SOUTH DAKOTA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

NEWS RELEASE

For Immediate Release: August 1, 2014

Media Contact: Candi Briley, 605-353-7340

Become the Next “Dacotah Star” at the South Dakota State Fair

HURON, S.D. – Make your voice heard at the South Dakota State Fair! 

Become the next “Dacotah Star” at the Dacotah Star Talent Competition presented by Dacotah Bank. More than $2,000 in cash prizes will be awarded to division winners.

Applications for the 12th Annual Dacotah Star Talent Competition presented by Dacotah Bank are now available online at www.sdstatefair.com or at the State Fair office.  The deadline for entering the talent competition is Monday, Aug. 18, at 5 p.m. CDT.

The grand prize winner in the adult division wins the title of “2014 Dacotah Star,” along with a $1,000 cash prize and the opportunity to star in his/her own commercial promoting Dacotah Star on KTTW Fox. The winner will also have the opportunity to perform on the NorthWestern Energy Freedom Stage during the 2015 South Dakota State Fair and emcee the 2015 Dacotah Star talent competition.

The 2013 Dacotah Star is Parish Mechling from Redfield.

There are three age divisions for Dacotah Star – Children (5 through 11 years), Junior (12 through 17 years) and Adult (18 and older).

Preliminary competition begins on Friday, Aug. 29, and ends on Sunday, Aug. 31. Dacotah Star finals will be held on Monday, Sept. 1. The talent competition is held daily on the NorthWestern Energy Freedom Stage at 5:30 p.m. CDT.

Sponsors of the 2014 Dacotah Star are Dacotah Bank and KTTW-FOX. Dacotah Bank serves dozens of hometowns across South Dakota, North Dakota and Minnesota, providing banking, insurance, mortgage, and trust services to over 50,000 customers at local branches and online at www.dacotahbank.com.

The 2014 South Dakota State Fair will run from Thursday, Aug. 28, through Monday, Sept. 1. Channel Seeds preview day will be Wednesday, Aug. 27. This year’s theme is “What Does The Fair Say?”  For more information on State Fair events, contact the Fair office at 800-529-0900, visit www.sdstatefair.com or find them on Facebook and Twitter.

Agriculture is South Dakota's No. 1 industry, generating $25.6 billion in annual economic activity and employing over 115,000 South Dakotans. The South Dakota Department of Agriculture's mission is to promote, protect, preserve and improve this industry for today and tomorrow. Visit us online at http://sdda.sd.gov or find us on Facebook and Twitter.

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