The Minnesota State Fair will open next Thursday, August 27th and will continue through Labor Day – September 7th. The Princess Kay of the Milky Way competition will be held on the eve of the State Fair – August 26th, and Meeker County once again has a princess in the competition.
Claudia Frenchick is one of the ten finalists for Princess Kay and a fan bus will be taking people from the Paynesville and Litchfield areas to the State Fairgrounds Wednesday evening for the pageant. Litchfield sculptor Gerry Kulzer will be sculpting likenesses of the new Princess Kay and the other 9 finalists out of 90-pound blocks of butter each day of the State Fair.
State Fair spokesperson Maria Hayden says there’s still time for people to purchase tickets in advance for the 2026 Minnesota State Fair which helps you save a couple of dollars on admission.
Hayden says the State Fair has 32 free park ‘n’ ride locations with shuttle bus service to the State Fair and there are also express bus services from several suburbs for a minimal fee as parking lots at the fairgrounds are often filled up. She says there are 36 new foods to try and lots of great grandstand entertainment to enjoy and you can find more details at mnstatefair.org.
The Litchfield Visitors Bureau is promoting the Chamber’s big September event – the Fallin’ into Fun Fest. It will be held on September 19th from 10-to-3 to celebrate the arrival of fall.
Deana Wheeler says most of the activities will be held from Central Park to the Fieldgate Pavilion and a few locations beyond. She says Central Park will have a vendor-maker and business fair and there will be lots of activities there for children.
Wheeler says there will be live music with Matt Jennings in Central Park, and the pumpkin-on-a-shelf event will be held again as the pumpkins will be located in Central Park and at various downtown Litchfield businesses, and you will have to get your card stamped by the proprietor in each location. She says there will be food trucks in Central Park and at the Fieldgate pavilion, and the pavilion will also be the site for a scarecrow contest.
Wheeler says if anyone would like to be a sponsor or for more information about the Fallin’ into Fun Fest, call the Chamber office at 320-693-8184. She says Sunrise Events & Craft Shows is the contact organization for anyone who would like to have a booth in Central Park.
A Sacred Heart man pleaded guilty Monday to sexually molesting 4 children in a Renville daycare. 63-year-old Darrell Hanson pleaded guilty in Renville County District Court to 1st Degree Criminal Sexual Conduct and 3 counts of Attempted 1st Degree Criminal Sexual Conduct.
Hanson will be sentenced on October 19th. The incidents with multiple victims occurred between January 1st of 2023 and August 15th of 2025. Hanson maintains his innocence, but entered into what is called an Alford Plea, in which he does not admit guilt, but admits there is enough evidence to convict him if he went to trial. The Alford Plea will have no impact on his sentence. In exchange for the guilty plea, 6 other charges will be dismissed.
The Mission BBQ at Trinity Lutheran Church in Grove City is coming up on Tuesday, August 25th from 5:30-to-7:30 p.m. There will be a meal, along with meat and basket raffles and all of the proceeds will be donated to the Grove City Area CARE program.
Richard Larson says the Mission BBQ was started years ago by the Outreach Committee at Trinity Lutheran and each year they choose a different organization to give the proceeds to and this year it will be the Grove City Area CARE program. He says with much of the food and other items donated, they’ll be able to give nearly 100% of the proceeds to the CARE program.
Larson says the CARE program is a great organization that provides services to elderly residents and helps them be able to live independently in their own homes. He says the meal at the Mission BBQ will include pulled pork sandwiches, sweet corn, homemade baked beans, chips, bars and beverages, and tickets are $12 for adults, $6 for students, free for children under 5 and there’s a $30 family maximum.