89th Jackson County Fair's main week starts July 28

By Brian Sanders

It’s fair time again in Jackson County!

Two major events of the 89th-annual Jackson County Fair — the dog and horse shows — have al­ready been held, and 4-H kids from all over the county are making their final preparations for what could be the last fair to be held at the fair­grounds in Holton. The big week of the fair begins Monday, July 28, at the fairgrounds, located at the inter­section of U.S. Highway 75 and Kansas Highway 16.

Fair officials are hopeful that the heat advisory that is scheduled to hang over much of eastern Kansas this week will move out and give way to more seasonal temperatures that greeted visitors to the horse show on Saturday at the Northeast Kansas Heritage Complex, the fu­ture home of the fair. In the mean­time, high temperatures are forecast for Friday and Saturday, when the fair’s rodeo, a recent addition to the fair schedule, will be held at the Heritage Complex.

The rest of the fair will take place at the existing fairgrounds, including next Monday and Tues­day’s beef, sheep and swine shows at the livestock arena. It has been reported that Casey’s General Store is waiting until after this year’s fair to close the sale of that section of the fairgrounds where the arena stands for construction of a second store in Holton.

The schedule for the rest of the fair is as follows:

• Friday and Saturday, July 25 and 26: Rodeo, starting at 8 p.m. both days at the Heritage Complex. Gates open at 6 p.m.

• Saturday, July 26: Fairgrounds set-up starting at 9 a.m.

• Sunday, July 27: Booth set-up from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m.; open class exhibit check-in from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m.

• Monday, July 28: Sheep and goat weigh-in, 7:30 a.m. to 8:30 a.m.; hog weigh-in, 9 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.; 4-H and open class check-in, 8 a.m. to noon; foods judging, 8:30 a.m.; food sale, 9:30 a.m.; judging of building exhibits, 1 p.m.; 4-H poultry judging, 2 p.m.; steer weigh-in at sale barn, 3 p.m. to 4 p.m.; photos of food champions for The Holton Recorder, 3:30 p.m.; Shepherd’s Lead, 5 p.m., livestock arena; 4-H meat goat show, 5:15 p.m., livestock arena; 4-H sheep show, 6 p.m., livestock arena; food auction, 6 p.m., fair building; Farm Bureau kiddie tractor pull, 7 p.m.

• Tuesday, July 29: 4-H rabbit show, 8 a.m.; 4-H hog show, 8:30 a.m., livestock arena; photos of champion exhibits for The Recorder, 3 p.m.; 4-H beef show, 5 p.m., livestock arena; livestock intent-to-sell deadline, 10 p.m.

• Wednesday, July 30: 4-H goat show, 9 a.m., livestock arena; dairy cattle, bucket calf conference, judging 9-12 year-olds, 9:30 a.m., livestock arena; 10:30 a.m., bucket calf show and Animals On Parade, 10:30 a.m., livestock arena; Farm Safety demonstration with Kali Roberts, 1 p.m.; barnyard olympics with 4-H Ambassadors, 2:30 p.m.; livestock row of champions set-up, 4 p.m.; livestock row of champions in place, 5 p.m.; parade, 6:30 p.m.; Darin and Randy Live, 8 p.m.; talent show with Darin and Randy, followed by karaoke, 8:30 p.m.

• Thursday, July 31: pet show, 9 a.m., north of fair building; livestock judging contest, 10 a.m.; round robin contest, 1 p.m.; set up livestock arena for sale, 2 p.m.; check out livestock, 2:30 p.m.; open class exhibit check-out, 5 p.m.; livestock sale (meat pens-poultry, rabbits, beef, hogs, sheep and goats), 6 p.m.; check out 4-H exhibits including booths, 6 p.m.

• Friday, Aug. 1: fairgrounds clean-up, 9 a.m., with watermelon feed following; presentation of building champions, 6:45 p.m.; fashion revue, 7 p.m.

Toby’s Amusements of Arma will run the fairway from Monday, July 28 through Saturday, Aug. 2, starting at 6 p.m. each day. For more information, contact the Jackson County Extension Office at 364-4125.