Benton County Fair Adds New Event To Grandstand Lineup

SAUK RAPIDS (WJON News) -- County fairs starting up are one of the first signs of summer coming to a close. The Benton County Fair kicks off in a little over a week with six days of food and fun.

Some of the highlights for the 2026 fair include the truck, tractor, and semi pull at the grandstand, the demolition derby, entertainment like ventriloquist James Wedgewood, bag pipers, and Charlie Roth, and of course the Midway and all the great fair food.

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Visit Greater St. Cloud Executive Director Rachel Thompson says the Grandstand has something new in store:

"They also have the PRCA Rodeo, so that is a new one for the grandstand this year, so that's going to be happening Tuesday, August 4th, and Wednesday, August 5th, so in the grandstands they're bringing the rodeo right to Benton County."

The 46th Annual Clearwater Rodeo takes place August 13-15.

Thompson says a popular kids attraction that made its fair debut last year will be back as well:

"So it's the Jurassic Kingdom Mini-Golf as well as the Jurassic Kingdom, so that will be in the activity area all the way starting day one on Tuesday the 4th."

There will be more roaming activities at the fair as well. The Benton County Fair takes place from August 4th through Sunday, August 9th.

2025 Benton County Fair — Paul Habstritt, WJON

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