Overview
- The food court opens Jan. 9 from noon to 9 p.m. with free parking; admission to the Jan. 10–17 show is free and parking during the run is $15.
- A 1,000-pound butter sculpture unveiled Jan. 8 depicts the Founders, the Liberty Bell and Betsy Ross; crafted by Jim Victor and Marie Pelton using donated Land O’Lakes butter that will be converted to biofuel after the show.
- This year’s theme, “Growing a Nation,” anchors America250 programming as the show features nearly 5,000 animals, more than 12,000 competitive entries and over 250 commercial exhibits.
- New food-court items include a milkshake flight, lion’s mane mushroom coffee, dill pickle pizza, Dubai chocolate-covered strawberries and acai bowls.
- Highlights include the Calving Corner with 16 expected births, goat snuggling, sheep-to-shawl on Jan. 14 and the First Frontier Circuit Rodeo from Jan. 15–17, with typical attendance topping half a million visitors.