The Hangout Podcast - Episode 9 - Craig Rudland

https://www.facebook.com/TheMagicDistrict/ 

Transcript

unknown 0:01

Am I called seen that you see?

SPEAKER_00 0:03

I think no way just what you dream is the way that you make those things reality. You see that's a magic. Just what you dream is the way that you make those things reality. You see that's the magic to me.

SPEAKER_01 0:21

Hey, why not? Welcome back to the Magic District Hangout podcast with Corey Long and Christine Staley. Yeah, I wanted to say his name. So today we have a really cool guest. Um so far we've had quite a few different types of um people we've spoken to. But I think this one's gonna be really a a different aspect of my knot. Right. You know, I mean, think of it this way: if you've never come to my knot, but you come during July, you're gonna be very well aware of what we discussed today. Yes. So who is this guest today, Corey?

SPEAKER_03 0:55

This guest, uh, well, I for me, I grew up in Minot, uh, 600 block of 14th Street, which is the southeast side, the best side of town.

SPEAKER_04 1:02

Oh, the best side of town.

SPEAKER_03 1:03

The best side of town, yep. I'm a sunny cider. Um, I could hear the state fair music, the distance, the rides, the all the cool stuff like that. I love the state fair, and it's uh it's a pleasure to introduce the general manager. I mean, he started from the bottom, literally the bottom all the way up, Craig Rudlin. Craig Rudlin.

SPEAKER_01 1:24

Welcome to the Magic District Hangout Podcast, Craig.

SPEAKER_02 1:27

Well, yeah, thank you for uh asking me to come on here. That's it's uh I've never done one, so you you're the first. Um that's awesome.

SPEAKER_01 1:37

There's always a first time for everything. There you go.

SPEAKER_03 1:39

Um, so yeah, no, happy to be here. Awesome.

SPEAKER_01 1:40

That's fantastic.

SPEAKER_03 1:41

So, Craig, can you tell us essentially when you started working for NDSF, North Dakota State Fair?

SPEAKER_02 1:46

Sure. Um, you know, so I was a 13-year-old kid looking for a job, right? So I I started in you know the early 80s. Okay. Um, so this fair will be my 46th year of working for the North Dakota. The legend is that you're a legend. Well, no about that, but um, but yeah, no, I mean, you know, so you started as a again, that young kid, and then you worked during the summers and you know, all through school, and once what school was done.

SPEAKER_03 2:16

What were your jobs doing back then for the fair?

SPEAKER_01 2:18

Um what'd you get hired for originally?

SPEAKER_02 2:21

Not so much different than what I do today, anything I'm told, right? So um, but no, I mean, you know, I I was like just a little kid, so I was the gopher, you know. So you know, whether I worked for you know, somebody in the maintenance department or somebody on the grounds, you know, they'd say go for this and go for that. And you know, so I I was just that guy that would uh you know kind of help out doing whatever I could.

SPEAKER_01 2:43

So you kind of saw the background behind the scenes, really more or less, than like the all the glitch and all the fun. You saw like what really takes to keep it going day in and day out for that short term. Because what, how long is the fair? How many days? Nine days. Nine days total. Has that ever changed, or has this always been nine days?

SPEAKER_02 2:59

No, it was uh seven days um, you know, quite a number of years ago, but uh yeah, when it first started out.

SPEAKER_01 3:06

Fantastic. That's a that's that's a really like cool experience because if you can see everything going on, you can be aware of anything that's not occurring, that should be occurring, and how important a role that is.

SPEAKER_02 3:18

Well, I think that's what I kind of fell in love with early, right? Is is that behind the scenes uh thing, and and you know, when it's all said and done, and then you have an opportunity to kind of reflect back and you go, man, that's I was part of that, right? And and it really is something. And I and I've heard that from so many people that have worked with us in the past, you know, again, whether it was a high school kid or or what have you, that is like that is super cool.

SPEAKER_03 3:47

Yeah, taking a little ownership and what you helped. Absolutely, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 3:51

It is a big deal. Like we're the we are the largest annual event in the state of North Dakota, and and the behind scenes thing, there's a lot of things that you get to see that that nobody else that we don't want people to see. Sure, sure. And we're fixing those those issues before they they hit the public. And yeah, I know.

SPEAKER_01 4:08

I I like I did theater and I've done television, so I believe me. It's what you decide to show them. You don't have to show everything until you're ready to show something. It's really important. It's almost like an entertainment in your own way. And I have a question though. Um, what I find interesting, you said you said at age 13.

SPEAKER_02 4:24

I think it's 13.

SPEAKER_01 4:26

So when do you decide or when did you realize like, hey, I'm gonna stick around a little bit longer than just, oh, this is a summer job or whatever. Like, when did you make that decision?

SPEAKER_02 4:34

You know, I I think just kind of reflecting back, I mean, it was it it was relatively quickly, you know. So by the time I was, you know, in middle school, you know, central campus and whatnot, like like I I think there's a I think there's a place here for me.

SPEAKER_04 4:51

I love that.

SPEAKER_02 4:52

And uh yeah. So again, once I got out of high school, I I started full time and and uh yeah, and I've never looked back.

SPEAKER_01 5:01

I think that's really cool. Um a lot of kids don't know what they want to do sometimes at that age. And to think your first like real job was to end up being something amazing that you've become part of the fixture of the community now. I I think that's impressive.

SPEAKER_03 5:14

Right. Yep. So can you tell us, Craig, essentially, um, you know, like maybe the the general public just doesn't know that that you're planning the fair if I could be wrong, pretty much already for 2027, aren't you, right now?

SPEAKER_02 5:29

No, absolutely. Um, so I literally have offers in on on grandstand acts for 27.

SPEAKER_00 5:36

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 5:37

And you know, that's it's it's it's kind of a unique process to do, but like I've got all nine days of offers out. Right. Right. And now there's nothing confirmed, but if by some stroke of a magic pen everybody confirmed, it all be done today. Sure.

SPEAKER_01 5:55

Wow, so you know a year in advance potentially.

SPEAKER_02 5:58

Sometimes two. Okay. Yeah. That's fantastic. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 6:01

Oh my gosh, wow. And how does that how do how does that work? Because I know that sometimes people in the community don't know how we get acts. Um, you had said to me once, like off offset here, that you know, there's a lot of different ways to figure out stuff. I mean, you really true try to bring a a a cohesive group of people for everybody to like. I like that.

SPEAKER_02 6:21

And and yeah, we've I guess really started making that a bigger thing. I I feel like the last couple three years. And that was kind of our plan. But um, you know, what as far as booking the act, you know, so many people say, I think you should get this or you should get that. And and you know what they don't understand is you've got a budget. Well, yes, yeah, everybody's got a budget, right? But you know, I I explain it back to them as it's not like you think, right? It's not like you go to a restaurant and say, Okay, I want this, this, this, this, and they bring it to you. Sure. Right? Now you you can go there and and you can place that order, but logistically, there's there's just so many movements parts, yeah. Um, you know, so I mean, if if if there's a an act you want that's you know, either, well, if they're out of country, they're out of country, but even if they're playing someplace, you know, in California or or someplace a long way away, you know, there's there's six, seven semi-loads of gear that's coming, right? So they're they're not going to do a one-off show 0.500 miles away and then return back to you know California for for another show, right? I mean, just the logistics and just the logistics of of of kind of routing that stuff is it's just it gets it's very difficult. Yeah, right.

SPEAKER_01 7:41

Yeah. I I d do you find that um it's getting easier to book acts now, or do you think it's harder? What would you say moving forward from um no?

SPEAKER_02 7:50

I think it's getting more and more difficult.

SPEAKER_03 7:53

Um I like that you mentioned that because I I've heard that too, is that that that they're almost, I mean, seems to be it's almost seems to like it's getting uh almost like a monopoly, if you will.

SPEAKER_02 8:05

Yeah, I mean when you get you know, some companies, and I probably shouldn't say say companies. No, you'd say the companies. You know, I mean, but you get you get different entities and um that basically go in and buy a contract out on on a a huge act. Okay, what it can be whatever act you want. And they come in and they say, Okay, yeah, we will give you, you know, 10 million dollars to buy, you know, 10 of your acts or or 20 of your acts or you know, whatever the dollar amount is. And then they, the company that bought them out, says, Okay, you're gonna play here, here, here, here.

SPEAKER_00 8:44

Wow.

SPEAKER_02 8:44

So then that booking agent, his hands are tied, right? So it doesn't matter if you offered them double or triple the money. They don't even plan. Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 8:54

It's almost like they can't they can't make that decision, even being that act, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 8:58

So so there's been some some some real big litigation that it just came down the pipe, you know, in the last six, eight months. It's yet to be seen whether that actually helps or the fruit alleviates that. Yeah, yeah. I don't believe it will. I think I think they will change the the word from uh an and to a the and then just kind of continue on. Yeah, but yeah.

SPEAKER_01 9:23

Yeah. I I do yeah, oh no, it's do you notice like um throughout all the history you've worked with the fair that there's a certain like thematic way you decide on everything you guys do every year? Like I noticed that there's always like like you know, what's the tagline for this year? By the way, what is it?

SPEAKER_02 9:40

It's the great American 250.

SPEAKER_01 9:42

That's so awesome. So like every year has a different one. So do you guys try to build everything you encompass every year around that tagline of what they're doing?

SPEAKER_02 9:50

Absolutely, we do. Um, you know, I was sitting in my office one day and and I got a phone call, and on my on my phone came across the White House, Washington, DC. I'm like, oh boy, I'm in trouble. And um, so I thought, it's like I got it, but I better take this call. And it was it was one of their representatives and when when they were really asking, you know, the fairs and stuff to really buy into this and and uh you know, because it was going to be nationwide. Yeah and and we were we were more than happy to um to do that. And and so, you know, there there was a number of conversations back and forth with you know the people that are kind of running flat and uh you know what what they wanted to try and do and yeah and whatnot. So yeah, we've we've built this whole year around the that American 250.

SPEAKER_01 10:39

Well, we're a lucky state right now. I mean, the the all eyes are on this state, period, no matter what. I mean, we have a lot of stuff going on. We have a presidential library opening up. Right?

SPEAKER_04 10:48

The theater runs.

SPEAKER_01 10:49

We have, yep, and then South Dakota's right down the street from us. So that's gonna be, you know, for the Fourth of July stuff. And then here, I mean, I just I feel like North Dakota's really all eyes are on us. Yeah. So I think that's fantastic that you decide to embrace that. You know? And then did you know that mine is 140 years old this year?

SPEAKER_02 11:08

Yeah, it's it's just it's it's it's gonna be a great year. I I just think that uh you know, I think people are gonna really enjoy what we're what we put together for the fair this year and uh come on out and you know, I guess kind of diving a little deeper into the grandstand and in that process, you know, we we started talking about it, but yeah, you know since COVID you know, the these acts on our grandstand have I mean their their prices or price points have just went crazy. Skyrocket, right? Um and and we've tried to keep, I don't say I want to say we've tried, I believe we have kept our prices to whether it be the fair or whether it be the grandstand, um like absolutely as as inexpensive as we possibly can. Sure. Yeah. And you know, so when you buy a a show pass for the for the state fair, which gets you into um six events, right? That you know, Zach Top, for example, you can't hardly go see Zach Top anywhere in the country for $130.

SPEAKER_04 12:17

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 12:18

And what I get so much is well, how come we don't do individual? Well I mean there's there's probably a whole podcast on that itself. Yeah, for sure. But uh I guess my my point is if you if you couldn't see Zach Top anywhere in the country for $130, embrace it, right? And everything else is fair.

SPEAKER_01 12:40

It's like value, it's like a perception of value. So I I I really like that you're bringing it up because a lot of people, especially now, because yes, we do have some issues with economy back and forth. What is the value you're receiving for it? Just because it was done this way forever doesn't mean it's always gonna be the same. So the fact that you're still offering it is really nice because to me, that still says value. Right. You know, even though and some people can just cut that offer and say, Oh, we're not gonna do it anymore because it's not feasible. I mean, you don't want to be upside down and you want to be able to bring acts that are still, you know, viable to the people who are listening to them.

SPEAKER_03 13:13

So you got Zach Top, and then you have five other acts too that you can go go and see, right? Or five other things.

SPEAKER_02 13:20

Yeah, yeah. So you have underneath 200 bucks for for 130.

SPEAKER_03 13:25

Exactly. That's what I'm getting at. Yeah, $130.

SPEAKER_02 13:27

Yeah, go ahead. So I gotta look at my notes just so I don't make it. So we have three single-ticketed events, and that's Alex Warren, um, Zed, and uh TI the baby and Waka Flocca.

SPEAKER_03 13:41

Yeah, what I love is obviously got TI, but but Zeb, something brand new coming to to to mine it. I mean to North Dakota. To North Dakota, it's gonna be lit up.

SPEAKER_02 13:51

Yeah, yeah. You know, and when we again keeping with that change evolving, evolving, maybe for a better word. Um, you know, we we looked at what can we do that's never been done, and which EDM electronic dance music, which I love that I come from a place that that's typical and we're used to it, right?

SPEAKER_01 14:13

But people are really starting to resonate more with that. Yes, it's it's it's uh something brand new gun around here. Yeah, I think that I think that's gonna bring a lot of people just for that.

SPEAKER_02 14:22

Right. And when you when you start looking at acts, right? I mean, there's a lot of things you look at. I mean you're looking at their analytics and you know what are they what are they selling? What venues are there right where are they at? You know, what kind of of numbers are they bringing in? I mean, there's a again, there's a lot of things that you look at, but when you one thing that stood out to me with Zeb when we started researching him and talking to our uh our talent buyer. Absolutely, yeah. It's it's a Romeo Entertainment Romeo Entertainment, probably one of the first or the second largest talent buyer in the nation. Right. Um, but this but Zed has 11 billion streams. Right.

SPEAKER_01 15:07

That's crazy.

SPEAKER_02 15:07

I mean, it's like it's it's hard.

SPEAKER_01 15:09

Like, how do you how do you yeah? I mean, we don't even have a million people in our state. So think about that. That's mind bottling.

SPEAKER_02 15:15

So so that just tells you he's worldwide, yeah. Yes, yeah and and to be able to bring that, and this is one of those what we just talked about, this one-off show, right? Yeah, so they're coming from a long way away, only for one date in Mine at North Dakota.

SPEAKER_01 15:30

Yeah, that's and that's fascinating because that means that'll open the door later if someone else is like a comment since it should be well received.

SPEAKER_03 15:36

So it has a big production that he has, right? I mean, we got our talking uh smoke, uh, lasers, I mean, light show.

SPEAKER_02 15:43

Absolutely. Um, we've got about a hundred thousand dollars in production coming for that event. Wow, right. Oh, it's gonna be in trucks, trailers, the whole thing. We're talking lots of trucks, but lots of lots of pyro, lots of lasers, lots of lighting, lots of pyro. Yeah. So there's so there's a lot of stuff, and that's you know, okay. We all know in mine in North Dakota or North Dakota, uh it ain't dark till 10 30 or a quarter after 10 when it really starts to dim down. So when you when you're looking to come to that show, we're we're doing a late show that night. So that's cool.

SPEAKER_03 16:18

I think doors are at I was gonna eat it because usually sometimes you have to coordinate with you know, whether it be the sheriff's department or law enforcement. So there's a whole lot of you're gonna go a little extra later.

SPEAKER_01 16:27

I think that's cool because I I think people don't get to go out late at night usually, and that's gonna be an interesting door opening.

SPEAKER_03 16:34

For instance, like in Miami, it gets dark about eight, nine o'clock. Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 16:37

People are in downtown and they're hanging out or wherever they're going.

SPEAKER_03 16:39

Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 16:40

But they don't go home until two or three. That's South Florida for you. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 16:44

But yeah, so doors will be at 8:30, concert starting at 10. Um, so yeah, it's it's it it's again, it's that evolving and bringing different things to the North Dakota State Fair. And and and again, I I I hope it's successful enough to try it again. Yeah. Because I I think I don't want people to hear from their friends the next day, that was the greatest thing we ever went to, and they're like, I missed it. You know, so if you know, but but on the other side of that, it's got to be successful enough to try it again. Yeah. Right. Yeah. You know, so if it's not successful, well, maybe we rethink, rethink it, right? So we'll we'll see.

SPEAKER_01 17:24

So, okay, not to change the subject about music, because I love music. I do. I by the way, just to tell you something, I started going to concerts when I was like 14 and I have tickets, stacks of tickets from people looking at me and they're like, You went to that band, you saw that band. I love concerts, so I get it. Yeah, I love live music.

SPEAKER_03 17:40

Yep.

SPEAKER_01 17:40

The other thing I love is food. So tell me about some of the cool things they're doing for the I heard they're having a lot of eating contests, guys. Okay, I have to, I have to chime in about this. Yeah. Because I did an eating contest at the fair one year with um Minnesota Wing King.

SPEAKER_03 17:54

Okay.

SPEAKER_01 17:54

I got fourth. All right. Oh, yeah. And I was standing up and I was all in it. And I I mean, I mean, it was all guys. Yeah. And they're all sitting down. I'm like, okay, cool. I got up, have my hat on, I'm like ready to go. They're all looking at me. I'm like, I'm not sitting down eating wings. What's wrong with you guys? I'm gonna beat you. But man, this guy next to me took it out. But I hear that you guys are having like all different kinds, like pie. I love pie. That's my favorite. Okay.

SPEAKER_02 18:17

We're having a high-eating contest. Yes. A hot dog eating contest. Yeah. You know, just a lot of fun little things. Um, you know, when you look at the best legs contest.

SPEAKER_01 18:31

I heard about that. That was funny. Awesome.

SPEAKER_02 18:32

You know, the uh oh, what the heck is that hairstyle called? Uh the mullet. The mullet contest. That's sorry. Um just I mean, our marketing department has kind of you know went wild this year. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Great job. Yeah with just a lot of fun, interesting things. Yes. And you know, it's it's all free to the public to come and come and enjoy.

SPEAKER_01 18:53

I think that's fantastic. I I'm I'm excited about that stuff very much. Yeah, very much. And I also found out something, and this is what I was gonna ask you. I saw a little um bio on you. So your favorite animal is a goat. Yeah. So tell me about that.

SPEAKER_02 19:09

Well, you know, livestock, the livestock world and fares has changed dramatically, right? And you know, I mean absolutely. I mean, so I mean, there used to be a family farm in North Dakota every two-mile section. Yeah, right. Yeah, you don't see that anymore. Um, so that I I think there's a lot of farm kids that don't live on the farm anymore, but they still want to be involved in livestock and they still want to have their kids experience that showing aspect of of of fairs and and showing of livestock.

SPEAKER_03 19:44

So, what Craig is talking about is basically like uh people come in and they show a pig. They show a they they they show a goat.

SPEAKER_01 19:51

This is kind of where where Daryl's racing pigs is, right? That whole setup area where they're just grooming the animals. You can go and do a tour, which by the way, I've done every year. I've gone to the fair. I love it. Just watch where you step sometimes. Right. Especially if you have a stroller. Right, right. I've had those before, ladies. Um, but yeah, I love that. Right. So you could I'm sorry, Craig, go on.

SPEAKER_02 20:09

No, no, so yeah, um, again, getting a little deeper into that, but but they they still want to be a part of that. But say they live on a on a hobby farm, right? They they're not, they don't have you know five thousand acres of land, but you can you can still do that and with with goats, right? So you don't need a a 30-foot stock trailer to pull right, you know, put your horses and your goats and or your or your light or your beef animals and stuff and all come to the fair. I I have literally seen last year uh a minivan with five goats, four kids, and a and a mom you're coming for. No, no, they're the side van.

SPEAKER_01 20:48

You're kidding me, that's hysterical.

SPEAKER_02 20:50

So so my point is is they can still have that livestock showing experience without all the big equipment and the large uh tracts of land and whatnot. And I mean our our goat um shows uh numbers are up by 400%. You know what?

SPEAKER_01 21:09

Are we allowed to have a goat in my house here at by the water treatment plant? I think I might want a goat.

SPEAKER_02 21:13

Don't think you can have dang it. Yeah, you can get goats don't get any bigger than a little small puppy, right?

SPEAKER_01 21:19

So we know the little miniature ones.

SPEAKER_02 21:20

I don't know.

SPEAKER_03 21:21

I can't go across the street to City Hall and ask them. Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 21:24

I saw that seems like so much fun. I love that.

SPEAKER_03 21:26

Yeah, it's awesome.

SPEAKER_02 21:27

Yeah, what a story. Yep. So yeah, it's it's you know, again, and and and I see families because families now are are one, two, three generations off the farm. Right, right. So it's it's fun to watch that mom and dad and and the stroller full of kids and whatnot walking through the barns and and and being able to see and touch and and you know get some get some you know experience. What is that? I mean that they literally don't. Know what what a goat is anymore.

SPEAKER_01 22:01

And that's what I l I do like about this fair. Um, growing up in Florida, Dade County fair was not like this. I felt I feel your fair is more accessible. And what I like about it is that like everything, even from the uh Clyde sales, yeah, the horses, you can go over there and take a photo with them and everything to like going inside, looking at art from the kids all over. I mean, you guys have so much stuff that people I don't think are aware.

SPEAKER_02 22:26

Well, I mean, put it in perspective. Um, so our 4-H, our FFA, our in our open class, and and what that when I say open class, we all know what 4-H is, we all know what FFA is. But open class is if if if Corey wanted to bake a pie and bring to the fair, right? He doesn't have to be in 4-HRIP. He can do that in the in the open class. Oh, that's option. I didn't know that.

SPEAKER_01 22:51

So in the future, if somebody wants to do that, how do they find out about that?

SPEAKER_02 22:53

So yeah, you go to our website and it, I mean, there's literally hundreds of different things that you can do and make to compete in.

SPEAKER_01 23:01

And is there deadline too before by the time you have cut off to okay? Yeah. So, guys, if anyone's listening to this or seeing this, take a look this year and see about next year.

SPEAKER_03 23:13

Yeah. Yeah. But this is so cool.

SPEAKER_01 23:14

Yeah. Maybe I'll do something this year.

SPEAKER_02 23:16

But yeah, but again, so to put that in in numbers, what how many displays come to the fair?

SPEAKER_01 23:22

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 23:23

So last year we had 43,000 displays. Wow. That's 40,000 that's yeah, yeah. Yep. That's okay. 43,000.

SPEAKER_01 23:31

How do you keep up with that?

SPEAKER_02 23:33

It's it's it's a job, right? So again, we have people that hired that, that's all they do.

SPEAKER_01 23:37

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 23:38

Right. But um, you know, for a for a a state this size, um like we're we're pretty proud of that number, right? She's that means, you know a 4-H kid, FFA kid, you know, they're they're working with their mom and dad on on this project or their grandma and grandpa, right? I mean, yeah that that is that that that bond, yeah. Um that that family bond that the fair is all about. Right.

SPEAKER_01 24:05

Yeah. I and so what are some of the other cool things that are happening this year along the thoroughway and the f and the and the um what do they call it with the rides? So the midway? The midway too. What is anything cool happening that we should be aware of that's fun or kids' area?

SPEAKER_02 24:19

Yeah, I mean, so again, we have two new re two new rides coming into the fair that are exclusive only to the North Dakota State Fair. Oh, really? And um I I know I seen an email come through that tells me what the ride names were. You can go to our website next week and look at it because I can't remember the names of it. All right, one of them showed up today.

SPEAKER_01 24:39

This got it dropped off there?

SPEAKER_02 24:43

Well, no, I mean so they they truck this stuff in. I mean, it comes this particular ride came all the way from Texas. Oh, okay. You know, so um again, they they they just got it here because as soon as this weekend is over, they'll start assembling that because it's a big job to assemble. Yeah, it's a big uh coaster.

SPEAKER_04 25:00

Yep.

SPEAKER_02 25:01

Um, and you know, I think we have uh six new food booths that are that are coming.

SPEAKER_01 25:08

Okay, which you guys do competitions for those too, right?

SPEAKER_02 25:10

We do.

SPEAKER_01 25:10

We do competitions. Is that is that start the first day that the competition begins for that usually?

SPEAKER_02 25:15

I'm sorry. I guess I'd have to look how my competition is.

SPEAKER_01 25:17

Okay, because I always see that people have ribbons hanging on them, but it's always nice to see.

SPEAKER_02 25:21

Yeah, yeah, for sure. Yeah. Um, you know, and and again, so we have roughly well, about 625 vendors. Wow. That's the entire fairgrounds.

SPEAKER_01 25:32

Does that include the indoor air air conditioning? Okay, those are fantastic, by the way. Yeah. And if someone's listening or is seeing this, if you've never been to the fair, you have to pop in there if it gets too hot.

SPEAKER_02 25:41

And just to cool off. Absolutely. And and and the big state, the state fair center, that's all air conditioned. Yes. Um, you know, our rabbit barn is probably the only rabbit barn in the United States that's air conditioned.

SPEAKER_01 25:53

Can I go in there with my little he always loves to look at them because they're so fasting some of the hair on those things?

SPEAKER_03 25:59

Uh so right when you're done watching Daryl's, you can go in and get snails. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 26:02

There you go, and get a coffee or something.

SPEAKER_02 26:04

My son showed up about four years ago with a rabbit in the middle of a fair. He broke his piggy bank open and went over and bought a bought a rabbit. We've had this rabbit ever since. Oh, no, he just went uh started school at the University of North Dakota aerospace program. Awesome. And I said, Yeah, you should make room in your dorm for that. And he hasn't.

SPEAKER_01 26:25

Oh my goodness, that's great. Oh, so you had again.

SPEAKER_03 26:28

Can we go back and so for a hundred and you said 140 for the show pass? 130. 130. 30, yep. You get so it's Zed, and then who else? No, no.

SPEAKER_02 26:38

So pre-independence. So John Party is on the show pass. Okay, and he is uh Saturday, the first Saturday. Okay, Jesse Murph. Jesse Murph, yes. And you know, for so many years there was there was kind of that thought, and and maybe not just a thought, it probably actually happened where all the stuff on the show pass was all country.

SPEAKER_00 27:01

Yes.

SPEAKER_02 27:02

Well, again, we wanted to shake that up a little bit, but let's not every I mean I love country, but not everybody does. Sure. So Jesse Murph, um, Nico Moon.

SPEAKER_01 27:13

Yeah, this guy.

SPEAKER_02 27:14

Nico Moon is like if if you guys if anybody wants to come out and just enjoy like a great night of music, Nico Moon, like you will know his music uh-huh if you come and listen to him. Yeah, he's such a great performer and it's just great music.

SPEAKER_01 27:28

So come on, I'll so he's so he entertains, just not just singer, yeah, which is good because we need that, right? Yeah, don't you want that's value right there?

SPEAKER_02 27:35

Absolutely. Zach topp. Zach topp's one of the largest country music singers in the country right now. Right.

SPEAKER_01 27:42

Wow, and you guys got him.

SPEAKER_02 27:43

And yeah, so we we booked him, we announced him last July for this July. I care, right? So again, it's it's one of those deals where you know we're looking that far out. We're looking at, you know, what what what what are these entertainers doing, whether that's country, whether it's it's whoever. And and like yeah, we made the decision on him last year, and and again, he's exploding and that's right, doing great things. And so then we getting back to the the show pass, right? We'll have two nights of the Indian horse relay. That's awesome. I love that MHA, right? Yes, yes, yes, yep. Um, you know, uh kind of caught some some flack about not having a demolition derby and and whatnot. But you know, again, sometimes you have to change things up a little bit.

SPEAKER_03 28:29

Sure. I mean, we can go back and also mention that. I mean, there used to be the enduro race and all that, too, you know, and yes, some things, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 28:35

Yeah, we and you know, we've done enduro races, we've done uh monster trucks, and yeah, you know.

SPEAKER_01 28:42

Yeah, the monster trucks, my little guy still loves. He remembers it. The ice cream in, forget about it.

SPEAKER_02 28:46

It's still the Indian horse relay. So we started this a number of years ago, and it's kind of an interesting how that that all started with.

SPEAKER_03 28:55

I mean, it's just it's a next level.

SPEAKER_01 28:57

Yeah, it's it's it's a that level event.

SPEAKER_03 28:59

Yeah, that's an experience too. It is.

SPEAKER_01 29:01

Well, see, I prefer that more than like bullfighting. You know what I mean? If I have to go see something, like I always feel bad for those bulls. So I'm just like, this is great.

SPEAKER_02 29:07

Well, yeah, I mean, again, it it started out with, you know, like a conversation I had with uh a tourism guy down in Newtown, and we thought, well, you know, let's bring up the Native American dancers. I love that. And and they did, I mean, they just do such a oh no, it's amazing.

SPEAKER_03 29:25

If you've never seen old, yeah, so right behind the the the the old I call it the old main gate. It's right back there. Uh I believe you have is it still gonna be set up the uh there was a university there last year, I remember, that was sitting there. They were they were um talking about that would be the the college on uh the I can't remember the name.

SPEAKER_01 29:42

Chad, Chad, Chad was there for the ranch chat.

SPEAKER_03 29:44

Yes, yeah, but you were talking about the uh the the college they have on the on uh down in Newtown. Yes, yes, and um yes, but MHA kind of sets up right back there too, but also the uh Turtle Mountain comes there and has dancers too, I think, on occasions.

SPEAKER_02 29:57

Yeah, last year they did. Um and and anyway, so we we we did that the one year, and we may have may have done it two years, and then we we you know we just kind of started talking about what can we do, what can we expand on, and and uh so I actually went down to to Minnesota. They had one down at uh what is the racing course down there? I know what you're talking about. It it doesn't matter, but I I I went down there and then they had one down there, and I'm like, we have to try this. Yeah, right. Right, and and came back in and and you know met with the uh the chairman Fox and and the council and stuff. It's like how do we how do we get this done? And they they all thought that'd be a great idea. And next thing you know, we did it. And and again, these these pe these guys are just and gals are just I mean, they're just the most you're saying gals. I mean, there's the yeah, yeah, yeah. Oh, and I those are the most amazing athletes you've ever seen your wearing what they wear too to have to move.

SPEAKER_01 30:56

You know, I I'm I'm all right. So this summer, I'm not sure the heat.

SPEAKER_02 30:59

We're adding to that this year. Yeah, oh yes, tell me. So yeah, we started out, we just had the guys. Uh-huh. Uh last year or whatever, we just had guys and the gals. Uh-huh. Now there's gonna be a kids conference. Oh my gosh. Wow. That's so cool. So they're not riding the big horses, but they got their little ponies, sure. But the excitement's still the same. Right, yeah, right. Right, yeah, yeah. And uh, so yeah, yeah. You know, it one the one kind of part of that is is the weather, right? Yeah, you know, that that track is not necessarily a horse racing track.

SPEAKER_00 31:31

Yeah, right.

SPEAKER_02 31:32

Yeah. So it's it's a really clay-based and it gets really it's got a bank to it, it's kind of slippery, especially when it's wet and whatnot. So um, you know, but this year we we paid our dues last year with six inches of rain. Yeah, it'll rain this year.

SPEAKER_01 31:48

Yeah, yeah, yeah. Let's just hope we get it all out this month because I feel like it's been raining quite a bit this year, so are you know what I do like to hear is that like you're so open-minded for like ideas, it seems like, and that is really nice. It doesn't seem like you have to stay with the old that's just tired and true. You're like, what is evolving? What's still new and fresh? And that is really nice to hear. We don't really get to have these conversations with behind the scenes of what really goes on. And I don't think even the community knows right, they just hear after the fact and they have you know whatever conversation they have amongst themselves.

SPEAKER_02 32:20

Well, I think sometimes, you know, because maybe you haven't been out to the fair, you go, That's all is it's all the same. It's all the same. It's not all the same.

SPEAKER_00 32:28

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 32:29

And um, you know, you look at our our free stages, right? So we have eight free stages. So if you if you buy your if you buy your ticket to come into the fair, so here we go. So adult ticket is how much? $12. $12.

SPEAKER_01 32:40

$12. That's in that's insanity. Yes.

SPEAKER_03 32:42

It's like what is that? Like we have to touch that price for how long?

SPEAKER_01 32:44

Is that a Tauros? Is that a Tauros game? $12?

SPEAKER_03 32:47

Uh Toro's is yeah, roughly.

SPEAKER_02 32:48

That's crazy.

SPEAKER_01 32:49

That's one game.

SPEAKER_02 32:50

Yeah. So like at the fair. I'll take that a step further. You can you can buy a season gate pass for $25. Oh my gosh. All nine days for two dollars and seventy cents a day. Right.

SPEAKER_01 33:00

You're kidding me.

SPEAKER_02 33:01

Yes, for $25.

SPEAKER_01 33:02

And that's no rides, right?

SPEAKER_03 33:02

That's no rides. That's fine because I'm not really a rides perfect. I mean, I love that. $25 for nine days of entertainment. Oh my gosh. There's eight free stages.

SPEAKER_02 33:10

There is, yeah. And and these free stages, like, it's it's not I mean, I'm not saying going to a movie is not fun because I go to movies and then they're fun. But like the these free stages are things like you just don't see. Yeah. Right. So, I mean, this year, for example, we have and normally we don't bring back the same thing, but the the sea lions, really. Oh, yeah, the sea lines. They were such a I mean, people just like bring them back. Yeah, they were awesome. Right, yeah, right. So, like, where do you see that?

SPEAKER_01 33:39

Well, see, I'm from Florida, so I'm used to that. Sure. But this is this is not something you see here. So I think it fascinated you brought them here.

SPEAKER_03 33:45

North Dakota's the most landlocked from the ocean. Oh, oh, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 33:48

Tell me about it. I know I miss my seafood. But I will tell you that that kind of the talent that those sea lions have and everything, yeah, you don't get that. I remember you had gators one year too, and I was like, look at these gators. Yeah, that was insane. That's impressive too. Right.

SPEAKER_02 34:00

And that's kind of my point is you know, there's eight of these stages going on, and they do three, maybe four shows a day. Um, we have a giant um themed robot that'll be strolling the fairground. That's cool. Yeah, and you know, with the American 250 theme. Yes, oh, you'd have a robot. Okay, yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 34:19

So it'll be I gotta find the robot and take a picture with it.

SPEAKER_02 34:21

I'm excited about that. Right. You know, so I mean, again, if you want to you can't possibly get through it in a day or two, especially if you want to take the time and and uh uh you know, go to you know, checking out the barns and checking out some of the the exhibits. I mean, you should see some of these. I'm kind of bouncing around here, but you go into these exhibits and you'll see these handmade quilts that are that are hanging. Yeah, um, like it's worth your time to go in there. That's you roughly the state fair centers where you're talking about. Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_04 34:52

Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 34:53

Now we have just we're we're we partnered with Pride of Dakota this year.

SPEAKER_01 34:59

Yeah, and in the State Fair Center, we've carved out a space for them, so that'll be all in that space, all North Dakota businesses I love that because I go I go to the fair just to buy some um emu oil stuff who I started using for years. I wonder if those are all gonna be relocated now.

SPEAKER_02 35:17

Well, yeah, they're all relocated in and amongst all these exhibits.

SPEAKER_01 35:21

Okay, fantastic.

SPEAKER_02 35:23

So, um, and and it's gonna be so interactive, they're gonna have cooking demonstrations. Nice. Um, we actually got some of the impersonators, one of them uh from Bedora that comes in that's that's the Teddy Riz Boris Valley, and they'll be you know doing some different um things there. That's wonderful. Um again, the kids can go in there uh to the and and learn all about egg, all about all of that.

SPEAKER_01 35:51

So it it it's oh, which also you also have all the tractors and all the trailers and everything there. And I mean those things are huge. And if you've never seen anything like this, people from like a city that you're not familiar with farming equipment, it is gigantic. I when I first saw it, I was like, that tire is so big.

SPEAKER_02 36:07

Yeah, so yeah, so I mean, again, a lot of different, a lot of changes, a lot of things that that again that have never been there, we've never done it. So again, that it's not the same. But you have to come out and experience it.

SPEAKER_04 36:21

Right.

SPEAKER_00 36:21

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 36:22

Oh my gosh. Anything more, Craig, you'd like to maybe mention to the the general public just simply doesn't know. Because there's a lot that you guys do behind the scenes and all this stuff, and you know, but what's something extra that that maybe that is out there or for the state fair?

SPEAKER_02 36:39

Well, um, you know, so again new at the fair this year, and sometimes I I want to we can't there there's times where not everything there'll be something new, right? Yeah because when you when you look at it there's a lot of behind the scenes, there's a lot of infrastructure that needs to be repaired. We're working on a six million dollar re-roofing project on the State Fair Center. Okay. Oh wow, you know, so sometimes, yeah, you like to see that flashy, the the the new sparkly thing, right? Right. But you also got to take care of what you got. Right, yeah. Yeah, and I'm a huge infrastructure guy. Yep. So it's like I believe in maintaining everything we got to the highest level that we can. Yeah. Um, so again, that's that's not new and fun, but if you're walking. But if you're walking through the building and then it's raining out and water's dripping on your head, you go, God, they should fix their roof, right? Yeah, right. Um, but we know we're we're building a new comfort station out in one of our in our in our main camping ground. I see that. I think it'll be done. I'm gonna be over there shortly to light up the sky on the fourth of the year. Yeah, yeah. So that's gonna be done before the fair. Okay. Um, we've got you know, roughly a thousand camping spots. Which is awesome.

SPEAKER_01 37:57

So can you update really quick? Because last year I noticed a difference.

SPEAKER_02 38:00

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 38:00

Parking. Where it what's changed? It looked like it was rerouted last year compared to where it used to be, because I think camping moved.

SPEAKER_02 38:07

No, no, it moved a little bit. Okay. But parking is essentially the same. The number one thing, I guess, I'm glad you brought that up. If if I could suggest to anybody and everybody, you can go park at Dakota Square Mall. Okay. Take a shuttle, free shuttle all the way down the fairgrounds, they drop you right at the main carriage.

SPEAKER_01 38:25

Nice. I'm glad we mentioned that, Ben Gas.

SPEAKER_02 38:27

You can jump on that shuttle when you're done at the fair because they run all day long. Uh back and forth. 1 a.m. 1 p.m. to 1 a.m. Wow. That's awesome. So quite late.

SPEAKER_03 38:38

So when Zed's over with, you can get jump on the shuttle.

SPEAKER_02 38:40

Jump back on that shuttle, get dropped off right at dinner at your car at the wall.

SPEAKER_03 38:44

Yeah, that's fantastic. That's awesome.

SPEAKER_02 38:45

So um, take advantage of that. Because yeah, you may have to park a long way away. Right. You may get caught up in a lot of traffic.

SPEAKER_01 38:54

Yeah. And you repeat traffic. You don't. So fair.

SPEAKER_02 38:58

Right.

SPEAKER_03 38:58

So um, but so yeah, Christine. We need to have this guy on because we're only talking the tip of the iceberg. Yeah. Because there's so much more.

SPEAKER_01 39:08

Oh no, no, I know. Yeah, I know.

SPEAKER_03 39:09

That that uh, you know, um, I mean, because just not the North Dakota State Fair, but there's also I mean, what goes on the other 52, 50 weeks out of the year.

SPEAKER_01 39:18

Oh no, I'd love to no, and seriously, I don't think people realize uh the state fair center is the hub of this area.

SPEAKER_03 39:24

Right.

SPEAKER_01 39:24

And we have events all year round, and we have so many coming through this town, not just to see her, but like you guys schedule things out, like you say, in advance.

SPEAKER_03 39:31

Like years or two. Another cool thing too is we got the airstream convention coming.

SPEAKER_00 39:34

Yes.

SPEAKER_02 39:35

Weeks after the fair, right, uh national airstream convention will take over the entire fairgrounds. They'll bring right now. I think they're there are about 1700 airstreams.

SPEAKER_01 39:45

That's a lot of the no, but that's not how many people are coming. Right. I haven't seen that just two people to one airstream. I mean, if if they're two, some might be more.

SPEAKER_02 39:52

Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 39:52

I'm I'm aware of this.

SPEAKER_02 39:54

Have you ever been out to the fairgrounds the day after the fair? It looks like a tornado hit. Yes. Right. It's like it's like putting that putting that in perspective, they're taking the whole fairground, so that's all got to be changed, reset up for their purpose, yeah, and and ready. So you gotta hustle about it. Yeah, we got a lot of a lot of things happening. Yep.

SPEAKER_01 40:11

Yeah, we're so excited. Craig, you this was so nice and enlightening. Because again, we don't get to see behind the scenes or peel back some of the you know things you guys do and how long you take hung up, like just like when we talked about the fireworks. I mean, it takes a year and two years in advance sometimes for what you guys do. Yes, absolutely. So thank you so much and thanks for dedication. I mean 46 years, you said was it'll be 46th fair. 46th fair. And for you, for your 46th yeah, that's you should be really proud of your voice because that's amazing. And you're a point person for so long, people can depend on you. Yeah, that's what North Dakota is known for is dependability.

SPEAKER_03 40:46

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 40:46

So you are that person.

SPEAKER_03 40:48

Yeah, thank you, Craig. Absolutely. Thank you for having me.

SPEAKER_01 40:50

We so appreciate it. We know you don't really talk much. So thanks for coming onto our podcast today. Yes. And so, guys, just to give you a heads up, um, thank you to uh American Express and Main Street USA, oh, America, excuse me, for this grant to uh provide this uh episode and for this podcast.

SPEAKER_03 41:06

Yep.

SPEAKER_01 41:07

And uh, Corey, thanks for hanging again.

SPEAKER_03 41:09

Thank you, Christine.

SPEAKER_01 41:10

Yeah, we look forward to it. And thanks, Mynot, and all our listeners. Keep following us guys on Spotify, um, Apple Music, all the podcast places you guys listen to, or on um Facebook, check us out there and on YouTube. Thank you guys. Thank you, bye.

SPEAKER_00 41:34

That's the magic of me, me, me.