Open Class Livestock
Click on the boxes below for show information. 2023 exhibitor handbooks will be posted in the spring.
Animal Welfare Plan
Entry deadline:
Deadline for livestock entries is August 1.
Parking/Admission General Guidelines:
Livestock Entering Fairgrounds: All livestock entering the fairgrounds on Tuesday must use Gate 4.5 located on the north side of the fairgrounds off of Market Street. Any livestock arriving on Wednesday must use Gate 4.5 or Gate 8 (located on the southwest side of the fairgrounds off of Lincoln Avenue). Exit gates 3.5 or 4.
Livestock Trailer Parking: Livestock trailer parking is being moved to Huron Continental Marketing located west of Huron at 39763 US Highway 14. Doing this will allow us to be able to accommodate more vehicle parking at 7th Street and Nevada Avenue
On-Grounds Parking: On-grounds parking is prohibited without proper and appropriate credentials. Parking passes issued to campers are valid only for the campsites. They are not an appropriate credential for anywhere else. If the vehicle does not fit within the boundaries of the campsite, the vehicle must be parked off grounds.
Parking Violations: Any vehicle found on-grounds without the proper credential for the area in which it’s parked is subject to towing. There will be zero tolerance for parking violations; we will no longer be making PA announcements or giving warnings. Violators will be towed.
Fire Lanes: For safety purposes, any vehicle blocking a fire-lane will be towed at owner’s expense. There will be zero tolerance. NO EXECEPTIONS AND WARNINGS!
New Ticketing System: The South Dakota State Fair is transitioning to an electronic system at the gates for admission and parking. It’s the same process that the grandstand has for tickets. Admission and parking passes will have bar codes on them that will be scanned. Parking passes will be scanned upon entry and exit from the fairgrounds. Passes are only valid for the area and terms listed on the pass. The goals for this transition are to increase efficiency and eliminate any abuse or misuse of parking and admission credentials.
Feeding/Unloading Permit: A feeding/unloading permit may be purchased at the State Fair Administration Office or upon submission of livestock entry form for $20 (only 1 permit per family/address allowed). This permit allows entry on the fairgrounds before 9 AM and after 6 PM to feed animals and then exit immediately. This is NOT A PARKING PERMIT and will be subject to towing if vehicle is left unattended for an extended amount of time. Permits will be scanned at gates and will only be valid during the designated hours.