The MN State Yo-Yo Contest will take place on October 4th, 2026 at the Underground Music Venue in Minneapolis! This event is free to spectate and attend!
Competitor registration and music upload will be opened at a later date. We will announce on all of our platforms when they open!
Divisions:
1A Pro
X Division
1A Sport (for beginner/intermediate players)
Beginners Luck
Kendama Freestyle
Judging Information
Judging criteria for yoyo divisions (Pro & Sport) will follow NYYL Guidelines. For a more detailed rule breakdown, please read the rules HERE. A quick overview of the divisions at the Minnesota State Yo-Yo Contest is given below. The freestyle time for each division is also given below.
1A Pro
One long-spinning yoyo, with the string attached to the yoyo and the hand.
This division is for players who have some competitive experience or have been yo-yoing for a long time. The final round will be 2-minute routines, if there are more than 20 registered players for 1A pro there will be a preliminary round with 1-minute routines.
Scoring breakdown:
Preliminaries: 70% Technical Evaluation, 15% Trick Presentation, 15% Musicality
Finals: 60% Technical Evaluation, 10% Trick Presentation, 10% Musicality, 10% Routine Construction, and 10% Performance Quality
For more details on how these categories are scored, read the National Yo-Yo League rules HERE.
1A Sport
One long-spinning yoyo, with the string attached to the yoyo and the hand.
Freestyles in this division will be 1-minute long. This division is targeting beginners, first-time competitors, and casual players. If you have competed multiple times, or have a lot of experience yo-yoing, we please ask that you compete in the 1A Professional division.
Scoring Breakdown: 20% Technical Evaluation, 20% Trick Presentation, 20% Musicality, 20% Routine Construction, and 20% Performance Quality
For more details on how these categories are scored, read the National Yo-Yo League rules HERE.
X Division
X Division freestyles will be 2 minutes long. There will be no preliminary round.
The following styles are allowed in X Division:
2A – Two short-spinning yoyos, with the string attached to each yoyo and each hand of the player.
3A – Two long-spinning yoyos, with the string attached to each yoyo and each hand of the player
4A – One (or more) long spinning yoyos, with the string(s) detached from the yoyo(s) but attached to the player’s hand(s).
5A – One (or more) long spinning yoyos, with the string(s) attached to the yoyo(s) but detached from the player’s hand(s) and instead attached to a counterweight
Scoring breakdown: 60% Technical Evaluation, 10% Trick Presentation, 10% Musicality, 10% Routine Construction, and 10% Performance Quality
Note: Raw Technical Evaluation scores for each division will be multiplied by a style constant called a "multiplier" to account for the fact that different divisions are being judged together. These multipliers are 1.4 for 2A, 1.5 for 3A, 1.3 for 4A, and 1.6 for 5A.
For more details on how these categories are scored, as well as the X division multipliers, read the National Yo-Yo League rules HERE.
Beginners Luck
This division is for anyone who is looking to learn more about the world of yoyo-ing. If it is your first time at a yoyo contest or you've never tried a yoyo before this division is for you! More details on this division will be announced at a later date!
Kendama Freestyle
Kendama Showcase (not a competitive division) hosted by the Minnesota Kendama Club
Like yo-yo, kendama is a competitive skill toy with a rich history, a community that spans the globe, and endless possibilities for play. The Minnesota Kendama Club is a group of players who love dama as much as you love yo-yo, and we’re thrilled to host a kendama showcase at this year’s Minnesota State Yo-Yo Contest. This showcase will serve to promote the sport of kendama and our love for the game. The showcase will consist of several freestyle routines and the opportunity to hit your first spike on stage! Join us on Instagram @MN.KEN.CLUB !
Routines will be up to 2 minutes long to music of the performer's choice!