Minnesota State Fair: Northfield and Rice County Make Their Mark

The Minnesota State Fair is in full swing and Rice and Dakota counties are making their presence felt.

On Tuesday night, Northfield's Sam Ryden, a rising sixth-grader at , performed in the 40th Annual Minnesota State Fair Amateur Talent Contest on Aug. 28.

“It’s really fun,” Sam said.

The 11-year-old Northfield resident has been playing guitar and singing for three years. Sam plays again Wednesday night at the Great Minnesota Get-Together.

“We really just are excited for him to have the experience,” said Rob, Sam’s father. “How he does is really secondary.”

Elsewhere at the Fair, Patch spotted Northfield's Dave Legvold on Monday speaking at the Eco Experience Building.

Dubbed the "Sewerman," Legvold talked to fair-goers about storm and sanitary sewers.

"You'll laugh, you'll cry, you'll plug your nose, you'll hurl," goes the Sewerman's motto.

The presentation also had a special guest: superhero of sanitary sewer science, Thomas Crapper (their words, not Patch's).

Patch spotted , which is once again helping attendees get to and from the Fair.

And, of course, you can find plenty of Rice and Dakota county representation in the 4-H building.

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