COVID impacting 4-H at the State Fair but events continue

4-H organizers have put COVID-19 protocols in place to make sure students and staff stay safe at the Minnesota State Fair.

Some 4-H youth are content with making the experience a day-trip.

"It’s a picture of a person that is divided in the set of like their face to the torso," Sara Stern said, describing her artwork. "One side is all black and white and the other one has one bunch of random fun colors."

Stern, a 4-H participant, is gearing up to show off her artwork at the Minnesota State Fair.

She said her piece promotes unity. The 12-year-old won one of the best in show at the Hennepin County Fair, and she’s hoping to win big in the state competition. But COVID is cutting her state fair experience in half.

"Even though we lost some part of it, it’s still really fun time," she said.

4-H youth staying on-site is typically the Minnesota State Fair norm but, this year, officials are cracking down on COVID protocols to keep kids safe.

"We do not have any 4-H’ers staying in the dormitories and the barns, and we have limited our capacity in the 4-H building dormitories to 25%," Becky Harrington, 4-H development director of operations and systems, said.

4H on-site housing will be available throughout the entire fair but it has limited spots.

The University of Minnesota dorms will be open but it’s a shorter stay for five days before freshmen return to campus.

"Masks will be required on shuttle buses to the university dorms, as well as in the dorms in the 4-H building and at the university housing," Harrington said.

4-H youth can go to the fairgrounds if they pass one of several screenings, including a negative COVID test 72 hours before arrival or being fully vaccinated.

Through all the changes, judging experiences for 4-H will stay the same.

Organizers and participants said the show must go on.

"We just decided to make the best that we can of the day that we’re getting and hope that next year is better," Sheila Stern, Sara’s mother, said.