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 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 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 restore several Dakota City building exteriors on the fairgrounds, in collaboration with Dakota City Heritage Village. These local structures that portray a 1900 era rural village include the 1867 Vermillion Presbyterian Church, the belfry of the District 96 one room school, and the 1861 frame structure that was originally built as a school and most recently used as the millinery and dressmaker’s shop.
The Educational Heritage Magic Show by Magician Tom Anderson - With period costumes from the 1800's, he will be using magic that would have taken place in the 1800's. Tom is also a balloon artist and will be offering a balloon twisting class. ?Musical performers will also perform at the fair.
We would like to have our local blacksmith's guild members give demonstrations throughout the week of our fair in the blacksmith shop located in our Heritage Village on the fairgrounds. We could get many demonstrators to demonstrate the equipment that we have in our heritage village buildings such as spinning, weaving, quilting, and cooking. We also may have an opportunity to have a threshing demonstration by the local machinery men that meet here in Dakota County. We hope to contract a chainsaw artist and/or the Paul Bunyan Live show to have here the week of the fair.
The chainsaw artist would be able to give many demonstrations throughout the week of the fair. We will contract the Lumberjack show for all seven days of the fair and have lumberjack camps and shows. We will have scheduled three shows a day.
Our Legacy project consists of hiring Monroe Wright III to perform two shows on Friday of fair. He will bring several musicians to accompany him during the scheduled shows. He specializes in the music of the Mills Brothers.
RJ Kern's photography shows feature storytelling and agricultural photography and will be coming to our fair this summer. RJ does different shows: Being a National Geographic agricultural photographer; Being a Commemorative Artist for the Minnesota State Fair; The Unchosen Ones: Advice for 4-H Competitors and Life Skills Learned in 4-H; iPhoneography Tips for Your Award-Winning Photography; History of Agricultural Photography 101;
Historical Photography Demonstrations.
To restore the old Carbine House on the fairgrounds. The Crow Wing County Fair will rehabilitate an historic house on the fairgrounds that was originally an old trading post and was later occupied by Duncan and Ella Carbine. They will work with the Historical Society to ensure that the restoration is done in a historically accurate manner.
To showcase a diverse group of regional artists and educators who will offer educational and hands-on experiences for fairgoers on the Arts on the Northland Stage.
To bring a variety of cultural entertainment to the Waseca County Free Fair, including yodeling, Bluegrass, Irish, Alpine, Czechoslovakian, gospel and Americana music, a vaudeville show, and genealogical information from the Minnesota Historical Society.
To upgrade and replace display cases for 4-H. The Dakota County Agricultural Society has enhanced the display capability for the 4-H program to improve viewing and safety.
To provide programming that tells the story of Dakota County's 160 years of settlement, Minnesota history and cultural traditions, through an entertaining tent show that combines story telling and original music. The show will be reminiscent of the 1900s era Chautauqua programs. It will be performed daily in the tent at Dakota City Heritage Village.
Funding supports an Irrigation Specialist to develop guidance and provide education on irrigation and nitrogenbest management practices (BMPs). In this position, Dr. Vasu Sharma provides direct support to irrigators onissues of irrigation scheduling and soil water monitoring. She is collaborating on the development of new irrigationscheduling tools that help irrigators manage water and nitrogen resources more precisely. These tools help reducenitrogen leaching losses in irrigated cropping systems.
Native to the western United States and Canada, mountain pine beetle is considered the most devastating forest insect in North America. Trees usually die as a result of infestation and an unprecedented outbreak in the west is currently decimating pine forests there. While mountain pine beetle is not presently believed to reside in Minnesota, there are risks posed by an expanding species range resulting from warming climate and the potential for accidental introduction via lumber imports from infested areas.
To offer new arts and cultural heritage programming at the Waseca County Free Fair. Programming will include a performance by a Minnesota band, a German heritage band, and Homeward Bound Theater.