07/05/2026
🎡 The Heart of Summer: Littlefork’s Fair Lives On: And Why It Still Matters
By Preston Hoy , Littlefork Live
If you drive past the Northern Minnesota District Fairgrounds on a quiet June evening, you might not see the magic yet. There are no carnival lights, no laughter drifting across the field, and no warm, sugary smell of fair food floating in the air. But look a little closer, and you’ll see something just as important: fresh cut grass, maintained buildings, and the quiet, steady work that keeps this northern Minnesota tradition alive.
In Littlefork, the fair doesn’t simply arrive each July. It is built piece by piece, hour by hour, by neighbors who refuse to let a century‑old tradition fade away.
At the center of that effort is Fair Board President Anna Marie Kjellgren-Fisher who spends her summer evenings mowing the enormous fairgrounds, fighting off Minnesota’s legendary bugs, and making sure everything is ready long before the first carnival ride rolls into town.
🌾 A Tradition That Refuses to Fade
The Northern Minnesota District Fair carries a special kind of pride, because the small town of Littlefork holds a distinction no other town in Minnesota can claim.
Littlefork is home to the last district fair still operating in the entire state.
In a world where small‑town traditions are disappearing, Littlefork’s fair stands tall. Not because it is easy, but because people here believe in it enough to keep showing up.
👥 The People Behind the Magic
The Fair Board is made up of twelve volunteers.
Anna Marie Kjellgren-Fisher (President), Josh Lehman (Vice President), Kenny Wendt (Vice President 2), and Kelly Haney (Treasurer) lead the board, followed by:
Annette Lehman, Chelsea Boorman, Danny Wendt, Darian Erickson, Faith Novacek, Gary Kjellgren, Russell Fisher, and Shelley Timmer.
They are the ones fixing gates, answering messages, hauling supplies, coordinating vendors, and doing the invisible work that makes the fair feel effortless.
If you’re interested in becoming a member or want more information, you can send a message to the Northern Minnesota District Fair page.
🎪 Bringing Fun to the Far North
Getting entertainment to travel this far north isn’t easy. When Anna first joined the board, she remembers the fair being down to only inflatables. They were fun, but not enough to keep a full fair alive.
That turning point came thanks to two board members at the time, Jason Hauner and Mike Fairchild, who went out looking for a carnival willing to make the long trip north. Their search paid off. Jason Hauner was the one who secured Merriam’s Midway Shows, and they’ve been coming to Littlefork ever since. They helped reshape the fair into what so many of us remember from our childhood.
A couple years ago, Anna spotted a paintball attraction while passing through Baudette. She struck up a conversation, made a connection, and now the company gives Littlefork priority booking every year. Paintball is officially returning for 2026.
And here’s a fun one.
Have you heard that Kenny Chesney once played at the Littlefork Fair?
It sounds like a rumor, but it is absolutely true. He got rained out, but a young Chelsea Boorman still got to meet him and his puppy.
Only in Littlefork.
🍺 Orange Shirts and Hard Work
During the fair weekend, Fair Board members are easy to spot. Just look for the orange shirts. Many of them will be busy running the Beer Gardens, which the board took over from the Lions Club three years ago.
It is long hours, lots of coordination, and every dollar raised goes right back into future fairs.
🏅 The Exhibits We Remember
Many of us grew up entering cookies, crafts, vegetables, and projects into the fair. Ribbons pinned proudly. Photos taken. Memories made.
Today, those exhibits are gone. They were a beloved part of fair history that faded as volunteers moved on and younger generations got busy.
Anna says the board would gladly welcome any group willing to bring them back someday. The door is open.
🚗 Races, Prizes, and Community Support
Local businesses, the city of Littlefork, and Koochiching County all help keep the fair going. Their generous donations become prizes for the races, which remain one of the fair’s most beloved traditions.
Rules for building and racing a car are posted on the Northern Minnesota District Fair page, thanks to Gary, who proudly oversees the racing program each year.
🎠 Funnel Cakes and Carousel Rides
I asked Anna and Chelsea what their favorite fair food was and which rides they enjoy the most, and their answers came quickly. Both lit up talking about the funnel cakes from Rose at the Midway Café. Anna told me she isn’t much for rides anymore, except for a gentle trip around the carousel with her granddaughter, Blaney.
Simple joys. The kind that stick with you.
⭐ A Fair Worth Showing Up For
The Northern Minnesota District Fair began in 1923. Aside from the COVID shutdown in 2020, it has run every year since. That is more than a century of memories, milestones, and community pride.
This year, as the lights turn on, the rides spin up, and the smell of fair food drifts across the grounds, remember this:
Littlefork isn’t just hosting a fair.
Littlefork is keeping a piece of Minnesota history alive.
And that is something worth celebrating together.
