EXHIBIT · MINNESOTA STATE FAIR
Dairy Goats
Dairy goats fill the barn with the soft jingle of bells and the chatter of breeds bred for rich, creamy milk. Judges evaluate each doe's "dairy character" and especially her udder, looking for the shape and attachment that make a productive, long-lived milker. From the floppy-eared Nubian to the tiny Nigerian Dwarf, both 4-H youth and adult open-class breeders bring their best does to compete for ribbons.
The 2026 Minnesota State Fair ended on Monday, September 7, 2026. Everything below describes the 2026 fair, which is the most recent one I hold — stands, buildings and rides carry over year to year, but dates, prices and schedules do not. I update it when the fair publishes for 2027. The 2027 fair runs August 26 – September 6, 2027 — 293 days away.
- Building
- Sheep & Poultry Barn
Which breeds are in the barn?
9 breeds are shown here: Alpine, LaMancha, Nubian, Saanen, Sable, Toggenburg, Oberhasli, Nigerian Dwarf, Recorded Grade.
When is the judging?
- 4-H Dairy Goat Show — Fri 28 Aug
- Open Class Dairy Goat Show — Fri 4 Sep, Sat 5 Sep, Sun 6 Sep
When are the animals actually in the barn?
Dairy goats: first four days of the fair in the Robert A. Christensen Pavilion; back the last four days of the fair in the Sheep Barn. Open class arrival Friday, Sept. 4, 4 a.m. to 1 p.m.; departure Monday, Sept. 7, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Worth knowing
- LaMancha goats look like they have almost no ears at all, but those tiny 'gopher ears' still hear just fine.
- Nubian goats have long, floppy ears and a Roman (curved) nose, and they are famous for being some of the loudest, most talkative goats around.
- Nigerian Dwarf goats are small enough to be the size of a medium dog, yet they give surprisingly large amounts of sweet, high-butterfat milk.
- Goats have rectangular pupils, which give them a super-wide view of the world to help spot anything sneaking up on them.
- Saanen goats are usually all white and are sometimes called the 'Holstein of dairy goats' because they can give so much milk.
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Last verified against the fair's own listing. Anything I cannot source I leave blank rather than estimate.
Compiled and checked by Keith Gulbro, who has been going to this fair for thirty-odd years and builds MN Fair Guide on his own — why he does it. Spotted something wrong? Tell him and it gets fixed.
MN Fair Guide is an independent guide and is not affiliated with the Minnesota State Fair. Browse the whole fair in the guide, read about the app, or send a correction.