Jill Schramm/MDN Craig Rudland, general manager for the North Dakota State Fair, speaks at the fair’s annual meeting in Minot Wednesday.

The first annual T-shirt contest and a campaign to raise money for accessible picnic tables are among new projects of the North Dakota State Fair Foundation.

The foundation was among entities reporting to fair supporters at the annual meeting of the North Dakota State Fair Association in Minot Wednesday.

Karen Hennessy, development director for the foundation, said the organization continues to offer recognition benches, which people can purchase for personalization and display on the fairgrounds. The foundation is encouraging people to buy benches to recognize each FFA chapter and 4-H club in the state.

The foundation completed a project to install accessible bleachers and is launching a new project to buy at least 20 accessible picnic tables, Hennessy said. It also is inviting artists of all ages to create a T-shirt design that includes “North Dakota State Fair” or “NDSF.”

Craig Rudland, State Fair general manager, said new things will be coming to the 2024 fair that the board continues to finalize. Dates for next year’s fair, July 19-27, were approved at the annual meeting.

The 2023 State Fair drew a record 356,534 visitors and saw 9,586 4-H entries and 17,890 FFA entries. The fair’s 2023 annual statement showed $11.37 million in revenue, including $374,346 from a Ward County mill levy, $321,416 from a state appropriation for premiums and $335,454 from sponsorships.