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Alyssa Klouse, of Rose Creek, was one of 15 youth exhibitors to be awarded the Minnesota State Fair Beginning Exhibitor Livestock Learning Experience (BELLE) Grant.

The grants were given to the livestock exhibitors who committed to participating in the Minnesota State Fair for the first time in 2021.

Klouse shows rabbits.

Thanks to funding from the Minnesota State Fair Foundation, 11 large-animal exhibitors will receive $500 and four small-animal exhibitors will receive $250 each to help offset the costs of exhibiting livestock at the Minnesota State Fair. Participants will also be paired with a peer-to-peer mentor to help guide them through their showing experience.

The State Fair is committed to featuring our state’s finest agriculture, and recognizes the importance of cultivating youth experiences in the livestock industry, yet also understands that exhibiting at the State Fair can stretch the family budget. The BELLE grant program hopes to help reduce the financial barrier of attending and introduce new exhibitors to participating in the Minnesota State Fair.

The Minnesota State Fair is one of the largest and best-attended expositions in the world, attracting more than 2 million visitors annually. This year’s fair runs  Aug. 26 – Labor Day, Sept. 6.