exhibits. Without secure cases, quilters do not bring their best pieces to at the fair. Funds will also be used to host North County Music, and provide art supplies and create a "kids coop" where children to work on art projects during the fair.
To provide a variety of arts and cultural heritage programming opportunities at the Mille Lacs County Fair. A local resident family with success participating in State and National fiddle contests, will assist with the planning and implementation of a fiddle contest and a workshop. A Native American Showcase will allow the Mille Lacs County Fair to broaden its cultural offerings by including an under-represented segment of the county's population in its activities. The showcase will feature Native American dance, song, and drumming.
To build a mobile stage and purchase sound and lighting equipment, in order to increase the fair's ability to host arts and cultural heritage programming.
To improve the lighting and display areas in the Fine Arts Building. Single bulbs strung over the display area will be replaced by fixtures, and display cases with adjustable shelves will allow for better viewing of the exhibits.
To purchase signs, created and painted by a local artist, to identify West Otter Tail County Fair exhibit buildings that display creative fine arts or feature live music.
To construct a multi-purpose building for music, theater, entertainment, and artistic demonstrations. The structure will be designed to enhance the quality of sound and the visibility of the artists who perform on stage for the audience.
To provide children's programming at the Red Lake County Fair. Programming will include games and activities highlighting local history, cultural heritage of the region, and learning and singing songs.
To highlight local talent by enhancing the fine arts display area. Track lighting will improve visibility, and a concrete floor will make the building more accessible to individuals with wheelchairs, walkers, and strollers.
To increase access to arts and cultural heritage programming at the Todd County Fair by enhancing a stage, improving the fine arts display area, hosting an array of demonstrations, and featuring an Irish band and theater group.
