This year the North Dakota State Fair boasts five full decades of success.

In 1966, when the fair debuted, agriculture was the heartbeat of the fair, and thousands of feet kicked up dust on dirt and gravel roads. Flash forward 50 years, and the biggest event in the state sees over 300,000 visitors annually; it features 6,000 commercial exhibits and 45,000 competitive exhibits, and 12,000-15,000 attend the grandstand entertainment.

If you are new to the state, or if this will be your first year attending, the fair grounds are located at 2005 Burdick Expy E in Minot, and the main event runs from today (Jul 17) through Saturday, July 25.

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