The Minnesota State Fair will have auditions for the annual Amateur Talent Contest from July 22 to July 28 at the Leinie Lodge Bandshell.
Auditions are free to watch and will start at 5:30 p.m. that Monday to Friday, and 11 a.m. Saturday and Sunday.
The State Fair encourages all talents from all ages and abilities to audition and compete in the contest. Participants will compete in three divisions: Preteen (12 and under), Teen (13-18) and Open (all ages).
Thirty preteen division acts, 42 teen division acts and 48 open division acts will be chosen as semifinalists. A week after all auditions are finished, all acts will receive a letter of confirmation into the semifinals.
Semifinalists will perform during the first 10 days of the Fair on the Leinie Lodge Bandshell stage. Winners will advance to the finals on Sunday, Sept. 1, on the Grandstand stage.
A total of $20,000 will be distributed among the first- to third-place finalists from all three divisions. The first place winners of 2023 were:
- Open division: Roland Hawkins II won the grand prize of $10,000 with a vocal performance of “Nessun Dorma”
- Teen division: Caleb & Laci won $2,500 with a dance duet to “How Do I Say Goodbye”
- Preteen division: Sophie Taggart won $2,500 with a piano solo of “Doctor Gradus ad Parnassum”
Participants must register in order to audition for the talent contest. Registration is open now and the deadline is 4 p.m. July 24. Performers can register online at mnstatefair.org.
