The Minnesota State Fair once again gave fairgoers one of its most unusual traditions this year as 4-H participants brought llamas and alpacas into the spotlight for an imaginative costume contest.

The annual 4-H Llama-Alpaca Costume Contest took place September 2 at the Lee & Rose Warner Coliseum, drawing a packed crowd for an evening filled with colorful costumes, clever themes and plenty of laughs.

The competition has become one of the more distinctive attractions at the Great Minnesota Get-Together, giving young exhibitors a chance to combine animal handling with creativity and months of preparation.

Llamas Become Roller Coasters, Movie Characters and More

This year’s contestants went far beyond simple costumes.

One of the standout entries featured 13-year-old Vivienne Bourn of Anoka County and her llama, Trainwreck. The pair appeared with a homemade roller coaster setup that included a Sweet Martha’s cookie vendor, a bucket of cookies and other Minnesota State Fair references.

Bourn had been working on the project since April. The effort earned the pair a Reserve Champion ribbon.

Other participants created themes inspired by everything from coffee and candy to back-to-school season and popular entertainment.

Among the entries were llamas dressed as a doctor and patient, a farmer and chicken, a zookeeper and a hair salon. One alpaca appeared as Thing 1 alongside a handler dressed as Thing 2.

The contest also featured costumes inspired by Harry Potter, Toy Story, Pitbull and other familiar pop culture references.

The Contest Is About More Than a Funny Costume

While the costumes are the part that gets the biggest laughs, the 4-H competition requires significant preparation from both the young exhibitors and their animals.

The University of Minnesota Extension says participants must train their llamas and alpacas to accept being covered by costumes, something the animals naturally may not enjoy. The project requires creativity, planning and careful attention to the animal’s comfort and safety.

The program even offers a STEM and Arts Award recognizing young exhibitors who use an engineering design process when creating their costumes. Participants are encouraged to identify a problem, brainstorm ideas, build prototypes and test their designs while considering structural integrity and safety.

That makes the event more than a novelty act. It is also a hands-on youth project combining animal care, design, public presentation and problem-solving.

A Packed Crowd Watches the Llama Drama

The contest drew thousands of amused fairgoers to the Warner Coliseum.

According to the Minnesota Star Tribune, roughly 5,000 people were on hand as the animals and their handlers made their way into the arena. The spectacle included everything from elaborate themed costumes to humorous takes on everyday life.

The result was a uniquely Minnesota State Fair scene: young exhibitors carefully guiding their animals around an arena while crowds watched costumes that had taken months to create.

For many of the participants, the event was as much about showing off their creativity as it was about winning a ribbon.

Why the Llama Contest Has Become a State Fair Favorite

The Minnesota State Fair’s llama and alpaca activities have developed a following because they offer something visitors cannot find at most major fair attractions.

The animals participate in several events during the fair, including performance classes, an obstacle course, showmanship and the costume contest. The official 2026 schedule placed the llama and alpaca activities across September 2 through September 4.

The costume competition provides the most entertaining visual moment of the group, with exhibitors encouraged to create complementary themes for themselves and their animals.

The Minnesota State Fair’s own livestock photo gallery describes the competition as featuring competitors and their llamas in complementary themed costumes.

A Wholesome Tradition With a Minnesota Twist

The llama and alpaca costume contest fits neatly into the personality of the Minnesota State Fair.

The event mixes agriculture, youth programs, humor and creativity in a way that feels distinctly different from the fair’s larger concerts, rides and food attractions.

This year’s entries showed just how far participants are willing to take the concept. From a roller coaster riding across a llama’s back to costumes inspired by movies, television and everyday American life, the competition turned an ordinary livestock arena into one of the fair’s most entertaining stages.

The Minnesota State Fair runs through Labor Day, September 7, giving visitors one final chance this year to experience the Great Minnesota Get-Together before the fairgrounds go quiet for another season.