Got talent? The North Dakota State Fair wants you to showcase your gifts. The Fair has dedicated an entire stage to North Dakota talent where locals can perform for free. The stage is featured in the SRT State Fair Park and is home to dancers, martial artists, singers, and more. Catch local talent everyday at the Fair from 11:30am to 7:00pm daily.

Interested in performing at the Fair? It’s not too late! Go to our website to download an application or call (701) 857-7620 for more information. Schedules will be finalized after July 1st.

Extreme Canines Stunt Dog Show

The Extreme Canines are back by popular demand for their second appearance at the Fair!
You may have seen these guys on Oprah Winfrey, Ellen Degeneres, Tonight Show with Jay Leno, and Pet Stars with Mario Lopez. Each of the amazing pooches in the show have been adopted out of pounds and shelters from across the country. They've been promoting pet adoption and responsible pet ownership since 1999. From large breed to small, you’ll be amazed as the dogs execute big air stunts, catch frisbees, compete in grand prix style agility racing, and soar to new heights in the “Extreme Canines High-Jump Challenge." The Extreme Canines will perform at 1:30pm, 4pm, and 7pm daily on Stage 3 everyday of the Fair, sponsored by Bremer Bank.

The Gothard Girls & High 48's

The Gothard Girls are champion Irish dancers who weave their own fiddle tune arrangements, songs, stories and intricate choreography into a lively and entertaining show that engages audiences of all ages, from the youngest to the eldest. From a very early age, the girls have been performing on stages all over the Pacific Northwest and beyond. The Gothard Girls will be performing three times daily on the Jukebox Junkie Stage:

July 24th, 26th, 27th, and 28th~ noon, 2, and 5pm

July 25th~ noon, 5, and 10pm

The High 48s will be performing on Jukebox Junkie Stage the rest of the Fair from July 29th through August 1st. They have grabbed the attention of festival audiences in the Upper Midwest and beyond, released two critically acclaimed CDs and won first place in the 2008 RockyGrass Band Competition in Lyons, CO. They focus on writing original material that combines the soul and drive of bluegrass with the harder-edged sound of alternative country and roots rock. It’s a style of music the band calls Hard Grass. Hear the High 48s four times daily on the Jukebox Junkie Stage:

July 29th~ noon, 6pm, 8pm, and 10pm

July 30th and 31st~ noon, 2pm, 5pm, and 10pm

August 1st~ noon, 5pm, 7pm, and 10pm

Entertainment at IAFE

It's getting down to crunch time and we really need to finish booking our talent for the free stages at the ND State Fair. While at the IAFE Convention we learned that the majority of entertainers and shows have been booked for 2009. Luckily we found some really crazy and freaky entertainers who are still available, one being Russ Leno a sand sculptor who is most notably known for his pumpkin carving abilities. He is a really nice down to earth kind of guy who can carve just about anything out of a pumpkin (see pic). Another act featured within the same talent agency is John Shaw, who in our office we call the "Freak Guy." John can put a corn kernal up his nose and have it come out of his eye. He performs magic and illusions with lots of audience participation. I think it would be a great act for the Flickertail Beer Gardens. Click this link to see some of his most notable stunts.

IAFE Convention

The ND State Fair staff spent last week in Las Vegas attending the International Association of Fairs and Exposition (IAFE) 118th Annual Conference. We mingled with nearly 3,500 other employees who work for and organize Fairs and Rodeo's throughout North America. The most valuable aspect of the conference were the workshops and round table discussions. They allowed us to learn how we can make the North Dakota State Fair stronger and more enjoyable for our attendees. There was also a large trade show where we could check out entertainers for our free stages and get information on new products and services that are provided within the industry. As you can see we also got to meet some pretty cool people from other Fairs.

The Gothard Sisters

The Elephant and Tiger Show and Petting Zoo from a post before have filled their dates and will not be able to be at the North Dakota State Fair. I still think that these are both great acts so without a doubt we'll try again for them in 2010.

On a lighter note at the Rocky Mountain Association of Fairs we were introduced to three sisters who knew how to wow an audience. The majority of our office has nearly fallen in love with these adorable girls. The Gothard Sisters are champion Irish dancers (kind of like Riverdance but way cuter and not creepy) who also play fiddle and violin while dancing. They would be a perfect fit for our Jukebox Junkie Stage and serve as a great Free Stage edition.

Free Stages 1

Today I’m looking at two free stage acts, the first is a new petting zoo and the second is Tiger Encounter and Elephant Adventure, this looks like it would be a cool show. We had a really great petting zoo last year at the ND State Fair, but this year we’re looking to bring in something a little different, a petting farm. The petting farm will give Fairgoers the chance to milk a cow, pet and feed farm animals, watch baby chicks be hatched and see a sow and pig display. More pictures and information is available at http://www.fairanimalspecialties.com/



I think the tiger and elephant show would be pretty cool. They would do two Tiger shows and two Elephant shows on one stage each day. The elephants paint and play basketball while the tigers do tricks and jump through hoops. The price seems within reason, but before going any further I need to call around to other Fairs and check references. You can see show details if you go to http://www.artistsandattractions.com/ and click on the Tiger and Elephant link.

Booking Free Stage Entertainment

Since it's nearly November it's time to start looking at booking entertainers for our free stages. The Fair has 12 stages of free entertainment, meaning with a paid gate admission Fairgoers have access to 12 areas of free entertainment. (This entertainment is different from that in the Grandstand, booking Grandstand talent is a different story for a different day). We try to book a variety of entertainment so hopefully there is something for everyone. I get calls and receive promotional materials from artists, entertainers and agencies on a daily basis. We usually look for the same types of entertainment to go on each stage, which provides us with a good mix of animal shows, comedy acts, singers and sports acts. As a staff we will soon be heading out to a convention in Idaho and one in Las Vegas. One of the main purposes of these conventions is to provide a place where entertainers and Fairs can meet up, this is where we will find and book the majority of our entertainment. More info to come on the entertainment we're looking at.