All year for 12 days: Virginia Mold at the heart of the Minnesota State Fair
CFANS alum Virginia Mold (BS ’01) has spent decades making the Minnesota State Fair a place where agriculture and community meet, and she still lights up every time the gates open.
August 6, 2025
LI YAN TAN, STRATEGIC COMMUNICATION, BA '25
In just a couple of weeks, crowds will stream through the Minnesota State Fair gates, eager for the sights, sounds and flavors that make it “The Great Minnesota Get-Together.” But for Virginia Mold, the fair never really ends. As Agriculture Competition Supervisor, her work continues all 365 days of the year.
This August marks Mold’s 29th fair. She has worked full-time with the State Fair since 2008, but her connection began much earlier, when she was 16 and helping her sister in the Moo Booth and Milking Parlor.
“I’ve wanted to work full-time at the fair since I was 12 years old,” she says. “I loved going to the fair, exhibiting as a 4-H member, and finally getting to work during the 12 days.”
A job that’s never the same day twice
Mold oversees a range of programs, with two of her favorites being the FFA competitions and the Minnesota Beef Expo. No two days are alike, which she considers one of the job’s greatest joys. “The variety is what makes it fun, exciting and interesting,” she says.
That joy extends to the people she serves. “I love how much people love the fair,” Mold says. “Knowing that this event is so important to them, and they look forward to it, brings me so much joy.”
As for her, fair time is filled with moments that never lose their magic. She loves watching the first visitors walk through the gates on opening morning. She still makes early visits to the Poultry Barn just to see the chickens. She’s partial to shirts from the State FairWear gift shop, especially when they feature the mascots Fairchild and Fairborne. And the cattle in the open class dairy show still captivate her, year after year.
From CFANS to the fairgrounds
Mold’s path to her current role was shaped by her upbringing on a farm and her experiences at the University of Minnesota. Inspired by her older sisters, she majored in Agricultural Education and Animal Science, with only a brief moment where she considered English Literature.
At CFANS, she thrived in courses like Dairy Cattle Management with Dr. Jeffrey Reneau and all her Ag Ed classes with Dr. Roland Peterson. She was an active member of the Gopher Dairy Club, MN Royal, Beta of Clovia Sorority and other campus activities that left lasting memories.
Her return to the fair after graduation almost didn’t happen, as she missed the application deadline for a full-time position. But fate intervened when the deputy general manager of the Competition Department reopened the posting so she could apply. “The rest is history,” she says.
Connecting to agriculture
Mold sees the fair as a place of discovery, a rare chance for many people to connect with agriculture in a hands-on way. “To play a part in helping tell that story is really special to me,” she says.
Visitors might be surprised to learn how much planning it takes to make agricultural competitions run smoothly. “There are so many details,” Mold adds. “It takes 365 days to get ready."
To current CFANS students, Mold offers one piece of advice: “Network, network, network. Networking can lead to some great adventures in the future.”
Beyond the fair
When she’s not working, Mold enjoys reading, following livestock show trends, and keeping up with the Royal Family. She’s a longtime admirer of L.M. Montgomery’s writing, a collector of vintage State Fair memorabilia, and an unapologetic cat enthusiast, even if she doesn’t have one of her own right now.
And after all these years, one thing still stands out. “The friends you make in college stay with you, even if you don’t see each other for months or years,” she says.
Counting down the days
The Minnesota State Fair opens on Thursday, August 21. Whether you are stepping onto the fairgrounds for the first time or returning for a tradition that feels like home, the moments that Mold and her colleagues bring to life, from the barns to the show rings, will be there to greet you.
CFANS staff, students, faculty, and alumni: Sign up to volunteer at the Minnesota State Fair as a greeter in the CFANS exhibit! Training is provided in advance. You receive a free admission ticket for the day and a CFANS T-shirt.
