Wednesday, Aug. 27: Read and Ride Day

Public library cardholders receive a discount off regular gate admission when they purchase a ticket at the gate. Only one discount per card is allowed. Reduced admission: Adults (13–64) $11; Seniors (65 & over) $8; Kids (5–12) $8. All-day discounts are offered for everyone on Mighty Midway and Kidway rides and games.

MUSIC

GRANDSTAND: Tim McGraw: With Ryan Kinder. 7:30 p.m.

CAROUSEL PARK: The Sound Exchange: 4 p.m.

DNR PARK: Ecuador Manta: 7 p.m.; Bitter Ridge: 10 a.m., noon, 2 & 4 p.m.

INTERNATIONAL BAZAAR: INY Asian Dance Theater: 10:45 a.m., noon & 1:15 p.m.; Grupo Esplendor: 3:15, 4:30 & 5:45 p.m.; GB Leighton: 7:30 & 8:45 p.m.

LEINIE LODGE BAND SHELL: Sourdough Slim and Robert Armstrong: 10:30 & 11:45 a.m.; Six Appeal: 1 & 2:30 p.m.; Natalie Stovall & the Drive: 3:30 & 4:45 p.m.; Dr. Dog: 8:30 p.m.

RAMBERG SENIOR CENTER: The Joey Johnson Band: 10:30, 11:45 a.m. & 1 p.m.; Jim Berner's Music Legends: 3:15, 4:30 & 5:45 p.m.

SCHILLING AMPHITHEATER: The Pistol Whippin' Party Penguins: 2, 3 & 4 p.m.; Deke Dickerson with the Trashmen: 7:30 p.m.

FAMILY FARE

4-H BUILDING: 4-H Chef for a Day Cook-Off: 2 & 6 p.m.; 4-H State Arts-In Musical Performance: 11:30 a.m., 5 & 7:30 p.m.

CAROUSEL PARK: "Sing, Play, Count!" with MacPhail Center for Music: 10 & 11 a.m.; "Big Little Mother" Read Aloud with Kevin Kling and Chris Monroe: 10:30 a.m.; Steven Russell the Comic Juggler: Noon; Ventriloquist David Malmberg: 1 p.m.; Comedy Illusionist Jared Sherlock: 2 p.m.; Lizzy the Dream Girl, a Hypnotic Show: 3 p.m.

DNR PARK: Adopt-a-River Trash Sculpture: 9 a.m.-5:30 p.m.; Fish Pond Talks: Quarter to the hour. 9:45 a.m.-3:45 p.m.; Smokey Bear: 11 a.m. & 1 p.m.; Emerald Ash Borer: Noon & 2 p.m.

EDUCATION BUILDING: High School Robotics Competition: 10 a.m., noon & 3 p.m.; QC Dance: 10, 11 a.m., 1 & 4:30 p.m.; Collide Theatrical Dance Company: 10:30, 11:30 a.m., 12:30 & 1:30 p.m.; ABC Square Dancing: Noon & 3:30 p.m.; Green T Productions: 3, 4, 5 & 6 p.m.; TC Line Dance Evolution: 5:30 & 6:30 p.m.

FAMILY FAIR/BALDWIN PARK: Alphabet Forest: Alphabet activities for all ages. Take pictures with Fair Letters, create alphabet Ferris wheels and more. Daily author appearances, 9 a.m.-8 p.m. Great Big Sandbox: Dig, scoop and burrow your way through this sandbox for kids. 8 a.m.-9 p.m.; Mama Lou: American Strong Woman: 10:30, 11:30 a.m. & 3 p.m.; Sean Emery: 12:30 & 5 p.m.; Break-Shop Bump'N: 1:30, 4 & 6 p.m.; Minnesota State Fair County Fair Talent Contest, 7 p.m.; Lasertainment's Laser Hits Show: High-powered aerial laser beams dance above guests while colorful images light up a gigantic screen – all choreographed to music. Located outdoors at the intersection of Cosgrove St. and Randall Ave. 9:15 p.m.

HORSE BARN: EquiMania: An interactive education center for horse lovers. 9 a.m.-7 p.m.

INTERNATIONAL BAZAAR: Al-Bahira Dance Theater: Festival of Nations Stage. Noon, 1:30, 3 & 4:30 p.m.

LITTLE FARM HANDS: A hands-on agricultural experience for children. 8 a.m.-7 p.m.; Seed Survivor: An interactive exhibit that encourages children to understand the elements plants need to grow. 8 a.m.; Old Iron Show: Rare, valuable and fully operational antique farm equipment is displayed. Located on Lee Av., north of Little Farm Hands. 8 a.m.

STATE FAIR MALL PARADE: A 14-block route through the fairgrounds and features a high school marching band competition, visiting royalty, floats and special attractions. 2 p.m.

MIRACLE OF BIRTH CENTER: Career Opportunities in Veterinary Medicine: in the Nursery of Knowledge. 10 a.m., 4 p.m.; Minnesota Oink Day: 10 a.m.-4 p.m.; Thank a Farmer Magic Show: Noon, 4 & 6 p.m.

NORTHWOODS: Extreme Canines Stunt Dog Show: 11 a.m., 2 & 4:30 p.m.; Timberworks Lumberjack Show: Noon, 3, 5:30 & 7 p.m.

PET CENTER: Giant Sing Along: A participatory public art installation that invites guests to belt out tunes. On Murphy Av. across from the Pet Center. 9 a.m.

SCHILLING AMPHITHEATER: Guy Gilchrist: 10:30 & 11:30 a.m., 12:30 p.m.; Kenny Ahern: 5:30 p.m.

SWINE BARN: Oink Booth: 9 a.m.-8 p.m.; Pig Tales: 11 a.m.

UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA DRIVEN TO DISCOVER: Brain Power: 9 a.m.-3 p.m.; Choices, Choices, Choices: 9 a.m.-3 p.m.; Gopher Kids Study: 9 a.m.-3 p.m.; R U @ Rsk 4 T1D?: 9 a.m.-3 p.m.; Learn Your Lipids for Prevention of Familial Heart Disease: 9 a.m.-3 p.m.; Understanding Fitness' Function in Determining Activity Study: 9 a.m.-9 p.m.; Safe Schools Survey: 9 a.m.-3 p.m.; State Fair Justice: 9 a.m.-9 p.m.; Mythbusting Unreasonable Entrepreneurship: 9 a.m.-3 p.m.; Social Science on a Stick: 3-9 p.m.; Dental Therapists: Tooth or Consequences: 3-9 p.m.; Know Your Drink Study: 3-9 p.m.; Familial Cancer Testing Study: 3-9 p.m.; Develop Your Brain: 3-9 p.m.; Make the Grade in Diabetes Control: 3-9 p.m.; Blue Ribbon Snacking Survey: 3-9 p.m.

VISITORS PLAZA: Fairchild and Fairborne Mascot Appearances: Free photo opportunities and autograph sessions. 11 a.m. & 4 p.m.

WEST END MARKET: Theatre of Fools: 10, 11 a.m., noon & 1 p.m.; Black Storytellers Alliance: 3:30, 4:30, 5:30 & 6:30 p.m.

DEMONSTRATIONS AND PROGRAMS

AGRICULTURE/HORTICULTURE BUILDING: Looking Inside the Hive: 10:30 a.m., 12:30, 2:30, 4:30 & 6:30 p.m.; Cooking with Honey: 11 & 11:30 a.m., noon; Harvesting Honey: 2, 4 & 5 p.m.; Bee Beard Demonstration: 1 p.m.

CATTLE BARN AND ANNEX: Milking Demonstrations: 10 a.m., noon, 2, 4 & 6 p.m.; Hand Milking Demonstrations: 11:30 a.m. & 1:30 p.m.

DNR PARK: Fire Tower: 9 a.m.-5 p.m.; Minnesota DNR K-9 Law Enforcement Unit Unit: 11 a.m. & 1 p.m.

PET CENTER: St. Paul Police K-9 Foundation Demonstration: 7 p.m.; Canine College: 9, 11 a.m., 1, 3 & 5 p.m.

JUDGING

4-H BUILDING: 4-H Rube Goldberg Machine Contest: 12:30 p.m.; 4-H Fashion Revue Show: 6:30 p.m.

AGSTAR ARENA: Appaloosa, Paint, Pinto and Quarter Horses: 7:30 a.m.; 4-H Llama Costume Competition: 6 p.m.

CATTLE BARN AND ANNEX: Make It Better with Butter Contest: 10 a.m.; Agrilympics: Wool Pack-O-Rama: 1 p.m.

MIRACLE OF BIRTH CENTER: FFA Landscape Design and Construction Competition Displays: 9 a.m.-9 p.m.

SWINE BARN: Open Class Swine: 8 & 9 a.m.

WARNER COLISEUM: Dairy Cattle Open Class: 9 a.m.; Hunter and Western Horsemanship: 6 p.m.

ANIMALS

PET CENTER: Pet Surgery: 10 a.m., noon, 2 & 4 p.m.; Minnesota Purebred Dog Breeders Association: 10 a.m., noon, 2 & 4 p.m.

SHEEP AND POULTRY BARN: Baa Booth: 9 a.m.-8 p.m.

AGRICULTURE/HORTICULTURE BUILDING (9 a.m. to 9 p.m. unless noted): The Common Table: 9 a.m.; Minnesota Department of Agriculture: 9 a.m.; Floralpalooza's "Zoo-Tanical": 9 a.m.; University of Minnesota College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Science: 9 a.m.; Ask the Apple Grower: 10 a.m.-3 p.m.; Plant Combinations for Containers: 10 a.m.; Ask the Grape Grower: 11 a.m.-7 p.m.; What About Me, the Mason Bee? Talk for Kids: 11 a.m.; Federated Garden Clubs of Minnesota Show: Noon-9 p.m.; Managing Tomato Disease: Noon; Working with Vineyard Soils, Where the Vine Roots Live: 2 p.m. "Under the Big Top" Professional Floral Designer of the Year Competition: 1-9 p.m.; Tips on Exhibiting and Growing Veggies and Flowers: 1 p.m.; Learn to Grow a Straw Bale Garden: 3 p.m.; Minnesota Craft Brewers Guild: 3 & 6 p.m.; Tips on Being a Lawn Chair Gardener: 4 p.m.; Milkweed, Monarchs and More: 5 p.m.

CREATIVE ACTIVITIES AND ANNEX: Weavers Guild of Minnesota: 9 a.m.-9 p.m.; American Sewing Guild: 9 a.m.-9 p.m.; Minnesota Decorative Artists: 9 a.m.-9 p.m.; Canning Champ Reveals Secrets: 10:30 a.m., noon & 1 p.m.

DNR PARK: What's the Buzz About Native Bees?: 3 p.m.

MINNESOTA WINE COUNTRY: Day in the Life of a Minnesota Winemaker: 3:30 p.m.; Pairing Minnesota Wine & Chocolate: 5 p.m.