15 Miles From Rochester You’ll Find Minnesota’s Oldest County Fair
County fair season is in full swing here in Minnesota, and after last year we're all looking forward to the delicious food, the fun rides, seeing the animals, and checking out all of the great grandstand entertainment. The oldest county fair in the entire state of Minnesota is right down the road from Rochester and opens to the public on Wednesday, July 14th.
The Dodge County Free Fair in Kasson is celebrating its 164th year this summer. This fair features all the typical fair stuff like rides and food but also has several unique competitions like a hotdish cookoff, a cow milking competition, and a longest beard contest. See the highlights from each day of the fair below.
Dodge County Fair – Wednesday
- Cow Milking Competition at 3:00 pm on the Free Stage
- Music from LP & The 45s from 5:00 pm – 9:00 pm on the Free Stage
- Music from Chris Rollo from 6:00 pm – 7:30 pm and JT & The Gunslingers from 8:30 pm – Midnight at the Entertainment Center.
- Enduro Racing with Fireworks After the Races starting at 6:00 pm at the Grand Stand
Dodge County Fair – Thursday
- Mini Donut Contest at 1:30 pm on the Free Stage
- 4-H Fashion Review at 6:30 pm on the Free Stage
- Music from Street Talk from 8:30 pm – Midnight at the Entertainment Center.
- Thunderbird Open Stock Car Races starting at 7:00 pm at the Grand Stand
Dodge County Fair – Friday
- Longest Beard Contest at 1:30 pm on the Free Stage
- Magic from Great The Great from noon-1:00 pm and 3:00 pm – 4:00pm on the Free Stage
- Music from Chris Rollo from 4:00 pm – 7:30 pm and Six To Midnight from 8:00 pm – Midnight at the Entertainment Center.
- Rice Bull Riding Challenge starting at 7:00 pm at the Grand Stand
Dodge County Fair – Saturday
- Hotdish Competition at 11:30 am on the Free Stage
- Music from Chris Rollo from 4:00 pm – 7:30 pm and The White Keys from 8:00 pm – Midnight at the Entertainment Center.
- Antique Tractor Pull at the Grandstand at 10:00 am
- Kiddie Power Wheels Demo Derby at the Grandstand at 5:30 pm
- DC Championship Demo Derby at the Grandstand at 6:00 pm
Dodge County Fair – Sunday
- Pie Baking Competition at noon on the Free Stage
- Dodge Mayhem Trailer Races at the Grandstand at 3:00 pm
Get the full list of Dodge County fair events here and keep scrolling to learn about other fairs and fun events in our area.