Arne Shulstad grew up helping his dad set up the Agriculture Horticulture building when he was the Superintendent of Crops (late 1950s to 1974). Arne lives in Colorado now, but is a Minnesotan at heart and loves his state fair. He has been a Friend of the Fair since 2014, supporting the Minnesota State Fair Foundation in honor of his parents.
Why don’t you start by telling a little bit about your family’s history with the Minnesota State Fair.
Well, I believe, my parents’ involvement started in the early-fifties when they entered some floral arrangements and vegetables into competition. In fact, if you look at the book, Minnesota State Fair: An Illustrated History, page 54 at the bottom you’re going to see a picture of my mother with a flower arrangement in 1957. So that’s been kind of a neat thing to discover, that picture.
My dad, Orris Shulstad, was the field crop superintendent at the fair starting in the late fifties until 1974. He oversaw the seed judging and the corn ear exhibits. And he also founded the crop art show with our aunt Jean Hudak in 1965. And we just celebrated the 50th anniversary of that in 2015 with a little ceremony at the exhibit that year.
The fair has been an important tradition to my family. I lost two brothers last year and one of them left the Minnesota State Fair Foundation in their estate supporting the Ag Hort building and agricultural education at the fair.
What are your earliest memories of the fair?
Certainly, helping to set up the fair with my dad in my teenage years and working there years later. And, just being able to get into the fair early and watching it get set up was always a good memory.
We used to live basically right down the street from the Midway, it was always exciting to see the Royal American Shows train come into town about a week or two ahead of the fair with all the rides and attractions in the Midway. Almost every year there was a picture in the newspaper of the trains coming in across Como there.
Also, a neighbor of ours, Gerald McKay, was very much a historian at the fair, and I think the interest that he had in the fair helped prompt my interest in the Fair and its history from an early age.
Do you still check out all the things in the Ag Hort building?
Yeah, it’s tradition. My sister and I have gone in there several times in the last few years, and just beam with pride when we see how many people are waiting to see the exhibits, especially the Crop Art Competition.
I always enjoy seeing what people have come up with, people are pretty ingenious with their ideas for crop art. They do a good job, especially, the late Lillian Colton. She really got into it for many many years.
Whenever I talk about the State Fair or Minnesota, I ask people if they’ve heard of the crop art show and I’d say about 95% of the people I talk to have heard of it or seen it.
You gave your first gift to the Minnesota State Fair Foundation in 2014. Do you remember what prompted you to make that gift?
I think it was just the memories of my parents being involved in the fair and my dad’s involvement as field crop superintendent that really prompted that. The fair meant a lot to them.
One thing that’s interesting is most of the Friends of the Fair live in Minnesota and you live in Colorado. Why do you think it’s important to keep supporting the fair even though you don’t live in Minnesota anymore?
Well, I was transferred to Colorado through my job in 1997, but I still very much consider Minnesota my home. And, now that I’m retired, I just retired in 2021, I am planning on having at least a summer place in Minnesota. I need to get back to Minnesota in the near future.
What do you think other people should know about giving to the fair through the Foundation?
I think the Minnesota State Fair is very important to the community, to the city, to the state and that’s why we should support it this way. I think it helps show off our pride in the state. Again, I’m talking to you as if I lived there, but in my mind I do. I think it’s very important to show how dedicated we are to family and tradition and getting together for celebration.
What, what else would you like to tell me? Is there anything that you want to tell someone who is reading this article?
Most people believe that the State Fair can be sustained with the money it makes each year but outside funding from donors to the Foundation is very important for maintaining the grounds and buildings.
Any contribution big or small is very important. If it’s a small contribution, you can get a bench, you can get a table, or become a Friend of the Fair with all the perks that come with that membership. Any amount would help. I look forward to seeing what the impact I’m helping to make with my contributions.
