I’m honored The Last Fair project was awarded Critical Mass Top 50 (award winners here >>). Foodies: this is like the James Beard Chef award in the post-documentary photo project world. I appreciate the 150+ jurors for sharing their time, energy, and enthusiasm for photography. I couldn’t have done this project without the trust of the Minnesota 4-H youth and their families.

Inspired by the cancellation of the Ramsey County Fair in 2021, I launched the project, visiting 25 county fairs across Minnesota over three summers. During this journey, I spent 70 nights away from home and drove 9500 miles, reflecting on how we often don’t appreciate joy until it’s gone.

Each large group photograph requires extensive planning and engagement with participants through workshops, presentations, and exhibitions. As rural youth experience a generational shift, with aging farmers retiring and fewer young people entering agriculture, my work aims to highlight the importance of these fairs in fostering community and agricultural traditions. These issues have driven my artistic endeavors since 2012.