Though North Dakota is widely known as a cold state, our summers definitely don’t reflect that stereotype! When walking around the North Dakota State Fair, it’s important to see everything you can and have a good time, but you also need to prepare yourself for the weather! We’ve compiled a few tips to help you beat the heat this summer!
1. STAY HYDRATED
Drinking fluids is extremely important to avoid heat stroke and heat exhaustion. The warmer your body gets, the more likely you are to sweat and lose that water you have stored up. The best thing to do is remember to continuously drink water as you walk around or between carnival rides!
2. WEAR SUNSCREEN
Though we all love to get a nice tan (and in North Dakota that can be extremely difficult) too much sun can be extremely harmful. Be sure to put a nice coat of sunscreen on before you leave the house and reapply while you’re at the Fair! Your skin will thank you!
3. SUN PROTECTION IS A MUST!
While sunscreen is important, there are also other ways to protect yourself from the sun. Wearing a hat can help protect the top of your head, because fewer things are more painful than a sunburn on your scalp. Bring a parasol (sun umbrella) for constant shade, and don’t forget sunglasses to protect your eyes!
4. WEAR LOOSE CLOTHING
Loose clothing can help give your skin more room to breathe. The tighter the clothing, the less air circulation you have against your body, and the more likely that your fabric will cling and get all sweaty.
5. SEEK A COOL AREA
If you feel yourself overheating, the North Dakota State Fair has many air conditioned buildings you can cool off in! We’d recommend one of the Commercial buildings, the Grandstand, or the State Fair Center! If you don’t want to go inside, at the very least find a little bit of shade for protection.
7. SIGNS OF HEAT EXHAUSTION
If you’re outside for a long time, you may develop signs of heat exhaustion. Here are some of the symptoms:
Cool, moist skin with goose bumps when in the heat
Heavy sweating
Faintness
Dizziness
Fatigue
Weak, rapid pulse
Low blood pressure upon standing
Muscle cramps
Nausea
Headache
If you feel any of these coming on, be sure to get out of the heat, drink fluids, and call a doctor if they worsen. If left untreated, HEAT EXHAUSTION can develop into HEAT STROKE which can be life-threatening. We will also have a FIRST AID TENT set up near GATE E (near Kids’ Kingdom) that you can also visit.
Thank you to mayoclinic.org for the symptoms and information on heat exhaustion.
We hope this list helps keep you and your fellow Fairgoers safe from the dangers of the heat! If you have any other ideas not mentioned here, leave us a comment and let us know!