MINOT - You could call it an oasis. A pocket of cool air amid a whole lot of hot.

The air-conditioned State Fair Center is a popular place this week, as thousands of fairgoers take in the North Dakota State Fair's indoor exhibits, said Fern Laudenschlager, North Dakota State Fair quilt exhibit superintendent.

For those escaping the heat, there's plenty to see indoors.

About 13,000 open class static exhibit entries fill the State Fair Center's 4-H Hall this year.

Entries include photos, arts and crafts, needlework, food, school exhibits, flowers and creative writing works. These open class exhibits are open from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily.

Margaret Lee is the education coordinator for Minot's Taube Museum, which manages the fair's fine arts and crafts exhibit.

"They seem to very much enjoy the exhibit," Lee said. "People really like looking at the art work."

Lee spent between 60 and 80 hours setting up the fine arts and crafts exhibit, which includes a few hundred entries.

"The thing I think is very cool is the diversification (of entries)," Lee said.

Adults and children from all over the state submit entries.

This year, residents at a Bottineau nursing home entered pastel drawings and watercolors, she said.

Micaela Gerhardt, 11, of Bismarck, won Best of Show in the NDSF writing contest for her story, "Marizo: A Story in Dreams."

"I really encourage people, quilters especially, to come from all over the state," Laudenschlager said.

Laudenschlager said the quilt exhibit features about 90 quilts that competed for Best of Show, Best Workmanship, Best Use of Color, Best Original Design and Best Embroidery titles.

"(While) the women are looking at the quilts and checking out the food ribbons, the guys can go check out the Harley (-Davidson motorcycle) stuff," Laudenschlager said.

The collections and hobby exhibit includes Harley-Davidson motorcycle memorabilia, buttons, ash trays, Furby dolls and other collectibles.

"No matter what you like, there's always something to do (at the fair),"Alyssa Montgomery, of Jamestown, said.

So far, the North Dakota State Fair has welcomed 107,500 fairgoers.

Fair marketing director Jessica Bullinger said attendance is down a bit from last year, but she expects a rush this weekend as temperatures cool and big-name acts like Def Leppard, Dierks Bently and Big and Rich take the stage.

For more information, visit www.ndstatefair.com.

(Reach reporter Alyssa Schafer at 250-8264 or alyssa.schafer@;bismarcktribune.com.)