ESCANABA, Mich. (WZMQ) – The U.P. State Fair has received $103,000 in grants from the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD).
The funding is part of $525,000 in grants awarded to fairs across the state. The U.P. State Fair was the only recipient located in the Upper Peninsula.
“We’re very, very thankful that we have the relationship that we do with MDARD and that they do make these opportunities available,” said Vickie Micheau, Executive Director of the Delta County Chamber of Commerce. “They truly do a lot to support agriculture, so for them to make this grant available, it was very important to us.”
Thanks to a $100,000 County Fairs Capital Improvement Grant, the U.P. State Fair Authority will be able to replace the roof of the beef barn. According to Michau, the barn is one of the fairgrounds’ oldest structures.
“The roof has been deteriorating, so it has been identified as a priority project,” she said. “People will see activity in the beef barn and in the arena at least once during fair week, but the reality is that it is a building that’s used year-round. Making sure that structure is maintained for the long-term is very, very important to us.”
The investment preserves a vital part of the fairgrounds, keeping the barn accessible, functional, and safe for exhibitors. It also goes hand in hand with the Authority’s ongoing building and grounds updates.
“The U.P. State Fair Authority has taken great pride in the amount of work that they’ve done,” said Micheau. “To date, they’ve probably invested more than $5 million in improving the facility, so it’s been significant.”
Because new exhibitor classes have been added, the fair also qualified for a Livestock and Commodity Exposition Competitive Grant, which provided an additional $3,000 for exhibitor opportunities.
“That will support premiums that are paid to exhibitors,” Micheau explained. “It’s MDARD’s commitment to making sure that our youth realize the importance of agriculture and agricultural education and development.”
2026 is shaping up to be a big year for the U.P. State Fair, between the fair itself and other annual events held on the grounds. Major financial investments like the ones from MDARD ensure that’s a trend that will continue for years to come.
“This is a very, very important facility,” said Micheau. “We host the largest event that takes place in the Upper Peninsula. We spend a lot of time making sure that what we offer is affordable family fun during the best week of summer.”
The 2026 U.P. State Fair is scheduled for August 17 – 23. To see what’s in store this year, visit upstatefair.net.
