101st-annual Jackson County Fair ready to roll

It’s fair time again!

The big week of the 101st Jackson County 4-H Fair starts on Monday, July 13, and final preparations are being made for this year’s event at the Northeast Kansas Heritage Complex south of Holton, where a wide variety of 4-H and open class exhibits, livestock shows and sale and a carnival will be open to the public.

There’s also the Jackson County Fair Parade on Wednesday, July 15 in Holton, with longtime fair supporters David and Mary Schock of rural Holton chosen to serve as grand marshals (see related article).

Jackson County 4-H Program Manager Cara Robinson said visitors to the Heritage Complex next week can expect a “normal” amount of fair entries — about 2,000 — ranging across several categories of exhibits at this year’s fair.

“We’re down in the bucket calf numbers, but I would say that’s from the high price of bucket calves this year,” Robinson said. “We do make up for it in the photography and visual arts divisions, as there seems to be a few more entries in those areas than in the past couple of years.”

Robinson said there’s also been “a huge jump” in the number of clothing buymanship entries.

“There are 17 entries in that division, whereas in the past, we’re usually around eight to 10,” she said.

This weekend, the 16th-annual Jackson County Fair Rodeo will be held at the Heritage Complex, starting at 7:30 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, July 10 and 11 with gates opening at 6 p.m. each evening. The rodeo is once again being presented in conjunction with the Kraft Rodeo Company, and Tex Holiday will be returning to the rodeo this year as its “funny man,” it has been reported.

Food trucks will be available on site for the rodeo, but rodeo fans may bring in their own coolers for a $5 fee. Admission is $10 per person for those 13 years old and up, while those ages 6-12 are charged $5 each and kids 5 and under are admitted free; all tickets are cash only, it was reported.

Also, Great Plains Amusement of Rush Springs, Okla., will bring its carnival rides and games to the fair for a seventh year, it was reported. The carnival will be open after 5 p.m. starting Tuesday, July 14 and running nightly through Saturday, July 18.

More details on the various entries may be found in the 2026 fair book, which is available at the Meadowlark Extension District website, www.meadowlark.k-state.edu/4-h/holton/

For a full list of fair activities, click here. All events take place at the Northeast Kansas Heritage Complex unless otherwise indicated.