GRAND RAPIDS—Minnesota’s state grain will once again take center stage at the Minnesota State Fair, where fairgoers can learn about cultivated wild rice, sample recipes and purchase the grain during the fair’s 12-day run.
The Minnesota Cultivated Wild Rice Council will operate its annual booth in the Dairy Building, across from the Haunted House, offering cooking demonstrations and educational exhibits highlighting cultivated wild rice grown in Minnesota.
Hourly demonstrations are scheduled from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day of the fair. Culinary specialists will prepare a variety of wild rice recipes while sharing cooking tips, nutritional information and facts about Minnesota’s state grain.
Visitors also can pick up the council’s free 2026-27 recipe brochure, which includes new recipes, cooking instructions and answers to frequently asked questions about preparing and storing wild rice.
The booth will feature an educational video about cultivated wild rice, interactive displays and merchandise, including T-shirts and trucker hats. Minnesota-grown cultivated wild rice will be available for purchase during the fair while supplies last.
Wild rice has long been an important crop in northern Minnesota and remains closely tied to the region’s agricultural heritage. Both cultivated and naturally occurring wild rice are produced in the state, although cultivated wild rice is grown in flooded paddies, primarily in northwestern Minnesota, while natural wild rice grows in lakes and rivers throughout northern Minnesota.
Residents who are unable to attend the State Fair can download the council’s latest recipe brochure and learn more about Minnesota cultivated wild rice by visiting mnwildrice.org.