Adams County Fair opens Wednesday

OTHELLO - Exhibits and competition, two days of rodeo, a demolition derby and chuck wagon cooking are among the events scheduled for the 2014 Adams County Fair.

The event opens Wednesday and continues through Saturday.

Exhibit entry is from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. today at the fairgrounds, 831 South Reynolds Rd. in Othello.

The gates open at 8 a.m. each day. Admission is $6 for adults, $4 for senior citizens and children ages 7 to 11. Children ages 6 and younger get in free.

Wednesday is Buddy Day; admission is half price for people who attend the fair with a buddy. Thursday is the food bank drive. People who bring donations of non-perishable food receive $1 off the admission price.

Exhibitors are invited to a special fair kickoff breakfast at 6 a.m. Wednesday, and there's a mandatory livestock exhibitors meeting at 8 a.m.

Judging of all non-livestock exhibits begins at 9 a.m. Wednesday. Market class competition for all livestock classes also begins at 9 a.m., and continues all day. Horse competition begins at 9:30 a.m.

Entertainment starts at 11:30 a.m., the same time as the first children's tractor pull. Kids use a pedal tractor to pull a weight-filled sled, with more and more weight as the competition continues. Kids will be competing all week.

Time trials begin at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday for the demolition derby, to be held in the rodeo arena, with racing to follow.

Thursday features livestock fitting and showing classes, beginning at 9 a.m., except for rabbits, which begin at 1 p.m. All riding competition begins at 8:30 a.m.

Three kids will be working with the chuck wagon cooks Thursday, beginning at 5 p.m. Kids can apply by contacting Roger Schull, 509-488-5667. Three kids will be chosen to cook a dessert with participating chuck wagon cooks.

Friday begins with 4-H and FFA livestock judging at 9 a.m. and FFA horse judging at noon. Round robin fitting and showing competition begins at 1 p.m. Awards for FFA and 4-H competitors will be distributed at 4 p.m.

Draft horse pull competition begins at 5 p.m. in the rodeo arena. Draft horse competition is like a tractor pull, except it's real horsepower. The horses pull a sled across the rodeo arena as it's filled with heavier and heavier weights.

The chuck wagon cooks officially return for the third consecutive year of competition Friday and Saturday.

Chuck wagon competition asks cooks to recreate a meal from the days of the cattle drives, using the equipment they would've used in the 1880s or 1890s. And since it's a chuck wagon competition, cooks are judged on the authenticity of their wagons and utensils as well as their cuisine. Competition traditionally includes five categories, meat, beans, bread, potatoes and dessert.

It's a good competition for fairgoers, because they get to try the chuck wagon grub. Tickets are $12 each.

The first of two performances of the Othello Rodeo begins at 8 p.m. Friday.

Saturday starts with the parade at 10 a.m. in downtown Othello. Participants assemble on 13th Avenue and walk down Main Street past Pioneer Park.

The diaper derby is scheduled for 11:30 a.m. at the fairgrounds. It's open to babies up to 14 months of age and their parents, but it's for crawlers only.

The annual livestock sale begins at noon. Kids who have raised an animal during the summer get to see their work literally pay off in the show ring.

The second rodeo performance begins at 8 p.m. at the arena. It's followed by a dance at the fairgrounds, the fair finale.