Dakota County Fair Aims To Capture Summer Wonders: Variety Of Attractions, Events, Music Await | Free

Local residents celebrated all fair offerings at the 4-H animal barns, fun and games at the carnival, and Dakota City Heritage Village a year after the fair was canceled during the pandemic.

The 2021 Dakota County Fair Demolition Derby featured Mighty Minis, 80s Light Build, Midsize Limit Weld and Minnesota Classic automobiles.

Local residents celebrated all fair offerings at the 4-H animal barns, fun and games at the carnival, and Dakota City Heritage Village a year after the fair was canceled during the pandemic.

The 2021 Dakota County Fair Demolition Derby featured Mighty Minis, 80s Light Build, Midsize Limit Weld and Minnesota Classic automobiles.

The 2022 Dakota County Fair is gearing up to unleash the splendors of summer fun each day from Aug. 8-14.

This year fairgoers can download the Dakota County Fair App upon arrival to get updated information about events, maps, and fair food.

Visitors can stroll across the fairgrounds in Farmington and visit Dakota City Heritage Village to experience all the wonders and delights found in a county fair.

Among the attractions are the 4-H animal barns; arts, crafts, and photography displays; winners in categories for produce, flowers, plants, homemade baked goods, salsas, craft beer, and wines.

This year the 9/11 Mobile Museum returns to the fairgrounds so fairgoers can walk through the exhibit to learn about the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks in New York City and Washington, D.C.

Among this year’s Fair Special Days are:

• Kids Day: Tuesday, Aug. 9 – Many children’s activities across the fairgrounds, including Children’s Barnyard Tours every 30 minutes 10 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Kids Craft Events are open in the Woods, Crafts and Hobbies building 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.

• Military Day: Wednesday, Aug. 10 - Support Our Troops Haunted House organization will hand out 400 rodeo tickets to military personnel and their immediate family for the Aug. 11 Bulls n Barrels Rodeo. Tickets will be handed out on a first-come, first-serve basis and can be picked up at the fair Information Booth. Bring a form or proof of service when picking up tickets.

• Senior Day: Thursday, Aug. 11 –Donuts, cookies, coffee and lemonade will be served under the Senior Day tent next to Ahlberg Hall in the morning. The Wendinger Band will play in the Main Beer Garden area noon to 3 p.m.

• Public Safety Day: Saturday, Aug. 13 – Dakota County fire and ambulance services will welcome guests in the South of the Farm Tractor display 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. People can visit with a firefighter, see a new ladder truck, learn how to use fire extinguisher, see the newest life-saving innovations in how CPR is administered, and see the power of a live kitchen fire display and how to avoid this problem at home.

This year’s grandstand events are:

Kids Mutton Bustin and Barrel Races – free admission 7 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 9

Bulls & Barrels Rodeo - 7 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 10

Demolition Derby - 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 11

Demolition Derby - 7:30 p.m. Friday, Aug. 12

Demolition Derby – 6 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 13

Tickets for Aug. 10-13 are $15 adult, $6 children 6-12 years, children 5 years and under are free, Demo Derby will have $25 pit passes for ages 16 years and up.

On-site parking ticket prices are $10 daily per vehicle and $30 per vehicle weekly. Motorcycle ticket prices are $5 daily and buses can park for $20 daily and $60 weekly.

Tickets are available at the Dakota County Fair box office in Ahlberg Hall on the Fairgrounds, 4008 220th St. W., and the hours are Monday-Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The ticket office will be open 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 6, and Sunday, Aug. 7. All tickets sales are final and not refundable or exchangeable.

Scooter Rentals are available for $40 for four hours and $10 for each additional hour or $60 for eight hours.

The fair carnival is a venue for the young at heart to find their happy place inside carnival booths or get competitive with the games in the hopes of winning a prize.

Carnival wristbands cost $25 for advanced sale before noon Monday, Aug. 8, and are $30 after that.

Wristbands are good for the following days and times: 6-10 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 9; noon-5 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 11, and Friday, Aug. 12; and noon to close Sunday, Aug. 14.

Passports to Fun that cost $60 in advance offer unlimited rides for all seven days of the fair. Advance sales of the passports are in the ticket office. The Passport to Fun costs $70 after noon Monday, Aug. 8.

Live bands entertain fairgoers across the fairgrounds on stages under the Beer Garden tent and the Craft Beer Stage every night and afternoons during all fair days.

The free concerts feature popular bands and entertainers with a mix of music styles. Some acts look for audience participation and invite fairgoers to join in sing-alongs.

Check the schedule of events inside this edition for times and artists.

The Dakota County Fair has been making fun a tradition since 1858.

See more fair offerings at www.DakotaCountyFair.org.

Kara Hildreth can be reached at kara.hildreth@apgecm.com.

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